Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-05-01
s.- .hs Etfh!st"
arsr1ce IS NOT .srcTIoNALlsM."


In the Enquirer of "Wednesday morning hiu an
edit, rial relating TO the Attorney dehei ~
viii, h you take the position that the seeo.tou 20
candidate. fer that office should be mace wnout re-
ference 10 the claims of any part'c1ia " Il
State. Regarding 1t as ,hs, the roI;,;csl
n.ss Of The state and federal government should b.
'n,nIIv and npartaiiy distributed, and that Srtc'
,cs rd should be hal 10 tie ciatms Of neglected sec
~. nj m. S!aie, take issue with you. You will
,, dny that BY the action of the Democratic par
~. since the adoption OF the new Constitution, the
uiiics OF Attorney has been made political office
We have indeed called Democratic Convention to
nominate Democrat for the Office; and the question
IT its being political office will not, we suppose, De
denied Regarding it in that light, am not guilty OF
"seconalism," when assert that the nomha'lon
should be made in strict accordance with Tue usaE.
aid rules which govern the party, where oshef Po''
cal offices are concerned. .,.,s;..
Ii is TO prevent the heart-barnings anu J. al
Of .sec,ionssm" that contend for TAR anu e!ua'
distribution of the political Offices OF inc
tionasm" and ssectonal equalty are Se'1 u''e
things and should not be con:oahaeo. o,r sr,;.
Tu. ssstionalism which you depreca'e Ia youa al" AZ;
clio * the rrsult of an unfair, unjust and unequal as
t,;hrt;on of the honors and emcluinents oil ONCE.
- the child of Injustice and neglect As long as Tue
scales hang equpoised no inurinur Vi ,r
ia heard from any portion OF our STATE lha' ne
is widts spread discomfort and loud thurnuto &c
d;,nant remonstrance in many OF the slroHguoiuo VI
rbs Democracy Of this State, at the unwii'nguess oi
Tide Water Virginia to yield the Attorney Generasnp
20 the West 10 One denies. whether Tue 1o't p''"
which threaten to disturb The harmony Oh our party
are well founded or not, We shaii p'esenuS So -
tain it is that in the Valley and in the North es' mere
ia muci, feeling eyincsd, and articles nave touhd
their way into all the Democratic papers oi 'h
claiming more equal distribution 0i onses tndu nas
which would exist if tide water virginia hoinna'es
tide-w water candidate for the ATTORNEY ueheiai
shin IL is TO this we must attribute TIE tons o,
nearly all the Democratic papers OF the ailey ana
of North West Virginia. Are the demands OF Inc
Valley and the Northwest reasonsoie are lhelf
complaints we'll founded These are the only ques'
lions for the Democracy Of Tide-W alter Virginia to
consider. If there is nothing OF Indecent greed in
their demands, and if their complaints are respect
fuy tspdersd there is not dlslEterssted, Just ana
fair Tide Water Democrat who VIII not, at least
award our loyal brethren respectful consderation'
Where lies the strength Of the Democratic party, and
where do we fRd those veteran battslions, which,
from the days of Jefferson to those OF Buchanan,
have never auailed before the Protean forces oil the
euemy7 In all our great contests, when the smoke
and dust Of the combat have Cleared away, who mas
ever heard other than shouts Of triumph from the
Old Guard Of the Tenth Legion, or froul the south
and North. West2 In the great historical battle OF
S55-one which ranks with the first great victory OF
JErFERsos-when WISE charged the enemy win
the resistess fury aud chivary OF MURAT what
pride did We not receive the bulletins OF victory from
The Valley and the West, where najoritles OF
upon thousands filled TO overhowng the
measure Of our success.
ms. maiorites were given TO man OF Tide Water
Virginia. who, by the aid OF those portions oil the
state has been placed first among the great represen
,stye mon of bis age. But all the broad columns of
your paper would not suffice to recount the long, and
disn sted services Of those portions OF the Stats TO
the cause of Democracy Particularly are we al.
lowed 10 dwell with pleasure upon the claims OF the
Valley of Virginia. Hare the Democracy, with
the strength of Hercules, has again aud again
crushed every head of the Hydra of Federalism
asking nothing, and receiving little from The
great party Whose fortunes 1t has go often up.
held Had the VALLEY, the North WEST ana 40
the SOUTH WEST performed no eminent services or
proved cowardly and lsggard in battle, their de-
mands might be disregarded Had they been mere
,ofore greedy and rudey voracious, snatchng every
nice morsel from Eastern Virginia, we might now,
with proprie,y, disregard their prayer. But those
portions of the State have been neither laggard nor
uoracious. They have fought hard, aud lived eI.
,eedingly light, fighting like the Spartsns, and ia
King their black broth con,entedly until now! And
sven the office which they now Geek, you have ed.
orally assured your readers is not worth any coun
ry lawyers attention. unless he is ambitious of star
wing genteeuy in the midst OF all the Injuries OF
his opulent city.
But, in spite Of the terrible pictures which you
nave drawn of the aborous duties of the office OF At
orney General and of the inevitable starvation which
Nv ats the adventurer from the rural districts who
ventures to accept il, the Democracy Of the Valley
IF the South West and of the North West. have put
Onward distinguished lawyers and tried and eminent
who are willing 10 brave famine and
oro.trating labor in the office Of Attorney General
Glory rather than the odors Of the flesh pots, ia un
!oubtcdly the attraction. Certain it is that such
men as TUCKER, HARMAs, RUSSELL and NELSON,
nen whom Mr.. Wise called "the young giants of the
" est" and who are able, as eloquent, and az ao
,vmplished as any in the State, desire the place
These are young men who have distinguished
in their professions, and are not mere
lump speakers. They have ali the requisite qaai
ations for the place.
Whatever you may think OF the improperly OF IN
reducing sec,;oualism into the Convention there is
ot di-iuterested member of The party in Tide Wa
or Virginia, who will not agree with iue III the opn.
On tina; ths other things, VIZ: Qualifications being
Gunl-the office should be given In that portion OF
hs State to which no adequate triuGts has been
cred.
Aud il in the assignment of State and Federal
fiices Tide Water Virginia he's received FIJI share
ouors and emolumsnts from the Democratic party,
here is no right. thinking man who would appropri
to TO this section office 10 which not enti-
led. To put this matter clearly before your readers,
rill avail myself of table prepared by friend,
rh:ch contains the most detailed statements re-.
pect,og the salaries State and Federal oil those Off
ials who reside IN the ely of Richmond throw
ut of the estimate strictly local Offices, such as the
uston. house aud the postofice, which of course
cid by citizens of the locality where they are estab
shed. If the correctness of the abridged statement
he salaries and offices of all the officials resident in
richmond and Henrico. This estimate embraces the
slaries Of both State and Federal offices.
OFFICES IN RICHMOND.
.nnual value of offices held by citzens Of
Richinond aud Henrico, $4,000 |
~ Tide Water Virginia, $4,000