Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-10

knuW Ol Iut lhb lUCluClllS III HE pupiiS lCCl,
which the world might call political i~nconsis-
%tcncics. .Man early age. taking James Madison
for his political master, with him, he was in
clincd to believe in the cxpcdiency Of United
States Bank. Very soon he learnt another les
son from the ablcst financial and constitutional
masters Of the Union, and did change his opin.
ions on the subject. hut not enough to go for
Thomas IL. Bcnton's Sub-treasury system
Subsequently, however, he and Caleb Gushing,
of Massachusetts. first drew mp the plan Of a
sub-trcaSrry now in operation, and thus fur
nishcd the Democratic platform with a now
plank, one of the firmeSt measures upon which
il now stands.
At the age OF twcnty-onc or two, lie was all
advocate Of the mixed basis" During the
canvas which preceded the Convention of 1929
80. and the discussions of that Convention, he
found reason to change his convictions. Thus
il was that in lS50-'jl. he was enabled to lead
the suffrage basis men, TO conduct n siege of
eighteen months. and finally to secure a tri-
uInph for the Tenth Legion itself, in spite Of
the 'ncgro-ocracy" and ''negro-ology" snecrs
of Mr.. John L.ctchcr. which threatened to dc.
feat all the laborS OF the white basis men,
t-\pplauScJ
| defy the gentleman 10 show that Governor
" Use has ever exhibited inconsistency to any
profession Of political principle.
Mr.. Flournoy was surprised to hear that
Henry \. Wise and Caleb Gushing were the
originatorS of the sub-treasury system. lie
thought i; originated with Gen. Gordon, Of Al
bcmarlc.
Mr.. Wise replied that his OWN statement
was literally true. He believed that (iov. Wise
might have, and probably did confer with Gen.
Gordon, before drawing up the plan OF which
he had spoken. Mr.. Wise appealed TO tien.
Gordon's son, then on the floor.
MIR. ". +. Gordon stated that his father did
submit To- Congress the first proposal for a
separation between the government and the
banks. That the measure was approved at the
time bv the vote of but one man, then called
Il Democrat, Mr.. Bealc, Of Virginia. The first
vote recorded in its favor was that Of John
Quincy .A~damS-the last. that of Henry \.
Wise. The Democracy themselves were in
that Governor Wise was one Of the very car
licSt advocates of the Independent Treasury.
Mr.. James Gordon said that il would hardly
he supposed that John Quincy Adams was an
original Trainer Of Il Democratic measure. Mr..
Gordon had heard his father say that he Of
frrcd his proposition for a separation OF the
government from the bank, without cOnSrlta-
ton with any one except John {. Calhoun.
NJ. Wise explained that his position had
been mistaken. lie did not dispute the fact
that Gen. Gordon had made his proposal be
fore that Of Wise and Gushing was drawn mp.
a voicr-"Two years before.
Mr.. Wise did mean to say that his father
was one Of the originatorS Of the plan for 4
Suh.TrcaS,lry, now in practice. Cries of
all
Mr.. Harrison, Of Monroe, said:
Mr.. President: | rise here aS one Of the
delegate, from Monroe, and in the name of the
Democracy Of Virginia. to enter my humble
protest against the nomination Of the Hon.
John Lctcicr. If there were no other objcc-
ton to Mr.. L.ctchcr. it would be objection
enough, it seems to me. that at least a large
and respectable and influential minority Of the
Democracy throughout the State are no doubt
inSupcrably opposed to his nomination. That
they are opposed To it not from prcju-
dice To Mr.. Lctchcr, or simply from {; prefer
cnce for any one else. but from n deliberate and
sincere conviction that his nomination, just At
this time, would be not only hazardous 10 the
harmony of the party, but to the best Interests
of the State. if not Of the Union itself. These
men, sir-this minority, if you choose, Il can
answer for at least one Of them, have no pet
candidate Of their own. They arc not very
particular rs to who the nominee may be. ~
il is not Mr.. Lctchcr. They would chccrfully
support Judge Brockcnbrough. or Mr.. Edmund
son. or Judge Hopkins, or Judge Caskie, or
Mir. Coodc. or Mr.. Lcakc here. or Mr.. John
Randolph Tucker. or possibly any other demo-
crat whom even the friends Of Mr.. L.ctchcl may
choose to designate; but verify believe, sir,
that they can never be induced to give any
thing more than II mere reluctant support Of
= support at all to Mr.. Letcher. Why,
then. should he be nominated? Why put
them to the necessity Of either repudi-
a,ing the nomination altogether, or Of be-
compelled to swallow it against their
will. Why select that man Of all others,
who. in his W person and for his own party,
would bring down upon himself and upon
them, the greatest possible amount of opposl-
tion and objection from every quarter: is
Virginia 50 destitute of statesmen, so Scantlly
supplied, at this time. with the proper stuff for
4 Governor Of, that we are reduced,
forsooth. 10 the alternative Of either nominating
Mr.. I.ctcler or no one else. Where is Wal
lace. of Petersburg? Where is Lyons. Of
Richmond: Where is Tim RivcS, Of Prince
George: Where is Lewis f.. %llarvie, Of Anne
lia: Where are Hopkins, and Edmundson,
and peterborough, and Smith, Of Grecnbrier:
Where are all those gallant men and able states
men, almost every where throughout the State,
who have upheld It's flag, and who have fought
the battles Of Democracy. for twenty years =
Why is it. and how is it. Mr.. President, that
all Of those are overlooked, and that Mr.. Let
cher. and Mr., Lctchcr only, is fit to be nomi-
mated bv this Convention Sir, it was once
the boast ofthe Democracy, that it looked to prin-
ciplcs and not To men, and that 1t was always
ready, when necessary, even to make n Sacri-
flee Of men. for the sake Of principle; and
submit to the Convention here. if ever there
was 4 period in the history of Virginia, when
the strength. and unity, and harmony, and
consistency. and efficiency Of Democracy, were
more at stake, than ut present! This would
he objection enough to Mr.. Letcher. if there
were no Just ground for that objection, as ]
think there's | think. sir. that his conncX-
ion with the Ruifncr Pamphlet, and that the
objection, growing ont Of that connection, are
=. clear, unanSwcrahlc. and conclusive that
they are lar more Conclusive anu lilailS" cIapIc
than DR.. Rulncr'> III h-lal,orcd and much
Landed argument against the institution of
slavery.
Sir. mean no offence to Mr.. Lctchcr or any
Of his friends. They are no doubt honorable
-crntlcnen-all of thcm-and. doubtless, they
have the interests Of the Commonwealth at
heart as much as | have. If they have toilcd
hard-as | think they have-to effect the nomi
nation of Mr.. Lctchcr. they had a right to do
so. have no complaint to make of that
Even if they had stocked the cards, and had
conc here but to play them out, or to enun-
ciate Il ~loregonc conclusion, ] should not com
plain of it. But | desire to say one thing be-
fore | am done. and I appeal, Sir, to the candid
sense Of this Convention to sustain me in it
| undertake to say here, in this "Cockadc"
city, and in the heart of the Old Dominion (of
which | am proud to say ! was n native, al
though | hail now from Il different section. that