The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-22
Virginia Politics.
OUR RICHMOND CORRESPONDENCE,
RICHMOND, Dec. 10, Is,

" A"oo 1NOthtUStSm In Hrgultu--ESDl0n IN
acknowledgement Chances of WIse in his
oirm County Distracted State Of has Party &c.
give you my word, Mr.. HERALD-and it is the
word Of man who is getting gray in politics, sill.
yer gray" sir-it IL the word of who, as that
old ocofoco, Benon Harrison, said of himself in the
late democratic convention, was always considered
as man of truth in his own neighborhood-
never till this year Of grace, 1855, did believe it
possible to overthrow the democratic predominance
in this commonwealth. have always looked upon
wing predictions in the beginning Of canvass here
as the merest brag and after they have for months
gued themselves with the idea that they we're going
to beat the locofocos by 1000 majority, have not
been at all disappointed when they have been whip
ped and pummelled into jelly and beaten SO black
and blue that the mothers taat bore them didn't
know their own children. But for the first time in
my life, have come to the conclusion that 1t is not
merely possible to effect political revolution in Vir
ginia, but that that revolution is un tait accompi
Nothing under the blue heavens can prevent it bat
q sui tidal and assinine refusal of the wings and
Know Nothings to cooperate, Of which am pleased
to say there is little prospect; and even that can't
do it. the wings want to defeat Wise they can
help on, the good work, and they ought not to be
particular - whom it is done, for the defeat Of
Wise by enc Of his own party would be even more
CALLING andbemoralizng than his defeat by whig;
but neither the democratic nor wing opponents of
Wise ought TO split upon tie political complexion Of
the man who to meet him. The only hope of
wises friends ism setting hisopponents by the ears.
Forewsrned, forearmed As for the demo ,ratic
splits, they can't be healed up. Old Mr. Marcy might
wellPfford TO give o much larger sum than fifty
cents to patch the democratic breaches" in this
commonwealth.
hsve delayed hitherto attempting to give a
sketch Of the rise, progress and prospects Of Know
nottingham in this State, because have not been
able till now to obtain the facts and it is better not
to state them at all than not to state them accurately
have at last obtained them, and from perfectly
reliable source. If they do not come up to the ex
aggerated accounts which have been given, they
afford at least reliable data, for you may depend
upon their perfect and entire accuracy Now, on the
strength Of these facts which you may rely upon
implicitly If they testified to under oath by
five hundred Of the most respectable men in the
community in court Of justice, you must form
your opinion whether Henry A. Wise has not a
rougber road than Jordan to travel, and whether
he is likely to pass over with dry slippers.
The first organization ola Know Nothing council
h Virginia was in Alexandra, in the month Of
March last The second was la Norfolk, soon after,
and 1t was held on board vessel in the harb,r. In
the municipal elections whico SOON after took place
in Norfolk, the Know Nothings gave the first evil
deDce Of their power in Virginia, AMI carried
everything before them. No other Know Not liny
manifestations OF any note Cured till April, when
slight demonstrations were made In various places.
In the whole State, up to May, there were but be-
tween thirty and forty councils altogether, and the
number in each was quite small. The first Know
Nothing Council In Richmond was organized On the
nj Iulx loSt Sho lnuva fsrua<a vhor.
between fifteen and sixteen hundred members here,
though there have bee at least twenty I've hundred
initiated in this city. The number of members in
the Richmond councils is steadily increa ,ing Some
times as many as twenty join one OF the counc lis in
single night. II any one thinks Know No.hingism
is the wing cat in the meal tub they Iced only look
at some OF the dyed In the wool democrats who be-
lcDg to the various councils In Richmond and take
an active part in them. The first general meeting
OF the State Council wsg held in this city in the
month Of November last. Al that time there were
thousand members. At this time there are DO less
than three hundred and sixty councils in toe State
of Virginia, hut dred and ninety Of which are in
Eastern Virginia No State Council has been held
since November, and there has been consequently
no report OF the number OF members In the whole
State, but from the best data that can be obtained
the membership at present 10 about iftyeight thou
sand. At tais rate 81 increase there will certainly
votes by the time the election comes on.
The vote OF VII ginia in the last Governors cleo
ton, In 1851, stood as follows johnson. demo
cratic candidate, 81 427 Summers, wing candidate,
GO,2s6-Johnson's majority. 7,l0l. AT the Presi.
dental election OF 1852, the vote for Pierce was
72,4l3; for Scott, 81 1872; msjority for Pierce,
IS,ssl. No one presends that the vote in the
Presidential election was q fair indication OF
the relative strength Of parties in Virginia.
Scott was anything but q favorte With the
Virginia wings He was suspected Of being under
the influence OF Seward, and that was enough to
kill him here. The wings of Virginia who voted
for bim gave him anything but q ordisl support
while thousands did not vote at all and others voted
for Pierce. The vote In the Governors election
was the true test Of the strength of parties That
gave, at that time, democratic sjority Of seven
thousand in round numbers. There are changes
enough In half dozen counties OF the State to
throw the majority on the other side.
The whole vote of the State Is l29545. On the
day of the election there will be cast at least eighty
thousand kno. Nothing votes. Now, according
to my arithmetic, t@ioe eighty thousand is one hun
dred and sixty Thousand. Sixty.hve Thousand
Know Nothing votes would defeat Mr. Wise. The
Know Nothings will have fifteen Thousand more
than enough TO defeat him. even IL he should poll
the whole strength o, his party q this time
city OF Norf The largest vote ever csst in that
city-Henry A. Wise viii not get over three hun
dred votes. am not speaking eoDjscturally, but
votes there, and they prncioaly foreigners. In
Norfolk county, including Portsmouth, where is
the navy ysrd,) Pierce's majority was five hundred
and sixiytwo: There will be q majority Of eight
hundred TO pire hundred against Wise, msking
difference OF about twenty-five hundred votes In
Norfolk city and county alone.
Let me give you some curious and entertaining
! facts In connection with the inception OF Know
| Nothineisn In Norfolk and Portsmouth. The first
council, a. rave told you, was ganizsd on board
| vessel IN the hsrbor. Suspicious soon became
| rife that Know Nothingsm had made start IN that
region. It's enemies determined to find out wao be-
lonRtd to the order, and system Of espionage was
| established which would have done honor 20 the
curiosity and vigilance Of the Hoy Inquisitors.
Men were watched at their own doors TO see shsre
they went at right. The indignation OF tbs people,
soon ar this fact was discovered, was PROFOUNDLY
| aroused. II gave a. impetus 20 Know Nothn yism
such Us II had never receiv d before. Numbers rao
did Lot bslopg 20 the fraternity ard had n, len-
tioD OF joinipg IL, finding themselves thus satclei