Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-18

IoroS greatlnducementst TO those who will use its
columns.
The GubernatOrial Convention, When
shall it DO?
This question seems to have been swal-
lowed up, and forgotten in the imbittered
controversy between the friends Of the diff
ferent aspirants to the exalted Office of Gov
ernor Of Virginia. We have for some time
held decided opinion on this subject, but
have abstained from expressing it, through
Difference to the opinion of the press Of the
State, who seemed almost unanimously to
differ with us.
Our opinion is, that the sooner this Con-
vention is convened and our candidate NOM
mated, the better it is for the party. The
reasons for thus acting, seem to us obvious
and strong, and the events Of the last two
months have developed the principal objec-
ton raised to the immediate assemblage OF
the Convention, into strong argument in
favor of that line of policy.
It was reasoned by those who opposed the
policy which we advocate, that there was no
surer method of defeating candidate than
by setting him up as target, to be shot at
for five or six months by the enemies of his
election. Now we think that we have by
no means escaped this objection by post
poning the nominating convention to an in
definite period instead Of setting up one
man to be abused by the opposition, and
defended with equal earnestness by the de-
mocracy, we have divided ourselves into
little parties, each one advocating its par
ticular favorite, and firing away promiscu-
ously at all the other prominent aspirants
to the Gubernatorial chair. The people Of
Virginia have confidence in, and would
willingly support any one of the distin-
guished gentlemen whose names will prob
ably be before the Convention, but this
continued elimination and recrimination by
the democratic press Of the State, must
have the effect of generating doubt as to
the competency and honesty of all, and the
result will be-, that unable to unite on any
man, fitted by his ability and prominence to
fill the first Office in the gift of the people
Of Virginia, we will necessarily be compell-
ed to nominate a man of ordinary ability
and obscure reputation.
Another argument in favor of postponing
the convention is, that canvassing the
claims Of the different aspirants to the Gov
ernorship, would result in an ascertainment
of the real sentiment of the people; we
submit that if this was our object in the
imhittered controversy which has disgraced
the party. we have most decidedly failed in
our design. for if public sentiment on this
subject is rightly expressed by the press of
the State, it is most complicated and curl
ous affair. But as right understanding
of the will of the people is the prime OBJ
ject to be attained by Convention, it is
our first duty to look about for some mode
of arriving at that right understanding,
and to our mind, plan preached by the
Examiner, and which we had hoped would
have been more fully developed by that pa
per, seems the best. It is to open an in
formal poll, at which the people may have
an opportunity Of expressing their will, by
which the delegates to the Convention will
be bound. This could be easily done, and
thus would be stopped the infamous mode
Of a clique of pot-house politicians, nomi-
mating and placing before the people, can
didate whom, nine times out of ten they
dislike, or may be never heard Of. At any
rate, let us have the Convention at once,
and put an end to this eternal pickering
which threatens anarchy and ruin to the
party. Better have the animosity of the
opposition concentrated on the head Of one
man than that we should thus be divided
and fighting amongst ourselves for the
amusement of our enemies.