Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-09-17

| FRIDAY MORNING, ,sEPTEMRER ~
THAT AKITHMETICAL CALCULATION.
The partisaus of MIR. Lstcher's nomination, who
have rendered Themselves most conspicuous in en-
deavors for the attainment of that object, have not
been equally eminent in q careful and scrupuouS
| avoidance of the employment of unfair means.-
| Apart from the outrageous gerrymanderinR of Mr.
| Sherrard Clemens, whom the " Kanswha Valley
Star describes the partisan Of Mr.. Lecher,)
We can instance the assaults made on those papers
which have ventured to prefer some of bis compe-
tors, and the still more unprovoked warfare which
has been pushed to the ranks of bic competitors
themselves. Attempts have also been made in seve-
rsl instances to make out for Mr. Lecher political
record to which he is by means entitled None oi
the efforts for the manufacture Of public sentimen.
seem to have been 80 much relied on, the one ell
deavor to magnify Mr. Letoher's popularity beyond
that, not only of any statesman but OF any com
bnation Of aspirsnts for the gubernatoral nomina-
| tion. They will insist that the constant pufs which
Mr. Letcher has received although aboriously COLI
uued through the instrumensity of certain presses
for the last eighteen months, and, although cannot
be shown how or 81 hen 1t that Mr. Letcher cue
rous achievement, have been the pure result OF pop
ular enthusiasm throughout the State, and are by no
meHns to be attributed 10 the management OF politi
clans. We submit that this is extremely improbable
in itself. Sill improbable s it, when taken in
connection with the frequent secret caucusing OF
which Richmond has been the theatre. during tn
last tweve MONTHS and in which set of politicians
by no means very large or very influential but emil
nenly active in the business OF csucusing have been
| the sole participants
But Mr.. Letcher's psrtisaus have not been content
with sttrbutipg his advocacy through the press to
some unknown degree of popular favor. They now
seem INTENT each on outlying another, in eIsg
gerated srithmeca calculations of the extent Of Mr.
Letchers strength over and above the combined pop
uiarity of all hs competitors. "The South" asserts
positive conviction that Mr.. Lscher's nomination ia
advocated or desired by FOUR FIFTHs Of the Democ.
racy of the State. Another partisan places the figure
at SEVEN EIGHTHs. Another at NINE TEsThs And
we have even noticedU ardent specustor who l-
disposed to believe that NINETEEN TwENTiETRs
would not be too large an estimate.
Let us reduce these calculations to their proper re
suit of absurdity. The South" although dealing Ill
/
putting forward the least ertravagant boast Ne
! take this as the test.
| More than ten gentlemen have been put forward
by their respective friends. competitors with MI.
| Lscher for the honor of the nomination. Suppos'
however, that the following ten the only compet-
tore Tucker, jackson, Faulkner. Edmunds, Brock.
| enbroueh, Edmondson, Smith of Greenbrier. FLOYD,
Seddon and Hopkins. According TO the statement Of
The South" Mr. Lecher will receive four ffths Of
the Democratic vote, leaving all these competitors to
divide The remnant of Ihe other fifth, after the dednc-
ton Of the number Of voters who have no special fs
vorte for the nomination. The Democratic vote in
the last guherna;oria election, ess than "a OOO
Let us suppose that il will count 9OO 600 at the next
election. Mr.. L.tcor. then IA tha choice OF 20O0
voters How many will The South" allow 20 AVE
| no special favorife for the nomination. Put It al
low Ggure-tweniy Democrats to each county-ssy
| 3 900 in al Thus we will have residue of only
Ii OOO voters, to be divided among Mr. LscherS ten
| competitors i. g. AN AVERAGE OF ,5OO TO EACH
viii THE South" state expressly, what it has aasert.
ed by implication that these ten gentlemen, on iar
vote before the Democracy of Virginia, would re-
cevs an average vote of only 500 each to ~ Tor
| Mr.. Letcherl
More than that: will "The South" explicitly state
s belief that no one of these gentlemen, in single
handed contest with Mr.. Letcher, before the Demo-
| cracy of tho State would receive more than l5OOO
! votes7
| Again: will "The South expressly assert the con-
vction that any one of the number would fail to re-
| ceive more than $1,000 votes, in similar contest
| with Mr. Letcherl And, if "The South's" previous
assertions in this respect TO he attributed - any
| thing more than careless inconsderateness of ex-
pression il that paper is willing, after full notice and
d.liberaon to make any Of the foregoing asser'
tions Of Its belief how many people will be found to
believe with in
| Take Mr.. Letcher's two nearest neghbore, Messrs
Edmondson and Brockenbrough. 1s there an un-
prejudiced man in Virginia that believes Mr.. Letcher
could beat either of these competitors four TO one. in
single. handed contest7 Will it be believed, even
by Mr.. Letcher's ardent supporters, that he could
| beat Edmondson or Brockenbrough two to onel We
have no hesitation in expressing the most positive
| conviction that either of the gentlemen would OBJ.
| tain large majority over Mr.. LeIcher before the
Democracy of Virginia. In personal impress, 10 Sc
curing the ardent attachment of warm persona
| frie pds Edmundson must be acknowledged his supe
rior; and in what respect he inferior! As for Judge
Il
enbrough, not only is be Mr.. Lstchers superior
n intellectual culture and especially in the study OF al
The branches of political law; not only has he circle
of association throughout the State much larger thar
Mr.. Letcher can boast, but be is we'll known as Mr.
Lechers antagonist in the Franklin Debating Society
| 10 l847 Indeed We are assured, on good authority
that if Mr.. Letcher shall, in Bis own district even
obtain a larger vote than Judge Brockenbrough, u
will be mainly attributable to the fact, that number
OF Congressional sspran's desire his present position
Whether this be the reason OF the extreme efforts
certain newspapers there, will not attempt tt
determine But certainly il is preposterous to pretend
that Mr. Letcher would obtain any such majority al
that indicated by some of his adherents, over Ed
mondson and Brockenbrough. These eIaggerationt
are TO be referred either to most unparalleled in
stance of sanguins delusion, or to extreme efforts tt
bold up the desperate chances of comparatively
unpopular candidate. We leave the public to deter
| mine which is the most probable.
| -
MR. CLEMENS FAvORITE.
Reliable information from Wheeling has just reach
ed us TO the effect that Mr.. Letcher is understood
there to be Mr. Clemens favorite for the gubernato
rial nomination 1t is also stated that he was out ir
the mountain counties arranging matters accord
| ;noly" when he met Judge Brockenbrough at Graf