Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-02-28
For THE ENoCIRr

For THE ENQUIRER.
ToAic Foicrs Of TIC First Congressional Distrtct.
A communication in the Enquirer of the 9th
ult. over the signature Of "Smilhfield, y in regard
to Inc time and place of holding a Convention for
the first Congressional District, the scale OF vo-
ting, &c, has met my eye, and received mi most
cordial appreciation. The writer, however, has
fallen into a few errors, which, ! will, in the first
place, proceed 10 Point out. Making twenty-five
The numerical number represented by each dele
gate in Convention, the county OF Norfolk ha-
wing polled 500 votes in the late Presidential cleo
ton, would only have % delegates and a fraction
over; Norfolk Borough 403 votes, lG delegates;
Princess Anne 25l, 10 delegates; Nansemond PA,
Q delegates; Isle Of Wight410, lS delegates; South
ampton $40, Is delegates; Sussex 325, Is dele
gates; Surry l6S. 6 delegates, making in all only
10 delegates.
am thoroughly convinced, not only OF the
p~ropriety, but OF the absolute necessity of hold
ing a Democratic Convention in this Congress
sional District, for The purpose of calling out one
Of our ablest and strongest men to represent us
in the National Legislature. Momentous and
important questions are agitating and convulsing
the country. The crisis is rife with great and vital
issues. We want and must have men, who are
able TO support and defend the Southern portion
Of this Confederacy-men who will plant them
selves on the ramparts OF the Constitution, cling
to the pillars thereof, even though they should be
buried in their ruins.
This necessity of a Convention arises, in the
first place, from the fact, that there is great d.
versity OF opinion in the district, as to who should
be The candidate; secondly, that The present in
cumbent (already in the field) is obnoxious 10
some in the district; and lastly, thar, with all The
advantage ofan animated contest in most Of The
counties of the district, he was elected by a mea-
gre majority Of only FIVE votes.
In the approaching Spring elections, there will,
probably, be no contest in Southampton, Sussex,
or Snrry; the Democratic party having The ascen-
dency in these counties; the Wings need make no
effort to dislodge the present worthy and faithful
representatives.
In Norfolk county, Nansemond, Princess Anne,
and the Borough, the Wings are in The ascen-
dant-and for the same reason, the Democrats
need make no show OF resistance. In old Isle of
Wight, the Tenth Legion of the District, there
will be perhaps some faint and feeble opposition
to The present worthy and deserving delegate
Deprive our present Representative in Congress,
then, OF these advantages, (f mean county oppo-
sition in the district which secured his election,
with what success in the approaching canvass
can we calculate on his reelection?
II we run a candidate, then, who cannot con.
centrate the vote Of his party, and whose success
depends upon adventurous circumstances, in their
absence (and ! think / have shown the proba-
bility Of Mat) he must be defeated. The friends
OF Mr.. Atkinson, no doubt, are ready to PROFOUND
the inquiry, who can more effectually or success
fully amount those difficulties than himself7-
| answer, a Millson, a Smith Of Norfolk county,
a Taylor, a Ridley, and lastly, depending on a
certain contingency a John Y. Mason.
Should The last named gentleman be excluded
from the new Cabinet, we will call him out as
our strongest man. A Convention will produce
among The voiers of the District harmony and
Union, a strong pull. a long pull, and a pull al.
together, and the nominee will t%riumphan.ly hold