Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-07-02
THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER,
BY KITCulE. DUNNAyAYT, TYLER & WISE.
FRIDAY MORNING, JULY =. 1858.
Ar IETCuEK'S I.tTTtK

manly and open letter of John Letcher. Whether
this letter is satisfactory or mol remains for the people
of Virginia to say. We have always maintained
whether this charge be true or not that the present
fidelity Of Mr.. Letcher to slavery unimpeacha-
BILE. We regret Mr. Letcher did not publicly rs
nounce all sympathy with the principles of the Ruff
ner pamphlet as as he discovered the imposition
practised upon him by DR.. Ruffner. No man shoulc
be held responsible for such IN infamous forgery
tha; alleged by Mr.. Letcher to have been practiaed
upon him by DR.. Ruilner Our surprise is great tC
find that a divine oi the Presbyterian Church, dis
tingusbed alike Tor piey and talents, would he guilty
of interpoating into - calm argument the socis
and political influence Of slavery, many thing
80 exceptionab!e that Mr. Letcher and others should
BIZ compelled 10 refuse pay for it, Ii would be hare
to hold Mr.. Lecher responsible for this pamphlet al
ter this explanation. Every man is liable 10 like i'm
position. ehears a1 lress, and, impres sed with the
views, he writes letter for the publication of the al
dress af he heart delivered; but the author lost 10
every sense of propre;y, publishes an address con
tanning language end sentiments differing from tina,
delivered, and appends the letter an endorsement
Of the sentiments Of The published address. We ap
peal TO all fair minded and candid men, il Mr. Le,cher
is not exonerated from the charge Of approving
I this published pamphlet of DR.. Ruinerl
The opposition will endeavor to hold Mr.. Letcher
responsible for the letter To this reply, Mr. Lstcher
has already acknowledged that within the "last ten
years his opinions have undergone an entire revolu-
tion upon the subject of slavery and Mr. Le'cher can
well appeal to that letter in proof of the to gerry that
has been practiced upon him. The letter says, the
views 'ere presented in shape which cannot give
lust Gauss OF offence to those who are mos: fas
tidous and exciting all subjects having any con-
nection with the subject OF slavery Now, had Dr.
Ruiiners address, he delivered it, contained the in
famous language of TIE published pamphlet, Mr..
I.etcher would not have said it Sin shape which
cannot give JuM cause of eyeace," Sc Here is cir
cumstan,ia proof Of the forgery, corroborsting Mr.
| Letchers letter.
| Our prediction that Mr.. Letcher would make bet
ter defence than had been volunteered for him. is veri-
fed. His defence is, that DR.. Ruiner nerpolaed
sentiments differing from those delivered. Certainly
very good defence He offers defence Tor the anti
slavery sentiments he then entertained, but having
lately repened the of hs esrler life, very Justly
appeals to his public record evidence OF the SIN
c.rity OF that repentance that has taken place within
the ast ten years. We shall to this letter at
future time.
A few word. more to "The South" aud We have
done with the Rutfner pamphlet.
when the Richmond Wing appeared containing
the letter and from the pamphlet: every cir
cumstance at that time before the public tended 10
establish the charge against Mr. Letcher The South
WAS AZ much asioui5hed and taken aback as WAS the
Enquirer. Our neighbor was surprised to md MIR.
Leicier approving" the pamphlet; our n-ghbor
| had scarcely apology much less ln'hca'ion
for such pjrccof folly our neghbor said II was an
| "emharraasing business that Mr.. LeicheT must
diSaror the hcresmS of that abominabe production
So tar our n-ighbor did very well! but why did not
'rhe South unit with iu ihe call ;or the pamphlet
Why did "The South geek painting excuses to cover
IN. delinqurncira OF D-nocra; upon slavery TIE
sRichmoad Enquirer might pcssibiy have been ex-
cused ior such derec,ion the question OF slavery
but il is hardly e1cu,able III the par excellence South
ern journal of Virginia. Has The South" more
| pardon and pity for delinquent Democrats upon "a
very than it haa tor the opposition Has Tie
South" upon the slavery question one STANDARD for
| Democrat and another tor r Whig VIII The
South excuse in Mr.. Lptcher the errors that were
| condemned in Mr.. Summers. The South can spin
"conieciural explanations and manufacture apollo
ges for a Democrat but it thuader- denuncia'ions
and e1ecraiions upon Wing, Willie both are guilty Of
the same offence Consistency to past ultraism de-
msnded that The South" should have united with
US in the cell for the pamphlet.
"The South" can excuse Mr.. Letcher for changing
from anti to pro slavery. We doubt if any other
| man would have received such charity from " The
| South" lfJudge Summers should again be the op-
| position candidate would The batteries of The South
be ailenced on the speech of 1892 Did subsequent
repentance remove the guilt from Judge Summers,
when candidate in 1850 Read the following from
the Alexandria "Sentluel':
"a few years ago, when George w. Summers wss
| n candidate for Governor ui this Commonwealth, the
abundant political objections 30 that gentleman were
fortified by the charge oi semi ab"lti0nlsrn, based
upon hia speeches OF 1879 30 when all Virginia took
a panic We disked h- record, but We great
palation III the circumstances and temper u the times
and Tor one journalist relied but little on the OBJ
lection Not with others The charge was rung
again and again and made the grand staple OF The cam
pagn; and after the contest was over, the Richmond
Examiner, then edited by j. NJ. Daniel, Esq. claimed
that To that paper and to the "SOuthside Democrat,
| then edited by K a. Pryor, Esq., the victory wss
msuly due; and WIZ thus due because those papers
we have referred. Sill recently, tGe bare
| election of Fremont TO summon us in council
to prepare for instant dlsIlnlon. Is such spirit
msnfested by our journalists and our public ne
nowl On the contrary many ot them have receded
far within the bounds OF u ust moderation, and we
| aow witness the fatal substituted Tor Tie rash ex
treme There is nothing that may not be excused
or borne with, justified; and we arr called upon to
bestow loving embraces where Te should deal our
heaviest blows
"While The lamp holds out 10 burn,
The vlest sinner may return;
provided he ia the favorite OF "The South"
Already the signs of the times indicate that our
neghbor has incurred the suspicion of his late ultra
friends The Savannah Georgian says:
"There has, perhaps, never been paper the exist
| ence of which was hailed with more enthusiasm, or
the prospects of which ssened 80 bright as the Rich
| mond south" Instituted rs the organ of the JET
fersonan school of politics in Virginia, adopted an
| independent line of conduct, necessity which the
| advocacy Of pure principle Will always require lis
editorial management wac committed To gentleman
| of character in the person Of Mr.. Roger A. Pryor,
| who had established for himself the Justly merlted
reputation Of being Of the a6lesf writer's i'll the
country. This gentleman had gathered lsurels for
| himself not only in his native State, but his pungent
editorials read with az much reish IN every one
| of the other Southern Siates.
| at has been accused. and il s generally believed
| to be the organ Of Hon. K. NJ L. Hunter. of Firgi
MIA, who is prominent aspirant for the Presidency
W. ourselves did not give credit to the rumcr but
recent Indications have driven us to this conviction.
IL ia with sorrow that we record it, for give up the
realization of the bright future for Mr.. Pryor which
we had torshadowed in our mind. We had pictured
to ourselves an independent journal located upon the
confines of slave territory, hurns defiance at en-
emies and laying down TO our friends at the North
the strict letter of the compact of friendship which
must he obserped. Thi, WAS position OF glory, and
this the only one that can command a wide spread
influence. The exponent OF truth and principle eI
the attention and respect OF friend aud foe the
organ of an Individual has no more weight than
the opinions of that single individual himself.
at will be asked what the lndicstions of which
we have spokenl They are those unmstakable evil
dences OF desire TO take part in the business OF Pre-
sdent making, looking TO the success ot particular
man. The most significant pull Of the political wire
fesg daYs ainc- in which ths