Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-03

tiic Vultoi vi tiic tO SlTaBHllUt
Democrats, (prcsuming that it was made with
out proper intornation,J further than to advis
/ him to be more particular in such illusions il
future. We do not profess to comprehend hi
meaning precisely. but if in the terms >trag
CLING Democrat" he intcnl, to include tho>t
opposed to political intrigue and party managc
mcnt, he has struck the nail full upon the head
and We take the liberty Of informing him. i
he was not aware of the fact before, that larg,
majority of the Democrats of Campbell count,
nj least are of this character. CAMPBELL.
t"r tie Enquirer.
w. II Howerton Esq. The Abolition Of Free Ne
: groism in Virginia, &C.
McSSrs. Editors In recent number of tn,
Enquirer wc see it stated that r,mor saycth
both Of our delegates to the last Legislature dc
not design or desire to be returned to the ncxI
House of Delegates. 1t is not our purpose tc
question the correctness Of this statement, Or tc
say ought against the merits and virtues Of thu
gentleman I'd. \. Claiborne, ESq..D recommend
ed as successor by Your correspondent; but,
gentlemen, We beg the Use Of your columns ia
enter, on the part of the people of Halifax, Il
solemn protest against the retirement Of W. VI.
llowcrton, ESD, from our service at this time,
and to call upon the people, not only of Hall
fax, but OF the State, to make an irresistible
appeal to him TO continue his services in the
Legislature, at least, till he carries through,
trilimphantly, the great reform in regard
10 our free colored population, which he SO gal
lantly fought for last session, and which hc, as
chairman Of the committee and the acknow-
lcdged leader on that subject, came So near ac-
complishing, by that characteristic zeal and
power in debate. which, when hc reoiig cxcrts
himself he nteer Jtt'Ls to command. Let the
people and the friends Of this measure every
where, make this appeal To Mr.. llowcrton and
if We are not mistaken III the man. we are sure
he will yield to the call. In that event. We
predict that he will have no opposition. or if
he has any, will have no difficulty in achieving
So crushing victory over it, as will cause all
forever to forget the lucklcSs wight who shall
undertake the fight. Should we return him to
the House Of Delegates. the friends of this
great measure will have leader OH whom they
can rely in a contest uiM dAy m,aIa, and who,
we have not doubt will fight the measure
MrOugh successfully into Il Ior. If these lines
meet the eye Of any of the members Of the last
Legislature, they WILL doubtless, do Mr.. Hover
ton the justice TO say, how faithfully, maniully
and powerfully, even against such intellectual
giants rs Preston, Caperton and others, hc
fought for the relief Of the people Of Virginia
from the evils Of free ncgroisin. Ii is well
known that his powerful speeches, in the de-
bate on his bill to relieve Virginia from the
free negro population. gave him rcputa-
tion, not only throughout the State, but
throughout the South, and, We presume, some
notoriety at the North. too We remember
this discussion, and heard his speeches so
highly complimrnted and so universally dcscrb-
cd as tie speeches Of ths session. that we eltproud
Of him, and determined though We did not
vote for him at the last election. that hsredfter
We would be for him, not only on account of
the souudncSS Of his principles. the purity of
his integrity, the goodness Of his heart, but.
also. because We believe him TO be, IN poWt :t
tdichis the mort promising man ofhis ageb far.
that ollr section Of country has for long time
produced We are conscious that frivolous OBJ
jections may be urged against him by Il little
clan, or something Of that sort. whom We pre-
sumo he only laughs at or occasionally pltie>;
hut having vanquishcd larger game, he can
have no fear of 4 small animal, who can do him
no harm; for if any one in our county has
struggled against the cool neglect of those
whom he has warmly sustained against fierce
opposition and against persecution. itself, III
some instances. il has been W. NJ llOwcrton.
And, yet hc has nobly tritmphed over ii
all, and now, there he stands, well ascertain
ed majority of our voters ready to sustain him
As tho choice of llafaX-try it who will. We
have not been unobScryant Of his course. We
well remember when he first entered the LeglS-
aturc, that he opposed the completion of the
Danvic road by couaty hr"ti"m, and con-
tended that. if it must be completed. it should bc
done bv state tnrrs, arguing that in that shape
the taxes necessary to finish the road would fall
more lightly upon his constituents than in
the form of ronnty tdJes. Though opposed to
him then now acknowledge he was right
and thank him for his efficient speeches in the
Legislature for the completion of that great
Improvement Nor have ! forgotten how iirm-
" he opposed, and how cffectually, in debate,
he routed those gentlemen from Western Nir-
ginia, who clamored at one time for removing
our Capitol westward, because Of 4 fuss made
near the Governors house by a party Of noisy
fellows. And Eastern Nirginian>. To this day.
owe him a debt OF gratitude for ably defending
them against the effort of Western men to tax
tobacco and other agricultural products of the
Fast, and to exempt their Western cattle and
other stock from taxation. But, above all. we
desire his services again. to accomplish
the great frcc-ncgro reform. His name has
now become identified with that question !:
he Is the acknowledged champion in the
State upon his side of that measure--he
doubtless would bc unopposed for the l.eglsla-
turc and if the appeals to him will not induce
him to become candidate for reelection, I'm
the common acccptation Of that word,) we
then propose, to our fellow-cltizcnS. all hands,
to rifet him any hon, and thus, by the force
of public sentiment. impress him into our
public service Let us do this. and let HIM
carry through his measure Of relieving Nirgl-
mia from free negroes. and we can. with truth
say. that it will be practically worth more than
the legislation of dozen Legislatures. by
the way. we suggest to our people. and not
only to them, but to the people of MI |rgi"m,
that in the approaching elections this should
be made test question. and that Tree negrotsm
no longer should he tolerated where shire me-
oroiun is in existence We appeal then, to
him, forthwith to announce himself candidate
for reelection, to come forward before our
people and deliver those views Of his upon
this vital question: which he was 50 earnestly
solicited last winter TO publish for the benefit
Of the public We can excuse much, IN that
modestv which. no doubt caused Mr.. Hover
ton to withhold his speech from publication.
after surh solicitation; for it would have
tlattered many Il man Of ripper years into a
ilomrishing parade of it before the public {;
still we confess tn 'a i'll, rruth against
him. for not having furnished the people Of the
State with what was. on all hands, conceded to
be speech Of accurate information. well dl-
gested and statesmanlike views. upon most
aifficult and embarrassing domestic question