The republic., 1851-10-28
Virginia Politicians.

IT is known that the opponents of MIR. Sum-
MERs, the Whig candidate for Governor in
Virginia, have repeatedly accused him, since his
nomination, of being an abolitonist, and of
having in that capacity acted in manner hos
tile to the peace of the Union. In reply to this
charge, we have already placed before our read
ers the fact that in the late State Convention he
supported the clause which prohibits all action
by the Legislature of the State on the subject
of slavery; and that his interests as man, as
well as his principles as politician. bind him
to the maintenance of the Compromise mea-
sures. Mr. SUMMERS has since addressed to a
friend the subjoined letter. which ought to be suf
fcient TO set the matter at rest so far as all hon
orable men are concerned:
"KANAwHA H., October 49, 1851.
ssDEAR SIa: this morning received the letter
addressed to me by yourself and others, inviting
an early visit to Petersburg and the adjacent coun
try feel the utmost anxiety to be in that quar-
ter at the earliest practicable period set out in
the morning for the southwest, and shall either go
from that region down the valley, to Eastern
Virginia 1t will be impossible TO canvass the whole
State. must strike for important points, and
do regard more than your neighborhood. /
J
sible.
"As to the sought to be made of the occur
rences in the Legislature of 1882, it ia easily met
took occasion in the late convention to review the
transactions alluded to- and send you by this mail
a copy of the speech | then made. You will find
from page to page fourteen what relates to that
subject. and it might be well to insert it in the In
tsllsgsncer.
al voted 10 insert that provision in the
stated expressly that. in my opinion, even with
out such clause, the Legislature would have no
right TO emanLipate.
al am a STAKEHOLDER myself to considerable
amount, and live in the largest slaveholding county
of the West am fixed in my opposition to all
and every scheme, State Federal, calculated to
affect the value security Of slave property as
any man in the Commonwealth. And yet this
ridiculous and false apprehension is feigned by
those who will vote for Colonel johnson, a gentle
man born in the State of New York, and who
came to Virginia in mature life, who, perhaps,
never owned a slave, and who lives in part of the
State having less interest in that property than
any other part of the Commonwealth.
81 write in great haste, and with the freedom of
friend, for your eye, and not for the press,
though you are at liberty to any of the facts
above stated. l make attack Colonel J. as
n foreigner any oth,r account; but may be
excusable for feeling warmth at the course OF
opposition to me mentioned in your letter, and
which is at the same time SO ungenerous and 80
unfounded
Hoping to have the pleasure Of seeing
you, am you're, truly,
"GEo. w. SUMMERS
The Democratic journals of the district
including the Union of this city-have labored
hard 10 manufacture capital out of the imputa-
tion which Mr.. SUMMERS repels so satisfacto-
Tily; but, so far as we know, they have pre-
served perfect silence with regard to certain
antecedents in the career Of Mr.. THOMPSON
the favorite Democratic candidate for Wheel
ing. He is ranked amongst the faithful, and
his success is pointed to as an illustration of
what Democracy can do when it pleases.
If we are not misinformed, however, this
Mr.. THOMPSON was at no remote day a
resident in Ohio, and, while residing there,
was furious abolitionist, unremitting in his
endeavors TO propagate his opinions in the
northwestern parts Of Virginia. One of
his speeches at, or in the neighborhood of
Wheeling, some time ago, is described to us
as having been fraught with incendiary appeals
equal to any thing emanating from GARRISON or
DOUGLASS. Like a multitude of Ohio aboli-
tionists, he has sought refuge under the wings
Of the Democratic party, and with their help
has managed to get into Congress. Let us
hope, in charity, that those who have helped
to raise false cry against Mr. SUMMERS. have
done SO in ignorance of Mr. THoMPsoN's his
tory.