Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-11-05
The Gubernatorial Contest.

1t. Governor and Attorney General. " '' .
I The Gubernatorial Contest.
We did intend TO take no part in the
present contest for the nomination Of the
Democratic candidate for Governor, as We
can support either Of the three most prom
inent candidates for the nomination
Messrs. Letcher, Faulkner and Brocken>
Enthusiastically and zealously, but we
are not made of such stoical m ater rial that
enables us to sit quietly by and allow a
friend to be censured for doing right. " ,
In the Richmond Enquirer Of the 10Th
ult., we find an article against Hon. John
Letcher, in which his course in the late
Constitutional Convention is criticised,
from which we make the following ex
tract: r- 4..
1t is true that Mr.. fletcher was a mem.
Der of the committee Oh limitations and
restrictions, who reported in favor Of the
exemption Of slaves under twelve years
Of age and the taxing of other slaves at
the low estimated value of $500, per cap.
ite. But it appears from the 'Repubi,
cans own ayowsl, that this vas a mere
concession on his part, yielded in consid-
GRAFTON o. a prospective analogous reduction
of tQ1eS ON liUe stock. In other words, Mr..
Letcher was opposedsto the guaranty OF
slave property per Sc. This is abundant
ly evinced by successive votes. o.:
" Mr.. LETCHER VOTED AGAINST THE Ex-
EMPTIoN FROM TAXATION OF SLAVES UNDER
TWELVE YEARS OF AGE. z. . So i
D." Mr.. LETcHER VOTED AGAINST THE RE.
sTRIoTIoN OF THE TAX ON SLAVES OVER
TwRLvE YEARS OF AGE, 80 THE AMOUNT OF
THAT IMPOSED ON LAND ASSESSED AT $500.
"MR. LETCHER VOTED FOR Mr.. SUM
MER's PROPOSITION TO TAX ALL SLAVES dd
vaEorem, .-. .,.
awe are informed, in a manner which
leaves no doubt Of the truth of the asser>
ton, that Mr.. Letcher's opposition to all
such schemes for tho sepsrate protection Of
slave property, was evinced in manner
so acrimonious as to become positively Of
fensive to slaveholding members OF the
Convent ton" s-... .. r.-,'r ....n, ny.
The positions ascribed to Mr.. fletcher
in the above extract entities him to the
support of every true democrat in the State,
aud especially to the support of every man
in Western Virginia. The article in
question, looks to us like special plea
against Mr.. Letcher in Eastern Virginia,
where it is niger first, niger last. and
niger all the time. They don't seem to
have a single idea above or beyond a
niger. But in this section of the State,
where we take all questions Of political
economy into consideration, we claim
that there should be some protection to
40hite men as well as niggers. We are
more sound here on the "nigger question"
than they are. We are for Interpretation
OF all property recognised by the Consti>
tuition, upon principle. while they are &C
tuated by self interest. which is very apt
to lead person astray in their own ia.
vor. We, the people Of Western Virgil
mia, desire to protect every man in his
property. be it negroes or any thing else,
but we have no desire or disposition to
give one kind Of property especial prvi-
leges or advantages over another. If Mr..
Letcher favored the taxation Of slave
property Gd V0lOrsna with other property,
he did right. Our olive stock" is as much
entitled to exemption from taxation as
that of Eastern Virginia. and it is as right
that our cattle should be subject to "ssp-
arats protection' as their slaves, and we
defy the world to prove to the contrary.
But we said that this position of MIR.
Letcher entitled him to the support Of
every Western Virginian. This is true,
and particularly when it is used as an ar
gument' against him in Eastern Virginia.
The heavy taxes we are compelled to pay
upon every thing we have. to make up
the deficiency caused by the. exemption
from taxation of young negroes, the most
dourishing property in the State, is a suf-
6cient practical argument to sustain Mr..
Letcher in the position ascribed to him
and we hope he sOill be sustained; if for
nothing more, for his sound position in
favor of equal taxation. .7..s9 oil -f.. g..
y re