The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-10-29
TIE DIVISION OF THE VIRGINIA DEMoC-
RACY


Daring the past summer, it has been evident
from the tone of the Democratic journals Of
virginia, and from the gossip of the Richmond
letter writers, that secret quarrel has been
raging between the partisans of Governor Wise
and the friends of Mr.. Hunter The journals
IN the interest of both gentlemen have uniform
~ denied that they were rivals for the Office OF
United States Senator, or that they were array
ed against each other in any manner. At the
same time, TIE journals friendly to Gov. Wise
have noticed Mr.. Hunter in a STYLE which can.
not be misinterpreted The same is true of the
journals which are in Mr.. Hunters interest
There can be no doubt that the Democrats Of
Virginia at this time are divided into two par.
ties-the friends of Governor Wise, and the
friends of Mr.. Hunter Governor Wise is q
warm supporter of the Administration and the
Kansas policy, and, what is of greater import.
ance, the Administration favors the Wise par
ty. The Richmond Enquirer is the leading
organ of this wing of the Virginia Democracy
Mr.. Hunter, it is supposed, if friendly to
Mr. Buchanan, dislikes his support of Gov
ernor Walker. The most, however, which can
be proved against him is his non-commit
talism upon these points. The organ of Mr.
Hunter is MIR. Pryor's paper, the South ;
and this fact is damaging to his national repu.
tation, for the South is an ultra Slavery ad
vocate.
A Virginia correspondent of the New York
Times not long since expressed his opinions Of
Mr.. Hunter with freedom. They were unfavor.
able to that gentleman, and the South took
up the cudgels in his defence. In reply, the
same correspondent says
:" repeat now, as the result of more minute
inquiry, that the suspicious of hostility to the
Administration, which before attached to him,
(Mr. Hunter,) by reason of his identity with the
South, amounts now to conviction, superinduced
very naturally by his obstinate silence under
repeated charges of this character A feeling
of dstrust does prevail against him, and will sur
vive any avowal of friendship which he NAV
make; for who can doubt that it would be actua.
ted by sense of danger to his political pros
poets? Whatever may be the result of the Sen.
atorial contest am satisfied that he is doomed,
so far as his Presidential aspirations are con.
cerned. Should he be eelected to the Senate,
believe me it will be under sthed protest, and
because of an unwillingness on the part of the
people of Virginia to consign him so peremp-
torily to the shades; but that the distrust which
is now felt will operate to his defeat in the
Presidential race, there is not shadow OF
doubt. He is esteemed an ally of the Southern
fre-eaters, and therefore too sectional to be
chosen for the Presidency. The great govern
ing principle of 'expediency' would not be
faithfully reflected in him, judging by the
general convictions of his position with refer
ence to an Administration that is regarded as
essentially national and conservative As a
criterion of the feeling entertained towards him
in this region, would refer to the fact, that in
a county in this neighborhood called Lunen-
burg, the South, which is said to reflect his SEN
timents and opinions, is not tolerated. / was
informed that the people there and elsewhere
despise it, as being the author of the pickering
and divisions which now threaten the Demo
cratic party in Virginia. 1 ascertained this
upon good authority"
1t is not difficult to discern, even from this
letter, that Mr.. Hunter and Governor Wise
may be rivals, and yet not for a seat in the U.
s. Senate Both may indulge in loftier aspira.
tons. And if such be the truth, the man who
while being an undoubted friend to Slavery
can present the best face towards the Northern
Democracy, has the best chances of winning
the Presidential chair.