Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-08-03
From the Kauawha Repu6lican.
Mr.. Letcher and DIR. Ruffner's Address

Mr.. Letchcr and DIR. Ruffner's Address.
DIR. RUFFNER's STATEMENT OF FACTS.
10 the People Of Virginia:
FELLOW CITIZENS The Hon. John Letcher
has lately come before you with q letter con
corning my Address on Slavery, published IN
lS47 at the request of himself and 10 other gen
llemen of Lexington, Va. In this letter he
charges me with having committed fraud on
him and his 10 associates, in tho publication OF
that Address The allegation vaguely intimates
that foisted in exceptionable things. This Is a
serious charge; and TO me entirely new; for
never before, during the 10 years ana months
siGce the Address was published, did hear Of
any such charge having been made by any one,
either publicly or privately.
Since great ignorance and misoonceptlon seem
to exist respecting the origin and history OF that
Address, will give plain statement OF facts:
AS few persons have copies of the pamphlet,
shall have to say something also OF its contents
In the spring or summer of 1947, l was in
formed that debate on slavery had arisen III
the Franklin Society of Lexington, Va, and
was requested to attend, as the debate was ex
pected to be long and interesting. This Society
embraced most of the professional and literary
gentlemen of the town, besides other intelligent
citizens and met weekly to debate questions. /
was an honorary member, but did not regularly
attend the meetings. This debate on slavery
was continued from week to week for a eonsid-
cradle time.
When attended, l found the question TO be,
not whether slavery was right or wrong; Gut
whether or not it was injurious to the pubic
prosperity. Mr.. Letcher and others took The
anti slavery side, whilst some able debators, such
as Mr. (now Judge Brockenbrough and Col.
Smith of the Y. Nj. Institute were on the pro.
slavery side.
No one, so far as I remember, took tie aboli-
ZIONIST ground, that sIaveholding is sin, and
ought for that reason to be abolished. With us
it was merely question of expediency, and was
argued with special reference TO the interests OF
West Virginia.
Joined the anti-slavery side, and after a
while, having collected some statistical facts, |
made the speech which led to the publication of
the Address. was soon afterwards requested
by some of our party to prepare my argument
for publication, as it was thought by them to be
unanswerable, and, | was told, had converted
several members OF the society. | hesitated at
first, and either refused or postponed compliance
with the request; not wishing to appear before
the public as partisan on this question, whilst
| occupied the presidential chair of Washington
College; though knew that my broken health
would compel me to an early resignation.
But as the debate proceeded, We all became
so heated under the hammer of argument, pro
and con, that we were ready for an attempt to
carry our views into effect. | commenced wri-
ting ont the whole argument on our side; and
when about the time the debate closed and we
had decided majority of votes in the society,
was again spoken to, | consented to prepare
for publication, not my speech merely, but what
ever else might contribute to the success OF our
scheme for the gradual removal of slavery from
West Virginia.
But required two conditions, 1st, that those
who desired the publication of the argument,
should present their request in writing, in terms
confornable to the plan OF publication which |
suggested and I'd, that all should contribute
to the cost of printing. | was willing to come
out. not as an individual, but only as the organ
of a respectable party, and such | thought we
were, though at the outset few in number. The
anti slavery feeling had been prevalent in
West Virginia, and seemed to need only such an
Impulse as we could give it, to recover its former
strength.
Mr.. Letcher and ten other gentlemen readily
compled with my conditions and adore ssed me
1.-THE letter which was printed in the foreground
of the pamphlet. In this letter the II gentlemen
said expressly, that they did not expect me to
furnish my speech just as it was delivered, nor
did thew wish me to ''coDfine myself strictly to
the views then expressed" On the contrary,
thew desired to have 1.-THE whole argument in
favor of the proposition presented to the public
lin a perspicuous and condensed form" Thus
thew left it discretionary with me to add to the
matter of my speech whatever thought proper
to Give completeness and force to the argument
"in favor OF removing the negro population from
West Virginia" as they expressed it. The whole
contents ofMe pamphlet aoere soritten co'Jorma-
l6ly to the desire expressed IN this letter.
NV colleagues added in their letter, that the
views expressed in my speech, were ''in shape
which could not give just cause of offence to
even those who were most tastidious aud excita.
BILE on the subject of slavery" This could mean
only that my views were not of the aJOlitionist
lshape The Address presented the same views
as the speech, and in the sane argumentative
shape. | maintained the moral right of slave
holding. and assaed the abolitionists as a NOR
ally insane, malignant, meddlesome and mis-
chievous sect, with whom we would have moth
ling to do. But argued strenuously, as we all
did in the society, that slavery in its effects npon
the country was ''pernicious institution" &c.
When the Address was circulated by mail and
otherwise through West Virginia, we soon per-
ceiyed that most of the editors and politicians of
the Valley would not embark with us in an en-
terprise of doubtful success. They objected to
our movement as ill-limed, while northern abu-
litionism was raging. Without their concurrence
we must fail. West Of the Allegheny the pam
billet was better received; but in East Virginia
some papers denounced it as aboliuonst.
1t is true, as Mr.. Letcher says, that my col
leagues did not contribute to the cost OF the
publication. When the printers bill came in,
aud privately spoke to one or two of them
about il. found that for some reason there was
a dissemination to contribute. Therefore paid
the printers bill myself. AS several of them
aided me in the distribution of the pamphlet,
and never heard till now the charge of fraud
lin the publication, which know to be false,
Imagined any reason but that, and made no en-
ouiry on the subject. None of our party ever,
to nv knowledge, objected to the contents OF
the Address. Now, as Mr.. Letcher's charge is
vague, call upon him To specify what "excep-
tiorabl. things" fosted into the Address My
sole object is self defence accuse no one
Let him specify then, having definite issue
will trv conclusions with him.
HENRY RUFFNER.
Kanawha Salines. July 10, 1858.
FRAZER RIVERA California correspondent
of the N. Y. Post is very incredulous about the
discoveries of gold on Frazer River. He says
"Up in one of the widest countries on the face
of the globe, lis sources hidden IN perpetual
SHOWS, its courses running through wilderness
OF huge rocks, precpices, forests, lakes and qnag
mires, explored only by white men accustomed
to the frozen solitudes Of Mackenzie river and
the great hunting grounds of North America
and explored by those men only when Thoroughly
equipped with all the care and completeness
which the wealth of the Hudson's Bay Company
enable them to command-nhabted by stalwart