Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-09-14
Ritbmon0 Gnqnirtr,
~. TIE, UUNNAVNNT .1LEK & WISE
TUES MORNING, ,sEPTEMBERIl ii
From the Richmond Whig Sept. lci

J that his friends hrcu gh0ut the State Will deeply
gr-t his discrimination There ID no nober specme
of the true Virginia gentleman, no abler Gr s0unde
statesman, and more brilliant orator IN the Ian
than George w. Summers. And we had indulge
the agreeable hope that he might be prevailed upo
t" again stand the candidate OF the Opposition io
the office of Governor. We desired Tor him fair an
full opportunity for exploding the caump;@s of d:
enemies in the previous canvas, .nu We d..red ~
the Wings OF the East m opportunity of repairn:
the Injustice they did him in 1851. But for the mex
cusable the utterly dsgrsceiu wavering of portion
Of the Wings o! the East in ISL, MIR. Summers wou'
have been trium phanfIy elected and Virginia wou
have been glorou-ly redeemed from the ihraldom o
LocoiocoIsm. Shame upon their recusancy 10 duty
and upon their craven spirit
We stil indulge the hope that Mr.. Summers ina,
be induced to r-coned-r his determDation and con
sent to become candidate in Obedience to the
ts and unanimous desire 0i the Wings and Amrri
chG, OF the Sa;e. IIls resignation OF his Judgshil
took effect on the lst of July last-eighr-n months
before the commencement Uf the next Gubernatorin
term. But such is the explicit aud emphatic character
ol HE card, declining t" that We must conclude
there will be but II faint hops of inducing him I,
change his purpose.
TO tie Edaor Of Tie Richmond Wig:
For several weeks past my name has frequently ap
peared in the newspapers Ot both the political parties
oi The State, iu connection with the election o
| Governor.
SO long a. this unnecessary presentation before the
public limited TO coujrctures, whether
would bs candidate, and -pecnations AS to the pro
babe defeat such event, have not ier
called upon tn give IL any formal notice. But ih
Richmond E" Enquirer. 0t August 3lst, in a leadnl
editorial, d-rgn-d 10 chow the nexpeGiency Of NJ;
! Lr'chcrs nomination, aH the Democratic candidsn
! for that cthce, has been pleased TO assume, rs ti
| baeis ni liz argument hnt | am destined 10 be III
! candidate OF The Opposition.
As evidence that | AN Ia be the candidate thu
'ELquirer first asserts that resigned the judgeshiJ
''IG rme 10 comply with the annexed requirement ~
The Constitution, aud adds. that having resigned il
| tiin-, "lt Is significant OF purpose :"
No Judge. during his term oi service, shall hOc
any other office appointment, public trust and tbt
acceptance thereof shall vhcat hls judicial office
shall hr during such term or ~Hhn one year hereafter
| be ctig'bie 10 any pOlaicafG GNire."
My rcs gnstiOp -eerns To hhve perple1ed my Demo
cratic friends IN more quarters than With them
il is inexpl,cnble that person should resign office
except to 20 into snoter Mr.. J,f-rson said in hi,
day, ol The office holders. few die, resign"
| But the Enquirer" before aitrbutng motive
should have made itself more certain of its facts
My Resignation although made March, by its express
terms did Eo lake effect until the first day Of July -
Now, the election Tor Governor will take place il.
May next. which will b- less than one year from th
expiration 0f my term M Judge.
But being unwilling To leave my purposes, in Iii
regard 10 mere Inference the "EnquiTer quotes from
| the "Wnrrenion Wing" article of which H.,
| following il n paragraph
We hear from n sonrcs entitled to credit, tha
p-rr,,-sion ot rh- Wings and Americans TO annouuc'
himself r oandidnte, IN due time, for the ofice o.
Governor OF Virginia"
What na; have been the source Of information al
luded 10 by the "Wnrr.nton Whig,' have no means
at knowing, but thu announcement being in shape
which might be regarded authoritative, II left un
c0ntradiced, think il proper 10 declare, that hav.
ut tim. entertained the most reInUrr intention of
being candidate for the office referred to. at III
next election, nor do ] intend, under any circum
STANCES, To become II candidate.
hope thir Declaration vii! a, least to relieve
fhe enquirer and rs adjuiors from any further
dsqnrinte, on my account IN lie selection oi pro-
per candidate tor tho Democratic party.
nAr"".-.- tt"N rs
The foregoing extract from the .Whiy" needs some
little comment.
With very high respect ior Mr. Summers talents
and private character, Notwithstanding his politicsi
herescs We are obliged to admit that his card might
have been beliered by little more couciseness anu
much more dignity. In our view Of the case, u re-
iusal 10 permit hs name 10 be used in connexon with
III" high position of Governor oi Virginia. gains no
thin! by being attached to a common place fling ST
| To. Democratic party aud somewhat more malicious
al the special expense OF the "Enquirer aud
IL coaoiuiors' The u, xt lime that Mr. Summers hss
OCCASION TO decline to accept csndiducy for high
office We recommend that he should study the letter
laeiy publl-hcd by tbs Hon. John w. Brocken.
brougi. Ii vii! furnish him admirable model
81 lar as The Enquirer" is concerned, Mr. Sum
m-rs' opinion that ''beiore attribuling motive i;
should hav. made itself more certain of its facts, is
easily disposed of. In the first place, the motive
which we sugg6Stcd merely, was by no means dis
creditabe motive, and hence there no necessity
scrupu,us inquiry into the accuracy of the state
ment made by the "Warrenton Whig"
In reprehending our failure to make sure Of facts
beforehand, Mr.. Summers card may be interpreted
to intend one oftwo omissions. II may mean that VT
ought 10 have waited to learn positively what were
Mr.. Summers real intentions, before we began 10 sur
mise with regard 10 their probable bearing or influ'
ence. Ths position submit, is msniiesfly I'M
tenable Nothing is more usual no. permissible
than for public journals to discuss freely and
respectfully the probable supposed political
movements OF eminent statesmen. Moreover,
our Inference that Mr.. Summers would be a
candidate, based upon the estement of the
| "Warrenton Whig," which, as Mr. Summers admite,
"mght be regarded authoritative, ii left uncon.
trsdic;ed." This was The best source of information
within our reach; indeed we could find nothing
more reliable, except in direct application to MIR.
Summers himself. This the usag-s Of party courtesy
would not permit. Indeed, We Judge both from the
subject matter itself and The context OF MIR. Sum.
mers' letter, that he does not intend to charge us with
any delinquency in this respect
Tie real point at which he aims s, that before at
trbu,ing to hs resignation of udgeship the motive
of an intention to offer for the Governorshp. We
should have taken the pnina 10 discover that bs re
sienaon took effect not in March, but in July; ard
hence that he ia really disabled from the candidacy in
question, since the election will take place in May
next. Now, the tact il, that attached no inn
purance at all 70 the question as to the precise date
at which the resignation took effect. Is il not pos
sible that it is Mr. Summers who has mistaken the
construction of on article Of the State Constitution, not
We who have been careless of important facts?
A. we understand it, the Constitution in fixing q
period cf Twelve months precedent, refers not to the
time It eiscticu but 10 that nf the commencement of
the ctfcial Term. The Use of The word "eiigI6is" "
may indeed, give mere genealogical preference 10
MIR. Summers mode OF construction. Even THE,
however, is doubtful. May not the sentence in the
Constitution be construed thus nor sha he be
tlgiOi. 10 ti!"I"j ""J P"'"''"' ohi'o WIN" '"e''o
months thereatter?" We have regarded this as the
prcp-r mode OF construction, and have been confirm
ed in the conviction, not only by the concurrng
opiulen= Of aber lawyers, but by reference TO the
fact. that the limitations Of age attached to diff.
ferent Offices by the Constitution, are nvaria-
bly, construed to refer, no; to the time OF elec
on but TO that of the inception of the official char
acter 10 spite Of Mr.. Summers opposite opinion,
the "Whis" seems to in oure; since ii still
presses the hope that he may be induced to reconsider
his present determination. We may be wrong n cur
interpretation Of the law; but this error il certainly
excussbl. and Of itsef sufficient to account Tor
caree.sress s- 10 whether Mr.. Sumners' resignation
.ook place in March or Jniy.
Mr. Summers appears TO entertain the hope, or at
.s, ,ha vnec.siion that hs withdrawal NAV ren1Oye