Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1847-03-12

the following communication, which we cheer-
fully give place to:
CHARLEsrowS, March S, ls47.
Ma. Ep1roR:-I have observed, with no little
sunrise. TO saw the least, in Editorial OF your
paper orto.day that in speaking of the proceedings
of the late Democratic Convention, you use the
following remark -" The scattering votes given
for the other candidates, being intended more as
matter of personal compliment than an expecta.
ton of defeating the nominee now, sir. as l
was one of the Individuals for whom scattering
votes were given, although not a candidate, nor SO
considered, by any one in the Convention, your
statement misrepresents me and my friends, ana
misstates nv true position and confess am at
an entire loss to conceive how 1t Is possible you
could be ignorant of the real TACT, living as you o'
in the same town, aud you the Editor OF the SPIRIT
when it is notorious, that alter my defeat d. the
last election in view of the scenes and acts which
had TRANSFERRED and the manner, means, and party
by which nv defeat was effected, and OF the neces
sty of union anu harmony in our ranks, had de-
termiued then and so declared, and very frequent
ly afterwards upon all proper occasions, IN pubic
and private, from that time forth, as often as III
opportunity occurred, that was not candidate
for Congress this spring, and would not be- ana
would not even permit my name TO be used IN
connection with the nomination: and when,
moreover had been waited upon by not a lew OF
the DELEGATES present at the Convention, OF whose
proceedings you were speaking, and at which you
were present as delegate, and expressed myself
to them to that effect and most emphatIcaily, and
earnestly requested them, in the event that any
one should presume to use my name, instantly ana
nreremptorily to withdraw it: and i am positively
assured by several of those gentlemen that these
facts were perfectly understood by every body
else, if not by you-haring been sOmechdt INDUS
trouSly circulated can hardly believe therefore,
that you meant, by the expression candidates,
IL. 10 y-NnF
character and relations towards me, forbid snch
conclusion. There must be some mistake. am
aware that hereabouts people cannot be deceived
to my true position, by the Press or otherwise.
But your statement is certainly calculated tc make
the false impression abroad that was "A candidate,
and that | and my friends had been seeking
the nomination, and had even tried, perhaps, 10
elect delegates to the Convention, for the purpose,
without success than which, nothing could be
more untrue, and nothing notorious, here,
at least than the fact that is untrue, and nothing
more unjust, allow me TO add, towards me and my
friends, who actually held back-very few as l
learn attending the meeting-the mass going Tor
unity and harmony, unwilling TO expose the meet
ings even to the suspicion, that the Convention,
to grow out of them, might not fairly reflect the
wishes of the party, in which event we telt our
selves fnrewarned that distraction might follow.
Having now said all ] intended, | will take
the occasion to explain why, after my defeat at
the last electon-although receiving considera-
BILE majority fthe votes of the Democratic party,
(being the nominee, )-l so determined and de-
clared, as have stated. 1t was simply because
| was satisfied that the harmony and unity OF the
party in the District required, which was mo-
tive enough with me. without others, to prevail,
and one against which no resentments, however
Provoked-no disgust, however gross, and no soil
citations of friends, however ardent and devoted,
could weigh aught. NV integrity man and a
. thOurbt-fhOuph
wrong-that some new man, who had had nothing
to do in these scenes and acts which preceded at
/ tended and followed the schsm III our ranks ought
to be selected because could not perceive, under
all the circumstances, how reconciliation was to
be expected without mutual Cancellation, and
could not see how that could consist in or be pro-
NOTED by pressing and forcing the same men or
either. Always, however, while expressing these
views emptlaticaly pledged my support TO any
such staunCh Democrat, without stopping to en-
/ qure whether he had voted for against me in
( the late contest. These views remain unchanged;
( but others differ with me, as it seems and have
/ no right to complain,-and had not been lmPro-
/ perly held up asprant, so grossly contra
/ ~ to the fact, these explanations had never been
made through the Press. will only add that
approve of the present able Administration and all
! its measures. WIN. LUCAS.
Custom has sanctioned somewhat the appica-
ton which we intended to give, no matter how 1t
is construed the word candidate,' as used in
our brief editorial notice of the dongs of the Win
chester Convention. a man, it is frequently and
most generally said, is or " candidate" when
he is roted for for any Office station, whether it
be with or against his consent. The construction
which Mr.. LUCAS has given to our remark, is en-
actly the reverse of what we intended TO convey,
even if our language acas so indistinct as to be
misunderstood. We, surely, knowing as we do
the hold which Mr.. Lucas has upon the affections
OF the people of this District would not be guilty
of the egregious folly of saying, by implication or
otherwise, that he and his friends had been seek
ing the nomination, and had even tried, perhaps,
to elect delegates to the Convention" and then
say, farther, that those delegates, when in Con-
venton assembled, only voted for him as a matter
Of "personal compliment"
He is correct when he says our " character and
relations towards him. forbid the conclusion that
we should Intentionally, misrepresent him before
the people of the District Witha clear conscience,
we feel justified in saying, that we have never,
knowingly, misrepresented the position of any
man-and least o. all, should we Intentionally mis-
represent our own best and truest friends. We
could have no motive, and if we had, we should
scorn to do it.
To represent Mr.. Lucas fairly before the peo-
pie of the District is all that aimed to accom-
plish last week. So far as we know, he, nor mis-
friends, neither soughtin Convention or elsewhere,
his nomination. And, in justification of ourself,
it may be well enough to say, that with the con-