The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-04
Exciting Political Contest In Virginia.
OUR PETERSBURG tvA.) CORRESPONDENCE.



PErlRsBuR0, Va, Dec. !, 1858.
The Nominating Conper,ion6yeat EDcttcm7u-odreu'
1estingsof the Letcherites and A1i-
Of Both Parties 10 the Proposals Of their Respective
Candidates, DC, de-
Not less than thousand delegates now in this
city, preparatory 10 the meeting OF the Gubernatorai
Nominating Convention tomorrow Every hotel and
boarding house is 6led 10 overnowing and the difficulty
win be TO End accommodation the hundreds OF others
who will arrive here by the morning trains from Lynch
burg, Richmond and Norfolk.
Never before at any convention State national have
Witnessed such degree Of excitement prevails here
the subject Of the nomination The manifested
in the result would to be intense though it in
vo,ved of the nation itself mutual hate
and bitterness evncod by the supporters and opponents of
Ltcher would TO have parallel In past party
tests This might well be expected after the bitter
fare which haa been mutually waged for the past three
four months and when the various dscordant elements
meet together tomorrow may look for elimination
of this party warfare which will be appropriate finale
TO this little feud.
Caucusing has been the order Of the night with both
partesthe object of each being to command If posi-
BILE, the organization of the Convention tomorrow Upon
this question violent controversy will arise for upon
this preliminary action great deal will depend The
temporary chairman who may be chosen will have the
appointment Of committees on organization, rules
credentials, &c, and these points gained by either
party would give them at the outset prestige which
would dshsarten many doubtful adherents Of
which would result from them. A controversy Will also
arise on tho rule to bo adopted for the nominaton-
whether the twothrds majority rule or majority OF
the delegates present OF the whole aggregate vote OF
the State The friends Of Letcher will contend for the
former believing that the great body Of the delegates ia
yorable 10 him are present
Aer these questions are decided snd Letcber's name
presented he win be assaiicd by voey Of invectives
from the leading speakers the other SIDE such
poured upon the bead OF unfortunate candidate
before OF his endorsement Of the Ruhner abo
ton address will form prominent feature Of tho attack
and supply the most efficient material therefor; will
his bad faith TO Hunter in 1862, in inducing Wise TO be
candidate for the United States Senate against him,
be overlooked In short, every Of his life will be
paradcd with minutcncss and yehemence which cannot
fail 10 embitier still the feelings of mutual hostility
which now exist between both parties.
Both sides seem equally confident Of success. Tho
friends OF Iecher boast confidently that no will receive
the nomination upon the first ballot but concede that
the opposition repulss the st charge his success NJ
terwards is doubtful His opponents, with equal oouu
dence predict his defeat hrs and last and that they
have reliable data which Justify them that prediction.
and Il is conceded that before, in the history OF
party conventions in Virginia, there assembled
large body the convention 10 morrow will prove TO be.
The friends OF Letcner repudiate Indignantly any idea
of this contest being made test OF the relative strength
OF Wise and Hunter IN Virginia Many of his strongest
adherens have openly expressed Of dropping
him, should such test be made Meanwhile can
that the friends OF Wise anxious that such issue
should be made, and would not be surprised IL they
would urge upon any slight pretext. mere mixing
or such purpose from the other side will undoubtedly
them TO proclaim the ssne Of this contest such
test and then the terrible conflict but this will
done. Letcher's friends will hazard his
nation upon any such issues for they sufficiently
confident in their strength to secureh IT, without any DOUBT
ful extrRncous aid