Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-17
THE NOMINATION AT CHARLESTON.

Hunter is now the fWorite Of the Adm!nistra
| ton for the presidential succession Among
those at all acquainted With the previous rela
ions Of the Presile and the distinguished
Senator fom Virginia this announcement can
rot fail to excite quiet smile.
That the President is intriguing to shake
.he balance in fsvor Of any aSpirant to the
succession, is not entitled to credit That he
using the advantages Of his position in favo:
# Senator Hunter, is still less probablc-in
'iew Of the fact that for more than twenty
years these two gentlemen have stood in posi-
tons fully as an;asoniS,ic as was compatible
With the relative attitudes Of two leading states.
men of the same party. Moreover. as Senator
rom Virginia, Mr.. Hunter is bound, by his po.
sition, not less than by his past professions, 10
take issue with the President on number Of
the proinincn; recommendations contained in
the last annual message; and these points Of
difference arc SO wide, and must be met SO dc.
ciSivcly, aS at once to preclude the idea oi
making Mr.. Hunter the Presidents choice for
;hc succession. The whole thing is eanord-
and intended BY its orisinators to result in no
benefit to either the President or the Senator.
1t involves no injustice to Mr.. Hunter to state
that his chance for the nomination at Charles
ION is so very small As to excite bat little hope
even among his most ardent admirers. Apart
from all other considerations, no selection could
be more distaStefnl to the great body Of anti
Lccomrtoa Democrats; and even among the
Lecompton Democracy, large number are
unwilling TO select rs their candidate the chief
promoter of the English Compromise.
Mr.. Hunters own friends do not believe that
le can secure the vote Of Virginia in the
Charleston Convention or that the vote OF
Virginia if secured for him. would avail TO
cndcr him the Presidential candidate The
:ery same causes. if no other, which may
.cndcr the nomination Of Senator Douglas
probable, operate to render that Of Mr. Hunter
'cry improbable.
Senator Douglas nomination depends upon
me contingency. If it shall be determined to
.lrcady received the three last Presidential
nominations from the party. and furnished the
wo last Democratic Presidents. in such case,
very one must decide from present indications,
hat no competitor will be able to measure
strength with Stephen \. Douglas; unless,
indeed, he shal, be induced by some
If his supporters. such as the Philadcl phia
Press TO abandon the broad ground Of the
constitutional right of property in the terrific
ries to the protection Of the General Govern
neat, for the devious ard deceptive paths of
quatter sovereignty.
And if Mr.. Hunter. himself is still opposed
% the nomination Of Senator Douglas. We ap-
'rchcnd tha; such opposition finds its origin in
he fact that Mr.. Douglas was mainly instru.
mental in securing the nomination Of Mr.. Ba-
.hanan. at Cincinnati
Why, then is it now attempted to galvaniSe
ur. Hunters expiring prospects for the White
Iouse with an absurd rumor of presidential
.lvoritism Even the disSemiua,ors Of the ru-
nor cannot coacell its motive We find it
.onstantly coupled with some fling at Governor
Wise The little faction Of enemies who have
pursued the latter gentleman with unparale!-
d vindictivcncss during the last three years
,now, rs well as We do. that Mr.. Hunter has
10 probable chance for the nomination at
'harleSton. They believe. too. that Mr. Hun
er is the only man who can at all compete
With Gov Wise. before even the politicians in
Virginia. They know, that il Mr. Hunters
lame should bc withdrawn, there would be NO
possible means by which to prevent the people
If Virginia from sending 4 delegation to Charles
ION, which would cast the vote of the State as
unit for Gov. Wise. Their plan Of operation
is this:--to use Mr.. Hunters name wherever il
an be made available to select an anti-WiSc
lelcgatc; to use the names OF other aspirants
to secure scattering eotcs Of the same sort; thus
to unite all the clements Of opposition to Gov
Wise, and, il possible, TO obtain a majority of
delegates. which will enable them to cast the
rotc as a uni, in favor Of any aspirant, whose
name can be most successfully employed to de-
feat Gov Wise's nomination. If they shall
inally fail to obtain majority Of delegates.
they will resort 10 the same expedent whichone
If the delegation at Cincinnati attempted to de-
eat Mr.. Buchanan nomination; they will make
IN effort to split the vote Of the State This use
# Mr.. Hunters name. for no earthly good to
him. and only for the sake Of vindictive injury
o man with whom his opponents have no is
;uc, political or personal, which they will vcn-
:ure 10 expose to public criticism, has already
,ccn allowed to be- pushed beyond just for
Dcarancc This sort of insidious warfare de-
,crvcS exposure. and, for ono, we are prepared
expose and dcnouncc it ut every STEP There
ire no longer any side issacS to hold our arm
md plead for forocarancc. The same iucu who
knowingly misreprcsented Gov Wise's position
With regard to the Senatorial election, arc now
,usy in the work Of creating fictitious compc-
ition, intended to result in his injury, and con-
;octcd for no other purpose
We know that the coteric of politicians with
whom We have TO deal, are as conpactly organ
zcd as ever were the members of a Know
Nothing Council We know them to be fer
tile in cxpedients, and not over scrupulous in
the employment Of means. Nevertheless. we
take up the gauntlet, and we tell thcm fatty
that we arc ready to struggle with them un-
caasingly We have bat one object TO secure
" the struggle, and that is fair representa-
ion of the will OF the Democratic party in
Virginia at the Charleston Convention So
Tar as Gov. Wise is concerned, we shall ask for
lin nothing but what he is fullr entitled to
If he is the choice Of the people, thsexpresson
IF that choice shall not be stiGel by the in
..:s-,,a. &C LII. onnr,,.nc I'D u.o rorrnrd hn