Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-10-01

authority on your part to commit me, as you
mad done, might necessarily have that tendency.
In recalling all the circumstances of our hasty
meeting at Grafton, and all that was said touching
the Gubernatorial election, (and our converse.
ton OF some fifteen minutes continuance, was
by no means confined to that RhiGe your course
IN withdrawing my name from the canvass, as
by my authority, filled me with astonishment
was not willing to impute it to any intrigue or
treachery on your part. Knowing as do the
impulsiveness of your temper, and rendering
the explicit disclaimer made by me, of a wish
to be Governor of Virginia, or to be an imped-
to any other gentleman aspiring to the office, /
did not hesitate to attribute the course adopted
by you TO mere inconSiderateness and not to
any unworthy motive. | supposed that you
had concluded, you would thereby promote tile
political aspirations of friend, without inflict.
ing any injury upon me, go 54
From the whole tenor Of our conversation /
do not think you could reasonably infer thatI
would withhold the use of my name, sin any
way in the coming canvass" +" unless the mere
disclaimer of desire to be the incumbent of
the Gubernatorial office, could warrant such q
deduction. certainly never designed to convey
such an impression, and lad / formed a resolu-
ton to decline the nomination, if rendered,
would have chosen to communicate the fact to
my fellow-citzens, in no equiyocal terms and
in my own name.
JoHN W. BRoCKENcRouGu.
Hou Sherrard Clemens, Present.
The Enquirer, of the 18th, animadgerts at
considerable length upon these letters, and the
reflections upon Mr.. Clemens contained in these
animadyersions provoked the challenge. The
article of the 18th, which was Immediately ap-
pended to the above letters, commenced as
follows:
S5GtSi,cl, e +l, e t,;,, ~
most favorably disposed juror, acting under oath
to decide the case upon the evidence before him,
could not fail to regard as very discreditable to
Mr. Sherrard Clemens. Look at the facts. Mr..
Clemens inserts in the Enquirer. an announce
ment that lie as authorized By Judge Broken
6Tougb to state that the latter sdeclines in any
way the use use of his name in the coming can
vass" This is followed by publication over
Judge Brockenbroughs own signiture, from
which we gather the following facts: 1st. That
he never did authorize Mr.. Clemens to make
any publication whatever on the subject. I'd.
That he did not even inform Mr.. Clemens Of any
intention to decline the use of his name in the
canvass. Sd. That in the course of brief and
casual conversation Cof few minutes only, rs it
now appears,) he merely informed Mr.. Clemens
that he. did not seek nor desire the Office of
Governor of Virginia. 4th. That he gave Mr..
Clemens no assurance that he would shrink from
high public duty, if, .unsought, it should be
imposed on him BY the voice Of the people
Under these circumstances, we called on Mr..
Clemens for a defence. The facts themselves, as
they appeared, were his accusers. We called
on him to furnish, by a precise and circnmstan-
tial array of facts and arguments, whatever jus
tifcation he could present consistently with
truth. q. Upon what grounds did he pretend to
be authorized TO publish anything whatever in.
Judge Brockenbrough'S. name? How. did it
happen that he nlisconstrued the intentions of
the latter, which he was not authorized to pub
liSh, as by authority, even If had understood
them perfectly? How could his hasty action in
this matter be made to coincide with his profes-
sions of friendship for Judge Brocken6rough?
Was not his action dictated entirely by an eager
desire to serve the interests Of some other cam
didate 2gAll these questions were proPounded
for his consideration and reply. We had right
to demand a thorough circumStantial eXplana-
tion of the whole matter He had abused our
confidence and misused our courtesy; we had,a
right TO every clue by which o1determine
whether this was done wilfuliy, carelessly or
intentionally. Instead of presenting US with
full and manly explanation over his own
signature, MI. Clemens now appeals to Judge
Brockenbrough. Appeals to him for what?--
Not for "a circumStantial report of the con
vcrsati6n between them. This was the only
manner in which Mr.. Clemens, as anihonorable
and generous man, could dapproacllJu Judge Brecks
enbrough, under the circumstances. But Mr..
Clemens takes another course He approaches
Judge Breckenbroug not to detnand.a state
.ment of facts, but to avail himself of Judge
Breckenbrough'so S opinion on the facts as stated.
He appeals to Judge Brockenbrough to pro-
nounce summafily yhis acqpittalor or condemnation.
No one will pretend that Judge rockenbroughi
was the proper person TO select for this Office.
By an enttreand positive, CONDO emnotionlo of Mr.
Clemens Judge Breckenbrough would have
been obliged to manufacture political capital for
himselEi This consideration, and Judge Brock
.enbrough's honest pride and well known. spirit
of extreme charity and forbearancc tOwardsthe
weakness. of Others, furnished Mr. Clemens
every Assurance that his appeal, in the form
presented, must be received, not rs proud de-
rhand for the unqualified severity of Justice, but
as an humble petition for charity iif not for
mercy. Andiyet he stopped to make theappeal.
The answer is exnctly what might have been
expected. Judge Brockenbrough cannot be
swerved from a positive statement of facts, but
declines toiissue condem lion, lwhieh if, pro-
nounced, would enpre toi@his own beneitj
giving Mr.. Clemens, the benefit ofa single doubt
in his favor, is charitable enough to be unr
willing to believe him guilty Of Intrigue OF
treachery; and escapes the necessity of attribu-
ting unworthy motives only by supposing that
Mr. Clemens has acted with a degreejof sin.
considerateuess, which would be unpardpnable
in quick witted ,urchin, tclayears of age 1t
requires only glance to determine that every
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