Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-11-07
DAILY TfRGINIiN.
TUESDAY MORNING. NOV. :. ls54.
The Approaching Democratic Convention

these discussions as well as from tie action Of
the primary party meetings in the various coun-
ties of the commonwealth it Is apparent tina; the
Democracy. while entertaining widely differing
preferences for men. are apprehending no little
trouble when they shall have met in council. up
on subjects Of present and pressing concern
Taking the temper and opinions cf the press as
indieia of the feeling aud sentiments which will
characterize the party in convention, there eau
be little doubt. but that they viii have an angry
and exciting time Of it. Wise. Leake. Smith
and others have each an earnest and jealous sup
mort with no inoonsiderable numbers Of thor
party. and everything indicates when they shall
severaIly come to be Nominated in the G'nreu-
ton. that; ii vii be idle 70 expect such eiream-
spect;on in the conduct of Their respective friend.
as to prevent those inyidicus comparisons. OF
inferential reflections upon the rivals # each
one. %favorite. which will lead 10 raoy discussion.
If not 10 bitter elimination.
1t is at this stage II the game that the friends
of Mr.. Wise may well tremblc for hi fate
What arguments for proving his anayaitbiiiy a
their candidate may not a Democrat MAXI in re-
yiesing his political careeri His friends may
be taunied with his long and efficient -er'iee ia
the ranks Of the Wings. They may be com
2 PEELED 70 lend unwilling ears to a repetition Of
some Of those %seathing phiIippies, with which BE-
was wont TO denounce General Jackson, the fath-
err and founder Of the modern Democratic school.
They may themselves shrink abashcd before that
integrity and fearlessness which prompted him
so vehemently 10 enyeigh against the eorruptien-
Of Democratic administrations, exposing thor
abuses of patronage and resisting their assuIpp-
tions of power. They may be sooiied at for the
regularity of an idiosyncracy which can enter
tain objections 10 IA most important measure,
which, though ''u|nanswerable, are yet not in
superable," And, last of all, they may find thnt
the candid and unequivocal declaration Of his oh
jections to the Know Nothings, however credita-
BILE to his honesty, will be deemed to add nothing
to his availability, and therefore, nothing to his
chances for the nomination.
In this respect Mr.. Leake will have immense
" the advantage of Mr.. Wise. He has been
brought up "A Democrat of the straitest sect,
by which we are to understand that the cardinal
rule Of his political life is answering fealty to
party. 1t has had but To will, and he has ever
obeyed. With Van Buren,, Polk, CASE or Pierce
as his leader. he has fought with equal perseyer-
ance aud good viii. Besides all this. he isa
man of policy, never guilty of an imprudont ex-
plicitness, in declaring his sentiments Take
for instance his letter upon the Know Nothings.
and who can declare from it, in what light he re
CARDS this new and formidable organization =
As well might We undertake to determine "A mans
views Of the christian religion, who had inform
ed us that he wss u penber of no Church. On
this question. precisely the same remarks are ap-
plicable to Mr.. Smith, who is equally polite and
III Al 4 i. -. go. Il IA 4
Even now he is enjoying an office, which he Sc
cured by setting at defiance the organized action
of his party. In addition TO this, the post that
he has already filled, the office of Governor,
will give his rivals most plausible grounds for
resisting his pretensions.
But "A question of vital importance To all aspi-
rants for the DONORS of office. before this conven-
ton, will be that Of determining the vote which
shall be necessary to confer a nomination. This
question has been already m"otcd by the press.
The Richmond Enquirer has planted itself upon
the majority rule, and insists upon it. as the rule
OF both, ~propriety and precedent. On the other
hand. our neighbor of the Republican, with his
usual spirit and decision, has taken issue with the
Enquirer, and in an article of great plausihiity,
has urged the fitness and policy Of adhering To
the usage of their National Convention, which
requires II concurrence of two thirds Of the votes
given to select the candidate. We take it for
granted that the friends of Mr.. Wise will in
mass resist the adoption of this latter rule, for
if that be determined on, we regard his chances
for the nomination us utterly hopeless. This
will be the first point then, upon which they will
give battle to their adversurics, and if they shall
be possessed Of half the energy of will and reso-
lntion of purpose which characterize him, an
earnest and bitter controversy will be waged be
fore they are vanquished. if vanquished at all.
The Enquirer and our neighbor are likewise at
issue in regard TO another most important mat
ter. The former declares that it will be no
business at the Convention to make a platform of
principles, while the latter maintains the con
trary. We concur with the Republican. In
the confusion which is now %reigning to IA greater
or less extent throughout all parties upon polit-
cal subjects, we think there never was u time
more suspicious, or at which the duty was more
imperative, for defining clearly and with exact
ness the principles which unite them. We know
that it will be a work of great difficulty, and it is
possible that in the attempt to accomplish it. the
dissatisfaction now conceded to exist in their
ranks many break out into open revolt. Still
the people have a right TO expect that upon many
important subjects of commanding public inte-
rest the Convention will record itself clearly.
We would instance the Land Bill Of Senator
Hunter, the Nebraska Bill, the Know othings,
and the administration of Gen. Pierce. We
know that on most of these subjects the Demo
cratic. press has already spoken out, but it has
been with the most striking eontrariety of senti-