Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-12-18
The Opposition Candidate. Who is It
a. to be-?

to be?
The Opposition party Of Virginia seem
at last to have walked up from the deep
lethargy into which it was thrown by the
terrible and overwhelming defeat of '55.-
In all our Wing exchanges, we find earnest
appeals for an opposition candidate to Mr..
Letcher, and the only question which re-
mains is, when and where the nominating
convention is to convene; but the Rich
mond Wing having suggested time and
place for the holding Of the Convention,
which suggestion, the Wing being in re-
ality. the head-piece of the party, amounts
to a settlement Of the .question; and there
fore this difference is not likely long to dis
turb the harmonious little whole of our OBJ
position brethren.
Although many gentlemen are spoken of
for the nomination, and though every oppo
sition journal, following the example Of
their leader, takes occasion to parade a
whole column of names, either one of which
they contend, would constitute a respecta-
bic head for their ticket, yet, it seems to be
settled fact that should the Hon. Geo. w.
Summers be so verdant as to accept the
nomination, he would most certainly get it
without difficulty.
The opposition argue the fitness of Mr..
Summers from the fact that his record, will
bear comparison with the political antece-
dents OF the Democratic nominee, in 9TH
er words, that Mr.. Letcher having accord
ing to them, the stain of abolitionism on
his record; no one is so suitable to oppose
him as Mr.. Summers, because he is obnox-
ious to the same charge. They 60 further,
the Richmond Wing, taking advantage Of
the "Rufner humbug," has already de-
clared that the opposition will be exonerated
from the duty Of selecting Presidential
candidate in 1860, who is free from the
charge of present free-soilism:
Their principle seems to be that the de-
mocracy having preceded them in wrong,
they incur no blame by following their ex-
ample. This is a curious principle, but
yet highly complimentary to the democracy
But let us see if following the example
of the democracy will lead the opposition to
any such henious infdelity to the South as
they contemplate.
They charge the Democratic party with
inconsistency, because as they say, Mr..
Letcher is liable to the same charges which
they contend convicted Mr.. Summers Of alb
clifton sentiments, and procured his defeat
in 1852.
In the first place, I'VE deny that Mr.. Letch-
er now stands in the same position which
Mr.. Summers occupied in so, and in the
second place, we deny that Mr.. Summers
was defeated because of his abolition SEN
timents, although we have no doubt that
that Of itself, was sufficient to, and actual
ly did lose him many votes.
The reason why Mr.. Summers was de-
feated was, first and principally, because he
was the nominee Of the whig party,-a par
ty whose principles have been for long
time, and are now, revolving to the good
sense of vast majority of the people of
Virginia, and secondly, because he had
held and expressed sentiments on the SUBJ
ject Of slavery in the Legislature, which
are condemned by all the people of Vir-
ginia,, which sentiments he has never to our
knowledge recanted. The reason why Mr.
Letcher will be elected is because he is the
nominee of party in whose ranks large
majority of the citizens Of Virginia are en-
rolled, and because, although he once as a
private citizen, expressed his belief that
Western Virginia would be politically ad-
vantaged by the abolition of slavery with
in its borders, which opinion be has public
ly recanted, and better still, has long since
shown by actions which speak louder thai
words, his entire devotion to the South and
its institutions.
In conclusion. we take occasion to ex-
press our earnest desire for an opposition
candidate; not only so, but we hope they
will succeed in nominating a strong ticket
for we tell them that it will take the great
est exertion Of the best man in their party
to make respectable run. Of course.
they are bound to be whipped with the very
strongest ticket, but with such man as
either Bolts, Summers, or Stuart at the
head, and with men Of corresponding intel
lect to sustain them, they may possibly es-
cape the laughter ond ridicule Of christen-
DOM But second rate ticket, such for
instance as our respected cotemporary Of
the Spectator suggests, will go to the bot
tom without struggle.