Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-02-19

all the appliances brought |" Ds.. wv ''i1e VI '
VIRGINIA d.leu alton declared TO- Mr.. Buchanan and
oset tbs Who'll vote of the State fhr lis nomination.
nm the frat aud every succeeding b:!Iat nj Cinciuna
The anti Buchanan coalition fought till hoe was gone
In their desperation, some lesdefd even reiur'ea "
n, nrecedsnted and illegmate modes al strategy
C.rts;u Virginia politicians attempted an offensive
o,iance with the "soGts'' of New Works. patty
which, twelve months before, had stood Oh :n aoon
ton platform. This was one inears attempted OF 81"
nosi,ion TO the nomination ufJsmes Buchanan Anh'
far Ihe accomplishment Of tbs snme object. II w"-
openly threatened to divide the vote OF virginia
which for more than half century has been CAST rs
a unit. .o,e
"a 10 the extent and authority Of These intrgues-
And here passing notice may be taken OF nhtlsr
which has not YET appeared in the pubic press' /,
will be remembered that the prompt and ac'
of Senator Douglas fret placed MI. bucnanah no
mination beyond the possibility Of defeat. When
Mr.. Douglas teegraphed to his friends al Cncinna'
the request that they would combine TO secure MIR.
Buchanans nomination, the intelligence came iike
thunderbot on the little faction who had Determined
to defeat Mr. Buchanan. by fair mean. or foul. II ID
well known least in Virginia. that the politicians
returned from the Convention heaplnS O,tter curses
on the head of S'epnen douglas ana swearing
that they W0L.I watch INCREASINGLY Tor an oppor'uni
~ Of revenge CollGte these facts with the obvious
fact that the quas; Democratic press still engaged IN
an iusdiouS war on the Administration now constant
" applies the abusive epithes. "raitor anu oiaeA
Republican" to MIR. Douglas, and 1t 10 easily percep
ton is not to be referred to his late manly efforts IN
favor of popular sov aregnty in Kansas but to bis
agency in securing tbs nomination OF james bucuah
al at Cincinnati.
we're equally dissatisfied with the election of Mr. Bu'
chanan and the faction united to perpetrate as de-
liberate instance Of party treachery M ever "as
concoc,ed by political intrigue. Socalled Democrat
points in the South The President had hardly pub:
shed his inaugural address before every linking and
indication of his policy, which could be discoV.
cred or imagined, was made the SUBJECT OF
hostile anlmadversion by these pretended organs
of Democratic sentiment. The defence Of the
Administration WAS left to Isolated efforts OF
friendly presses. There was no organized admin.
istraton press-not even an organ al w asnng.o, "
indicate the proper line of defence to be adopted
While the friepds of the Administration were mus
fighting at disadvantage, Governor Walker was
permitted TO proclaim, with every possible evidence
of Administrative sanction that the Presioent hao
based his Kansas policy on the broad Rfound OF
ing the fu!Gment of heetter and spirit OF tue hansas
ac. 10 be cousummGied by fair, full, Tree popular
vote for tho ratification rejection OF consti!r'oa
10 BIZ framed aud proposed by CONVENTION OF de'e
gates SO universal was tue impression thus oreateu'
that no, only the press Of the mscoutent Democrats
huf the entire Whig and Know Nothing press imme'
diaely seized the opportunity for combined assault
upon the administration, many OF them u:tering tne
identical sentiments expressed in the frssidens late
mes ssgs accompanying the Lecomptor Constitution.
press of the combined opposition had partially sue
ceedsd IN manufacturing Fictitious semblance otPop.
ular opposition at the South, before the people had
tune to deliberate on the question, or the volunteer
force of the administration would rally in defence OF
grea, Democratic principle, until then updisputed
But the administration press fought the battle
efectuay. In spite Of every attempt 10 em6arrass
the issue, by compcating 1t with local queetlohs
few weeks eNttced to bring into contempt the open
and violent ossaants of the President, ard shortly
rls 20 oila a
because more cautious and more insidious portion OF
the ositiou press. Before the annual message OF
the President could be written, the conservative
| sentiment Of the South was prepared to dscounie.
nance every fraudulent attempt 10 pervert popular
election in Kansas. Among candid and weiliinlorm-
ed men, there eau be question: that had the Presl
dent Immediately condemned the fraud pe!petrsted
at Lecumpton, he would have carried with him, not
only every Northern Democratic vote IN Congress,
but also majority of the Southern Democratic votes
But the annual message took no decisive ground
Many friends and ali the Toes OF the Administration IN
terpreted il, indeed virtual endorsement OF the Le
cornp:on scheduls Other friends offbe Administration
regarded !: as q temporary non.committal. Those
friends q, the South ~bo had actively engaged in or
cheerfrly applauded the battle for popular soVe
reignty fought 10 defence OF the ADMINISTRATION
could not be induced TO believe mat the PRESIDENT mao
made the endorsement Of the schedule
of his Administrative policy. They juatly regarded
such policy as calculated TO drive into opposition
the mass of the Northern Democracy; and TO sfoId
st least An apparent triumph to the sssaan,s Of the
Administration, But ths enemies OF the President
already boasted of the triumph, nnd left no oppo.
tuni,y unimproved to estrange from the Admini'tra
ton every Democrat who Refused TO endorse the La
compton schedule. And whie il was thus attempted
10 drive the Northern Democracy into opposition on
the Kansas question, the 6ibusterne question was
made pretext to array Southern Democrats IN stint
lar hostility.
Such was the political juncture which called forth
Gov Wise's letter Of December 3O That letter was
H QrfV hn
ouslv eudeavoring to wreck the Administration and
| the Democratic party, on the endorsement by Con
gress of political fraud.
| Thus, In my several communications addressed TO
Yourself have endeavored to discus, separately
and fairly each Of the questions suggested by the po
litica issue pending. as well as by the position
assumed by Gov. Wise with relation 10 The subject
am aware that the manner in which have treated
the satiect has necessarily accustomed much repeti
ton. such YVES my design. know ct no better
manner by which to justify Gov. Wise, Or TO expose
The Lecomptcn fraud before the people Of Virginia.
Than to Discus. the whole subiec under every phase
in which II has been presented for my confederation
But there i'd one maste:.key to every problem invov
I'd. Fraud IL patent the face of the Lecompton
schedule itself. again quote for your attentive Pc
rusal the very language of the instrument:
"Section III. Before this Constitution shall be sent
TO Congress for admission INFO 'he Union State
shall be submitted TO althc irhite male inhabitants Of
his Territory for oPproraor dts0pproca Is follows:
The President of this Convention shall, by proclama.
at the different election precincts now established by.
law, or which may be established as herein provided
an ELECTION shall BE- held, over which shal preside
three Judges majority Of three, to be appointed
as fol!ows: The President OF this Convention shall
appoint three Commissioners 10 each county in the
Territory, whose duty it shall be to appoint three
Judges Of election in the severa precincts ut their res
pective counties, al rhtch election the Constitution
framed By IRIS Convention shall be submitted 10 all
the ,rhRt ma,c inhabitants Of he Territory Of Kan.
sas IN tie said Territory upon that day, and orer
the age Of tacenty-one years. for RATIFICATION or RE-
LECTION Is THE FOLLOWING MANNER ASD FORM: The
voting shall be by ballot The Judges OF said election
shall cause to be kept two poll books by two clerks
by them appointed The jaots cast at said election
shall be endorsed "CoSsrITU1los nth slarery' and
Constitutes Nth o slape,y." One OF the
said poll books shal bs returned within eight
days 10 the President Of iEis Convention, and
the other ehal be retained by the Judges OF election
aud kept open for inspection. Tie resident and
two or more members OF ihis Convention shall ex-
anime taid poll books, and II At shall appear upon
said examination that a majority Of the iegoi rote1
cast at sa,d election BE- IN FAVOR OF THE CoHsTI1U-
TloE pnh slarcry, he shall Immediately hare me same
Transmitted TO the Congress Of tie United Saes as
hercnbetorc proridcd. But u, upon sach srdmina'
non Of said poll books shall oppear that 'n91ort
van OF THE "CossrlrUrros acnh no slavery," then
The article providing for slavery shalt be stricken
from the Constitution by the President OF this Con
vention, and 10 slavery shall exist in tho State Of
kdnedS except tHdl tue tignt vi property III elaScs
uow in this territory, shai in no manner be nerered
with and eha have transmitted the Constitution so
ratified 10 the Congress of the United States as here
inhefore provided"
SEC ID Every person Offering to vote at the afore.
ssid election upon said Constitution shall, ii cha
lenged take an oath TO support the Constitution Of
the United States aud to support hi, Constitution
If adopted, under the penalties Of perjury under the
Territorial lauS."
Now, sir, with this schedule before you, beg that
you will prepare, for yourself at eest, frank and d.
,his schedule st provide that Tie Constitution shall be
submitted to all the white male nhabitants OF kansas
over u years Of age, for ratification or REJECTION
Does il not then provide mode Of submission which
renders REJECTION Of the Constitution impossible =
Does mol The same mode Of submission dis(ranchise
every legal otter who will not sGr-s 20 vote for the
Ennsftntnn Does il no; EQUALLY excln6a all such