Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-01-08
board of Public Works.

/. few days since the following resolution, among
others was adopted:
Rsaolyed. That the Office of Commissioner oil
the Board Of Public Works, is not properly po-
litical one, and we are opposed to any attempt 10
make it such.
That Ia the correct doctrine. That IS the true
vsv 10 consider it; and the people OF Franklin are
deserving Of honor for their emphatic expression
of 90 sound an opinion.
IT,. ot6.e of Commissioner Of the Board OF Pub
lie Works is NOT political one in any sense "'
the term. Not only, so, but it cannot be made
nolitical Office, even by an incumbent who should
make every effort to do so. 1t is purely ana eA-
clusyely an Office in the financial interest oil The
State Of Virginia, having no more connection with
nolit;cs. State or Federal than the Office oil sexton
in Parish church.
For this reason we have opposed, and shall con-
tinue to oppose with might and main, the contem'
plated attempt of Party Convention to impose
Commissioner Of the Board OF Public works upon
the people Of this District. In tho name' ana IN
the interest Of the people at large we protest
against this matter being takcnout OF their hands,
and con6ded to a nest of politicians. under tho
name Of Party Convention. The office rs one be-
longing to the people-the officer is an "ffcer VINO
is to protect the interests and the rights OF the
people-and it is proper that the people alone
and not small squad Of politicians, should midi
cate their choice of man for the position. Their
instincts will be far more apt to select an appfo-
pirate officer, than is likely to be the case IN
Convention Of cross-roai politicians
So think the people, OF Franklin, aud so, we doubt
not, think the people Of the whole District 30
believes Mr. Trcdway of Pitsylvania, AMI Mr.
Stoyall of Halifax both Of whom have eo'1r or
ward, like men, as they had right to do and an
nounced themselves candidates for 'e office. We
honor them for their Independence. Let the other
candidates do the same thing, Not half a dozen
counties, out u the fifty counties composing the
District have indicated any desire Tor 'onveh-
ton. The people. en- massr believe with the reo-
ple Of Franklin, that the Office us not political
one J." and, like them, they are opposed to making
il so.
The ambition Of filing this Office is nm honora
BILE oue and no man. Of sua ,ient capacity, can be
cshsured for entertaining it. Let the other asp-
rants. or their friends for them, see To It that
they lose nothing by delay in announcing their
names. Unless this be done, the cand'da'es nj
ready out will have UNNECESSARILY the advantage
A party Convention attempted to impose Com
missioner upon this District the last time. but the
people cbeckmacd the move. So will they do
again. f the venture be repeated. We take II
that Mr. Yredwsy and Mr. Sto,nll. will not be al
lowed 70 have an uneontes,ed field, both Of them
coming from ar nuti-intcrnal improvement plr-
n. .,,n,
the other asprants to declare their Intentions
at once We want to have lively and an ant
mated convass aud il is time the other contestants
were entering the ring.
As appropriate to this very subject. we have
lust met with the following capital reflections III
the New York Times. They are ELECTED 10y the
fact that number Of citizens in New Haven.
Connecticut have called upon tx Senator Bald
win 10 declare himself candidate f1r Congress.
Says the Times
An cutlery is raised against the movement, III
some quarters the ground that IT iuieri"res
with the regular mode Of ing nominations by
Conventions. So much TIE better. This inlced
should be one Of its cliti recommendations, for
we shall never have any prospect Of II dcivcraucr
from the eorruptons aud inhecitiloS Of cur peiti-
cal system until the cutirc machinery of canrn-
ses primary meetings and nominating contcu-
tons is broken up 1t is by lie use Of tins ma In
merry that weak men are put inpo'itons for which
they are utterly unqualified ana that cprruI, men
obtain the power to iAiien Themselves upon the
public plunder \, long a, the present system.
holds, popular cle e;ions are mainly farce The
actual choice Of rulers j. made, not by the poo
pie and At the ball 1t laxes. bu. ia these private
assemblies unknown 10 the law and open 10 every
kind Of cbicanery aua1nrisue. In large cites
especially the evil las be me .Atol,taLlc As to
be universally rec suifed: an1 IA .hc country lis
tricts although il is less csnsp,cuauS, II Is het
ing quite as general and As prodnc,iye Of bal re-
suits.
The only remedy lies in precisely such action
as has been taken in New Iiavcn. 1t the peo-
pie take the matter into their own hands. II they
select able experienced men Of eminent qnal'iita,
tons for public places, theirchoice viii te ratified
at the ballo-box No better selection could lave
been made to begin with than that of Coy. Bad
win. and the result in his case VIII show whether
the people If the d. rict ready to take the
management Of their ewn Affairs, or whether they
still prefer the laborsavins tyranny Of the c"u O.
system.
We published, yesterday, the brief, but elo-
quent speech Of Mr. Critterte d r .ltucAy, OF
removing from the old 10 the new ,enatc Cham
Der. We follow it MP to-day with the remarks Of
Vice President Breckenridge, on the same ocea-
sion.
Both Of these speeches are models uf parlla
mentary eloquence. The Vice Presidents speech
Is the more elaborate, and fuller Of historical re
miniseence-but the simple, aud We; grand dign;-
ty with which the old Senator from Kentucky
takes leave Of n Hall endeared TO him by an aeso-
citation of % many years, will cartiratc the heart
of every reader.
Mr.. Crttenden is in truth, older as n Senator,
than the Hall which be now leaves. lie entered
thu Senate In l2l---txn wears LET re lie Scnntr