Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-01-09
From the Norfolk Arzus.-By request
THE OFFENDING OF THE VIRGINIA ELEC

TORAL COLLEGE.
During our absence at the Southern Commercial
Convention the Electoral College of this State ro
ceived, for al act neither wrong nor unusual cru
cisn ON the part of the press, without distinction oil
par,y of great severity, not unmixed with bitterness
Had this harsh attack upon the brave and oa't!e-
worn leaders Of the late arduous campaign come
from the enemy we should not have noticed It, but
coming from fellow soldiers in the same srea! army
We were led to thoroughly investigate the subject
In order to do ths wrote to some oil the leading
members Of the College, but the INSTRUCTIONS o' naV
CATION by ice and other causes, have delayed our
giving the following correct statement Of the case
before this time.
In answer to our request for the original document
recommending Gov. Floyd or u description Of IT, we
have the following from one OF tho electors;
INV impression Of the character OF the paper
signed BY the Electors, does not correspond with
your own. think the recommendation ot Cover
nor Floyd pointed specifically to seat IN The Cabinet
and not generally towards some (anyl important Po
the original paper, nor have copy. had it III
the tune, and intended to return it to The gentleman
who handed it TO AN not perfectly certain ths
: did ,o-if did not It was lost from my p1cket IL
/ the evening of the day on which II was signed
We give without authority Ill extract ut letter
from one OF the electoral college whose services were
| among the most efficient, and were rewarded oy
largely increased Democratic vote,) which expresses
our opinion on this subject:
IL have been greatly astonlshed as well as phned
49,"
press with regard to this matter
"They have most unusty essailed US for the com
mission Of An act which all the history OF legislative
and electoral bodies mus, have taught them has been
done over aud again not only IN THIS Slate: out
very where elsa thing which was right in itself and
which we had perfect right TO do
81 would be perfectly willing 10 take Issue with
those papers before The great body Of the people ot
Virginia, which We represented as 70 the propriety
aud morality the act and as TO the csims aud desert.
xt.j, T
the recommendation bu; signed the paper as an in
divdual, not as the representative Of any one-l e1'
pressed my preference for Gov. Floyd for caoinet
appointment. Ihad IN unquestonhoe right 10 DO go
aud did it on my responsibility end with great
pleasure. had performed the function for which
had been elected by the people. had voted ns their
representative for the distinguished cltizens ndica
ted in our election for President and Vice Precedent
VIVA, more bad the people to ask Was my
mouth to be- sealed, my hand to be pa!siad
sied because had been chosen Presidential elect
or Could not say, rs any other citizen oi the con
,ederecy might that ] w"u!! be :fe',iet TO .ce inii
friend in the cabinet, that TREND sent rs minister
abroad We had no RICH; 10 recommend Oy any
constitutional or stauary provision, 10 a college @.
electors any one for office. Did w. DOT! We sSn'
ed tls; paper Gs gentlemen from virginia. DIG our
position ~ electors give Us ihuenc" %: weight over
other gentlemen Ii il did, that Influence an! tia;
weight property; Il belonged To ur not 10 ms
people OF Virginia 10 the public presse. NehadtG tie
right 10 use il for what it wa, worth. Was member
of Congress ever asealed because ne had thought tx
10 preier friend for Office or issue made with Il
member of the Legislature that he had signed pray
or for the appointment Of ths or that person IN HE
representative capacities Of members Ut Congress
and of the Assembly, Yet the thing ia done every
day. and have never seen, except in representative
acts the public presses give tongus in such continued
howIs against the viIlany Of the thing before.
But they have gone off besides halt cooked they
have flown upon the wings of most mendaclousrumor
to most false and impo'en' conclusions II looks bad
bark to the cry Of the opposition papers and at
tempt TO run down their own friends without taking
the trouble 10 enquire whether the charges were the
lies of political opponents or not and worse than that
it looks for the immaculate purlians "a jealousy ana
| envy had something TO 90 with 1t too.
| "Sow, sir know all about this transaction, and
can assure you deep injustice has been done Gov.
| FLOYD and Gov. Wise in the representations made IN
| the newspapers. Gov. Floyd knew nothing OF the
s,tempt TO recommend him until il had been accom-.
plished. He whs, of course, graied to receive 80
Hstte.ng testimonial Of the friendship Of those who
signed and Of their appreciation OF MS Talents ana
services but he was opposed TO haVn? any use made
of il md regretted that the thing had Deen done
"Guy. Wise has been Charged with procuring and
influencing the electors to siSn the paper and "lfh
being nj the bottom OF the whole atial'. Snch
charge is ga insulting TO the gentlemen who composed
the elec.ora! ,legs and signed the recommendation,
as il was unjust 10 GOV. WISE ana without d ehauo"
of foundation in truth.
~ can also say to the vclocipeet presses who could
no, take til. trouble to stop 70 inquire into the whole
truth OF the affair, that tbs paper was suppressed and
that it had been determined not to make use OF II be,
FIRE the shsrp nostris of our essaants had scented
its existence"
We would add that we know the fact that Cover
nor Wise knew nothing Of this paper until after II
WAS signed and when be heard OF H. lie expressed his
regret and begged that il should be suppressed and
not used. Gov. Wise never recommended Governor
Floyd to any elector for seat in The cabinet, aud
though many gentlemen expressed their preference
for Gov. Foyd-lhe suggestions never came III one
single instance from Gov Wise to them, as was per
fec:y right aud proper.
We hope those papers which have done our eec.
toral college, Gov. Wise and Gov. Floyd Injustice,
will make Inc ueedful amends II this Act had been
improper We could hsve forgiven those VINO hau
borne the bruut of the conflict i'll Virginia especially
as they had before them the example of the Penpsyl
vanu elec,orn! college, which recommended Jane.
Buchanan to James X. Polk Tor his Secretary OF
State, which appointment Mr. Buchanan received