Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-11-19
hence we asked for "any other Democrat"
we saw the difficulty of the Ruffncr Pamphlet
:: A. .,. of Mr Ietcher's nomination and

hence we asked for "any other Democrat
we saw the difficulty of the Ruffncr Pamphlet
in the way of Mr.. Letchers nomination, and
hence We were opposed to his nomination, but
wc were seeking no purpose" and hence the
nomination of 'any other Democrat would
have been perfectly acceptable to those who
opposed Mr.. Letcher.
We have freely and fairly compared Mr..
Letcher's political life and record with that Of
other Democrats; this comparison has not been
made in a spirit Of "violent disparage-
ment" This comparison was rendered abso-
lutely necessary by the course pursued by Mr..
Lctcher's advocates.
Those who were using Mr. Letcher'S name
for their own sinister purposes, were endea-
voring to make it appear that he was the
choice Of the people over every other Demo-
crat; IRE did not and do net believe that he is
the choice er' the people, and We deemed it ne
cessary and to be our duty to institute full
and fair comparison of records and claims.-
The comparison has been made to counteract
the strange and singular spectacle Of one man
being urged in preference to every other Dem
ocrat In that comparison We could not find
a single act, vote OF speech that should recon-
mend Mr. Letcher over any other Democrat
We found Mr. Letcher advocating emancipation,
endorsing ian attrocious libel on the social
system of the South;" we found him opposing
the Kansas Nebraska bill until after .free-soil
amendment had been added thereto; We found
him opposing the candidate Of his party in the
darkest hour of his party's history, and then
boasting he had never mentioned his party
candidates name in that canvass; and, with all
these facts blurring and blotting his record VIC
found his advocates busy, in county meetings,
seeking expressions Of preference for mot by
the people, over other true and tried Democrats.
We found these same friends Of Mr. Lctchcr
trieking the people into censors " the press
We found an independent and honest course
pursued by ourselves for the protection Of
other Democrats, and the harmony and interest
of our party, censured and condemned by the
tricks of these same friends Of Mr.. Letcher.-
These are some Of the most unworthy artifi-
ces" with which we have accused" not Mr..
Letchers "fricnds," but those superscrviceable
individuals, who have a malignant purpose
to serve, and who care not for the harmony and
interest Of the party. nor for Mr.. Lctcher.
Now, as our neighbor is soon TO leave the
Virginia Democracy, he must desire to leave
harmonious and united party, and we would
propose that "The South" speak another word
to Mr.. Letcher's friends" Wilnot THE South"
call upon Mr.. Letcher's friends to rally to the
support of Henry \. Edmundson? His record
is clean, he never spoke a word or gave a
vote against slavery in his life, and besides
all this when the institutions Of the South
were villifed and abused when Sumner,
having exhausted the vocabulary Of billings
gate in the denunciation Of slavery. and
outraged the feelings of the Senator
from South Carolina, was to be soundly chas-
tiscd for his insolence, Henry A. Edmundson
was the man that with his presence, gave Fir-
ginia's sanction to the just retribution. Shall
Mr.. Edmundson be superseded by the Virginia
Democracy, and John Letcher, the emancipa-
zionist of ls47, be nominated: Will not "The
South" speak "a word to Mr.. Letcher's friends"
for Mr. Henry A. Edmundson? If THE South"
really wants a compromise, what objection has
it to Mr.. Edmundson?
If Mr.. Letcher was now TO withdraw his
name from the canvass, such an act Of selfsac-
rifice would not be thrown away upon the party.
His nomination at best is improbable, We be-
lieye impossible, but his name alone dstractS
the party. lie is already in the line Of high
promotion; representative in Congress, atho-
atre where he has won laurels, and where he
may win more. His constituents are dcvo.
ted to him; no opponent seeks or can oust him
from the affections Of the people ne has served
so well-why should he suffer those who care
not for him, to distract and divide the party
BY urging his name? Mr.. Letcher himself
must admit that his former opinions
in ls47, ought to disqualify him, in view ofthc
canvass Of 1860. He would not urge upon the
the people of Virginia man for President,
who had, fourteen years before, been an aboli-
tionist; and is not an crnancipatonist in Vir-
ginia rs bad as an abolitionist in the General
Government? His withdrawal now would con-
vince the world that his recantation OF Ruffher-
ism was not made from the hope Of Office and
prefermcnt We make these suggestions for
what they may be worth, hoping some may
profit by them.