Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-10-09
MIN RICHNOND ENQUIRER.
THE ELECTION OF SENATOR.

THE ELECTION OF SENATOR.
Jb, ensuing election OF U. s. Senator by the Le'
o;s,slnne Of Virginia 10 evidently q subject OF iucres.
s;np interest to tts Democracy Of this State. And ii
ia attracting attention, also, in distant parts Of the
country. This may we'll BE- so, when the result in
wolves either the appreciation or o
Mr.. Buchanan, or at least an attitude towards the Ad
min,stra,ion at once frank and friendly, or equivoca
and suspicious, on the part of the immediate repre-
r~entatives Of the popular sense of Virginia. The un
sdultersted and indomitable Democracy OF this ster
ling old State, have an influence throughout TIE
Union, which should neither be abused by wrope
representation, nor impaired by inconsiderate conf
dence In any man, who refuses to avow bis adherence
to the Administration now in power A oes
osr.,s effort has already been made by q
certain ~captious clique OF Southern politicians
10 emb.rrassM Mr.. Buchanan and bring him into dis
repute among the Democracy OF the slave States. II
ba, bsen cried Down by the conservative sentiment
of the country. But Notwithstanding the calmness
and ouiesude that have succeeded the uproar raised
by the factionists, it would be worse than idle for the
friends of the Administration to beguile themselves
with the belief that the opposition is at an end
When the unexcep,ionable policy pursued 30 far. has
been assailed by the agitable ultraists, it is not unrea'
.onable to attribute their discomfort to a source deep
or and more permanent than any objections they have
vat ureed against the Administration. And that they
vii, rensv the attack whenever and wherever an op.
%oortunity offers, it would be dangerous to doubt
They are opposed to the Administration, and deter
mined to array themselves against it on every availa'
BILE occasion.
Mr.. Buchanan can pursue no policy TO please
them, unless, indeed, he should avow an irreconcila-
be hatred of the whole North, and an ardent desire
for an immediate dissolution Of the Union. Their
purpose is to make war upon him, as cautiously as
circumstances will allow. They will open their bat.
tries, only when they perceive an opportunity to pro-
claim their peculiar championship Of the South, and
10 appeal to the p%rejudices ofths Southern people, by
protesting to point out acts Of the Administration
inimical to the interests of the slave States. Such
is the course we have reason to apprehend from
a few disafscted Democrats in the South. And as it
is suspected that Mr.. Hunter sympathises with them,
he has been called upon for his sentiments on the
subject, that the representatives Of the people,
constituting the next Legislature of Virginia, may
vote intelligently, either for or against him, in
the election of United States Senator. As yet, it
would seem that he means to maintain bis silence
WI uOW0NOlt lAob 10 aOh ho 0NSAoAiA
ton. We are loath to suppose that be is afraid for
his views to be known, lest he may lose friends
among the FIRE eaters. or the National Democracy
may repudists him. And We are equally unwilling
to believe, that an intellectual, accomplished aud
experienced statesman can be restrained from re-
spending to respectful enquiries, by puerile perverse'
ness or unwarrantable o~bstinacy. Why is it, then,
that Senator Hunter has not yet been heard, either in
vindioation of himself from a false suspicion, or in
open and manly acknowledgment of his sympathy
With the fsctionists, and bis disposition to unite with
them 10 their assaults upon the Administration p
Whatever may be the cause Of bis suicidal silence,
We shall continue to call upon him, until We think the
time has past for US to hope that he will svow his
views. And then we shall advise the Democracy of
Virginia to place their trust in some other man, who
has no hesitation in declaring his condemnation o of the
~oaptious course Of the disunionists. aud his cordial
approval Of the Administration.
In a late number Of the Alexandria Sentinel, there
10 an elaborate article on the Senatorial election, 10
which that journal argues the ~propriety of postponing
Il until the session OF the Legislature in 1859. Our
contemporary contends that to re.elect Senator Hun.
Tor, with two years Of his present %unespired term
.'undeveloped and unknown" "wculd bs showing a
SOuEQ6uCS IL uuu WILL " representa-
tive responsibility which the people should ever ex.
sct." And that 'if another gentlemen should be
chosen, i. would show tho same degree of confidence
In him." Sc. We concur with the Sentinel. And it
is for that very reason that we wish Mr.. Hunter 10
deaus his position. We would not have him re elect
cd without at least an index TO his future course. Nor
would We repose that confidence in any other
man, especially if he had ever been suspected Of
sympathy with the ~ultraists.
Unless Mr.. Hunter svows an intention to sustain
the Administration in the patriotic policy it is pursu.
ing, and in opposition 10 the malcontents, who have
been recently assailing it, our advice to the Demo.
cratic party will be, to refuse 10 re.elect him. And
as in that event, it will become necessary to confer
the honor upon some other gentleman, we would also
advise. that he should be required to declare his pur
pose to cooperate with the Administration, whether
he has ever been suspected Of disaffection or not. 1t
is an important issue. The Union is ia danger, and
the South is still menaced. The Administration is
sndeavoring by q calm, conservative, constitutional
course to secure both. And it must be sustained in
its efforts, or the country will become distracted and
eventually ruined by Northern and Southern section
alism. Virginia gave Mr.. Buchanan a majority OF
thirty thousand in November; and she still stands by
him and sustains him cordially. 1t must not be them
that one of her United States Senators shall be elect.
ed under q doubt as to his friendship for the Admin.
~istration.
Our contemporary of the Alexandra Sentinel
says, "the usage Of our legislature has been in con
formity with the policy of postponing an election to
the latest day" lie also says, "if the sessions of the
legislature were annual, nobody would dream of an
election now" 1.-THE sessions being biennial, this
question is presented" And then he asks, "shall
seat be vacant one or two days at the beginning Of
the term. when nothing is ever done and half or a third
of the Senators always absent7" Senator Hun
ter's present term of office will expire in March,
1889. And unless there is an extra session Of the LIE.
~gislature, which is not at all probable, that body sill
not meet again until the first Monday of the follow.
ing December, on which day Congress will also com
mence ito session.
Under ordinary circumstances, we would not be
disposed to cavil at the suggestion of the Sentinel"
But in this instance, it is as we'll, perhaps better, that
tho election should take place this winter. To leave
the question open for two more years, considering the
deep interest with which it is already invested, might
indeed lead to a dangerous division in the ranks of the
Democracy OF Virginia. Wesay dangerous division,
because. in the event. at that day, Of any such con.
test between Senator Hunter and Gov. Wise, as lie
now not unlikely to arise, the disagreeable or unkind.
IL recollections which might be left upon the minds OF
some of their most ardent adherents and friends,
would have little time to fade away before the nomi.
nation for the Presidency-but a few months subse.
quent. And hence, il there is any possibility of a