The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-12-06

constituents and give that as reason for Opposing
Mr. Le.cher.
Loud cries of No! no Il
Mr. PRYOR stopped speaking. very much ex.
hsusted, and the Convention adjourned to meat AT
71a O'Clock, Mr. p retaining the floor to finish his
| remarks.
NIGHT SESSION.
At the appointed hour the Convention re-assem-
| bled.
member from Augusta moved the previous
question. He said ho, and others, thought enough
speaking had been done.
Another member moved that, by general con
sent, ballottibg commence at 10 O'clock.
Mr. STovALL said he was friend of Mr.. LETcHkR
but if the previous question was called he would
vote against his nomination.
The motion for the previous question was with.
drawn, and it was understood that the PROPOSE.
ton to commence balloting ar 10 O'Clock was &C.
cep:ed unanimously.
The Chair took occasion to announce that Mr.
Pryor had not appeared, in consequence of being
too unwell to continue his remarks.
Mr. TREADwAY, of Pittsylvania rose, and sad he
was not sent as delegate, either to Letcher or
| anti Letcher Convention, but to Democratic Com
ventioD; and he was sorry to find himself in the
wrong box. lie had yet to hear Democrats ap.
pealed to as Democrats, for the calls which had
been made were chiefly on the friends of different
| men. The true issue-the veal of the Democratic
party-had not yet been presented and in it's
stead had the interests Of particular favortes.
lie regretted that the talent of Mr. RIvEs had not
| been employed In pouring oil on the troubled wa.
ters, and that he had not looked farther than the
interests of particular members. The speaker
know JOHN LETcHEE personally and politically.
and was not afraid to trust him on the subject of
| slavery. He utterly disclaimed being identified
with any faction of the Democratic party, and
hoped that those who had been Instrumental in
creating these factions would be willing to bear
the responsibility of their acts. For nominee, he
wanted man for whom 10 apologies to be
made-charity might exist in the Democratic par
,tava huf f, he tod
from She Whg party, when in canvass. His
county had, of late, given Democratic msjorities
and that party was just getting into the ascend
ancy there; but if man was nominated for Co
yer nor. whose record was not clear, it would be
adding much dead weight to the burden Of the
Democracy there, and it would sink down again
into q minority. The question WAS not only-Can
We elect John LetcherI but, when put De.
mocratic Governor in office in 1859, what effect
will his record have the great rational
struggle of 1SC0 1t must be clear and uustaned.
He then went on to portray the difficulties that
would rise up in the path of the party in the State
if a candidate nominated with antecedents
like Mr.. Letchers-
Tho CHAIg read the following notice.
"The delegates to this Convention opposed to the
nomination of john Letcher, are requested to meet
at No. 20, Bollingbroke Hotel, to night, immedi.
ately after ajjoprnment,
Gen. CABELL, of Pittsyivanis, the colleague of
Mr.. Trcdway, entirely dssen,ed from the views of
that gentleman, and predicted that alteration
in the Democratic vote Of that county would be
caused by the nomination Of Mr.. Letcher.
Mr.. NEWMAN, of Kanawha, opposed the nomiuas
tion of Mr. Lstcher. He believed Letchec sound
on the question OF Southern Rights, but thought
The East was setting a very bad example on the
slavery question to the West, by nominating q
man with such record He feared the probabili-
ty of destroying the prestige of Virginia, on the
eve OF the contest OF 1867.
Mr.. FLoURNoY, of Prince Edward, moved to pro-
ceed with the nominations.
MIR o. J. WISE said if he not permitted to
state his protest against the nomination of Mr.
Letcher. and his reason, for il, before the nomina
tion gone into, ne would leave the Convene
tioa.
[Cries of "go," "go"1
Here hot discussion on the fact of the resolution
or balottipg 10 O'Clock being adopted took place.
ins smuch as il would cut the speaker OF, if IN
force.
The CHAIR, however, declined to put the rule in
force, and MIR. Wise obtained the floor.
He said he would not detain them long. He
would first proceed to perform what he always
considered his irst duty-meetiug every assault,
intentional or nnlntentonal, against Henry A. Wise.
A speaker, though without unkipdness, had re-
erred to some of Gov. Wise's political errors hav
ing been pardoned. He had never asked pardon
from any political party, Wing Or Democrat, for a
political error. He had never gone, Mr..
Letcher, if minated would have to do and, with
head bowed, cry ont, "peccart, peccari. l have
sinned and ask to be forgiven" He had "no re.
carnations to make,h no matter what the conse
quepces Mr.. w. then went to defend (Gov
} from tno Charge VI EOlltlCdl trEOIs, anu III
tackled Mr.. Letcher on the Ruffner pamph-
let, and his subsequent course in Congress,
which did not show very strong Southern
feeling. He would say, however, that be did not
believe Mr.. L. was unscund on the question OF
slavery now, but HE course in Congress was dicta
ted by selfish motives He then charged Mr..
Letcher with having been affiliated with the
Know Nothing party, and having written q lotter
10 Gov Smith in 1855, urging him to become an
independent candidate for Governor.
Gen. STANDS said he had heard this rumor in
private and had given the opponents of Mr. Letcher
permission to telegraph TO MIR. Smith and ask him
If the report was q ue.
Mr. TvtEs eafd he had informed the friends of
Mr. Ietchsr of the reported existence of the letter,
and told them to telegraph to ascertain the truth
OF the report.
Loud cries of "nroof," "proof'
A Potcc-By Heavens, do you believe itl
Mr. WISE said he told the friends Of Mr. Letcher
70 telegraph TO both gentlemen, smith and Letcf.
er. There were two relatives of Gov Smith pre-
sent. Let them be called to tho stand, he would
Cross-question Them.
The Chair said it was not In order to call mem
bers to the stand and crossquesticn them.
Mr., SMITH, editor of the Alexandria Sentinel,
was called TO the stand, and in reply to question
from Mr.. WISE, said that he did not believe any
such letter existed.
(Great cheering
Sir. GARLAND Of the Blue Ridge Republican,
called Jno. Bell, of Culpeper, to fhe stand.
Mr. BELL said he had never heard of the letter
until he visited Richmond. A roicc.-Another
humbug.] He had heard Of the existence of the
letter from Mr.. Tyler, of the Enquirer.
ICries of s'ahai" stahain "let him 20 on &c.
Mr. BELL Something was said then about LETT
ter from Letcher to Smith, persuadin2 him to run
ia opposition to the regular Democratic nominee for
Governor. l said knew nothing about It, bus
would not be surprised II it was 30, rs knew that
both Mr. Letcher aud Mr. Smith we're opposed to
the ponination and election of Mr. Wise; but that
Mr. LIS opposition had sofsened more than smith,,
a. the former had voted for him had no conviction
on the subject; as to my belief, that 10 another
thing. knew nothing Of the existence OF any
sueh letter. / knew that Mr.. Smith was applied
TO by many members OF tho Know Nothing party
They had applied to him by letter, and otherwise,
TO run against Wise.
MIR. Wiss--I have heard the report In = manner
which forces me 70 believe it.
4 goice-sBeiisvs IL then"
Mr.. WnK-ME Lstcher has applied 70 the nomi-
nses OF the Democratic Convention Of tsao, !ho
term thst ''thsy wsre three ofths d-ss rsDsgade3
In the state.n
Load cries Of atrus," sstsus," and hisses.
Mr., WIaE--No man who i . gentleman VIII nise
ns,;er win call Hspry 4. Wise rsuegads and tes
man who will coRs on this platform and 90 y %