Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-11-04
The senatorial Contest.


The Senatorial Contest.
The long inonotory of Virginia politics seems
at last to be fairly broken up. For years past
there has been nothing to vary the dull uniform
ity. We have had elections, to be sure, which
have excited some little interest, but these have
passed off with the same old result, each time
leaving the scene more dreary than before. 1t
is therefore with the liveliest satisfaction that
we observe the present squabble in the Demo
cratic ranks over the seat in the United States
Senate about to become vacant; not that we ex-
pect anything to turn up to the advantage OF
the opposition, but the strife affords most a.
greeable relief from the recent protracted state
of platitude.
The pocket nerve is said to be the most sensi-
tive of all nerves, and it is not strange therefore
that when the money panic broke out all other
topics should have been laid aside. Democratic
newspapers instantly dropped Hunter and Wise,
and betook themselves to subjects of finance
For several weeks we had nothing from that
quarter but dispositions upon money and Banks.
But, fortunately, just as the public were getting
wearied of the theme, Senator Hunters letter
appeared. and the war has been renewed with
ten fold fury.
AS we anticipated, the letter has not given
universal satisfaction The Richmond Enquirer
pronounces it "evasye, equivoca and unsatistac-
tory" "Mr. Hunters letter." continues the En-
Qurer, "not only fails to inform the public that
he does not sympathize with the fire-eaters and
factionsts, but, by emitting an answer on that
important point, it leaves the suspicion upon the
Senator still stronger" And ''for all etfectual
purposes, except the expression of some abstract
views which we cannot approve, Mr. Hunter
still remains SILENT The Senator is called upon
to write supplementary epistle, and his reply
to the Rockingham resolutions is anxiousy a.
waited. But here again difficulty occurs. On
the one hand it is asserted that those resolutions
express the true feelings of the Tenth Legion
Democracy and on the other, that the meeting
which passed them was sham and humbug.-
The two organs of the Rockingham Democracy
take opposite grounds on the subject, and we
cannot presume to decide between them. What
view Senator Hunter viii take of the matter
whether he will consider the resolutions worthy
ola reply, and, if so, what he will say-remains
to appear
One feature in this contest deserves especial
notice. Every person that attended the last
Democratic State Convention in Staunton, or
read the proceedings, is aware of the fact that
the peculiar friends of Senator Hunter in that
body were the Jealous advocates of the nomina-
ton of Mr.. Wise for Governor We well re-
member the glowing tribute to. ''the noble Tri-
bune of the People" by Mr.. Garnett of Essex,
and how the phrase was taken up and rung by
the other speakers. Wise owes his nomination
and present position to the friends of Hunter,
and yet we find him and his followers now
moving heaven and earth to GUST the Senator
from his seat in Congress. wise man of
Greece laid down the maxim that "a man should
temper his love for his friends by the reflection
that they might some day become his enemies. "
Politicians should remember this saying in fu-
ture.
How the strife will terminate we cannot fore
see. If we may judge from the tenor of the
Democratic press of the State the overwhelming
majority of the party is with Mr.. Hunter. Not
more than three newspapers are now arrayed a.
gainst him, but the Enquirer and It's allies make
up, in good degree, by vigor OF assault what
thew lack in numerical force. They may sue
coed in depriving Mr.. Hunter of reelection,
but We hardly think it probable that Mr.. Wise
will prove the successful asprant.
We have always admired Mr.. Hunter person
ally. He is an unassuming, digniied gentleman /;
and notwithstanding his uniform devotion to his
marty. he has never practsed the arts of dem
agogue or traduced and yilided his political op-
ponents. We, however, agree with the Enqui-
rer that his letter to Leake is unsatisfactory on
almost every point upon which he has been
questioned. He disapproves of Walkers course
in Kansas, but still thinks no practical issue can
arise with the Federal Executive on that score,
although the Senate will be called upon in few
weeks to ratify or reject the nomination Of this
identical Mr.. Walker. In word, the Senator
is in the same dilemma as most of the Demo-
cratic denouncers of Governor Walker, who GEN.
sure the agent and acquit the principal, under
whose instructions the former acts, of all respon
sibility and blame.
But there is no necessity for hurrying up the
Senatorial election, and we hope that ample
time will be afforded to Mr.. Hunter for defining
his position. Indeed it would be much better,
we think, to postpone the election till the Win
ter of 1859.
Chinese Sugar Cane Syrup.
We have received bottle of Syrup made
from the Chinese Sugar Cane, by Mr.. Lyttelton
w. Hartman, near Scottsville, Albemarle, which
is superior to any we have yet seen We tried