Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-04-23
5nclhiital.
From the Rockingham Register.
To the Voters Of the 9th Congressional
District.

ClngulSneQ hepieseHtdtlVe, became the can
didate Of the Democratic party of Virginia
for the Office Ex-Governor. Immediately af-
ter the nomination, the Democratic press of
this District, spoke out as to the manner of
electing his successor. A majority was op-
posed to Convention, and so expressed
themselves For one month the people
seemed to acquiesce in this, the opinion of
the press, that there would be no Conven-
ton This I thought was the general under
standing and wish Of the party in the Dis
trict. Early in January Messrs. Hartman
and Skinner announced themselves stimuli
taneously, as candidates for Congress. Be-.
lieving that there would be no Convention,
| announced myself candidate on the week
| following the announcement Of Messrs. Har-
man and Skinner. Having then as have
now, full confidence and faith in the pledges
of the opposition press and its distinguished
members that they would not interfere with
the democratic candidate by running one Of
then. own party, | had no hesitation in be-
coming a candidate. After the candidates
had been actively engaged in the canvass
for some time, then the politicians began
to fan the Convention flame, which was kept
up by them with unceasing vigilance until
the so-called Convention Of the Both ult,
was the result. Was a Convention demand
ed BY a majority Of the Democratic party Of
the District? I will proceed to shew that
it was not. The whole Democratic, vote Of
the District is 8 300. The Democratic vote
Of Rockingham and Shenandoah combined
is SOP which is more than half of the whole
vote Of the District. Did Rockingham and
Shenandoah want Convention? Let the
facts answer. In the latter county Con-
vention meeting had been called for the Jan
uary Court, but none was held At the
February Court Dr. Newman and myself
addressed the people at Woodstock. I'm
medlately after took my seat Capt. Will
llams rose and made a warm appeal in favor
of a Convention. A motion was then made
to call gentleman to the Chair to organize
a meeting which motion was submitted to
the people and voted down The mover
then appealed to the people as matter Of
courtesy, te permit the esteemed and vener-
able gentleman to take the Chair and that
they could afterwards, if they wished vote
down Convention. Again he moved that
the gentleman referred to, take the Chair
which carried without objection. After a
discussion on the resolutions they were sub
mitted, and by very close vote decided to
have been carried. The mover in the meet
ing expressly stated that the action of that
meeting was not intended to bind the Dis
tricts. Thereupon four district meetings,
Mt jackson, Edingburg, New Market and
Forestvile, declared against Convention.
So strong did the opposition feeling to a
Convention manifest itself in Shenandoah
that the Tenth Legion, which had favored
Convention came out and admitted that it
would not be productive Of any good to hold
"a Convention. While the Spirit of Democ-
racy, whose editor had, at one time, favor
ed a Convention yielded to the popular SEN
timent against it in his county, and ably
and steadily opposed it ZIP to the hour Of its
meeting, Thus stood affairs in Shenando-
ah., How as to Rockingham 4 Atthe Jan
uary Court the question was submitted twice
to an audience Of 800 or 500 Democrats,
and there were not over 6 or 8 ayes and an
overwhelming, ono" Again at the Febru-
airy Court the question was submitted to a
densely crowed Court house Of about, 900
persons and again voted down. The, Con-
vention men determined not to be. out done
threatened District meetings -twoonly were
held and at both the Convention was voted
down. fa1t
| Despairing Of getting a meeting Of the
Democracy of the County to favor a Con-
ventlon meeting was called through the
press Ia the following words: 'sThe citi-
s'zens Of Rockingham County favorable Of
'holdlng a Convention to nominate can
Hdidate for Congress will meet in Harrison
s'burg on the first day of March Court to
a@appoint delegates to said Convention"
Pursuant to this call the friends of a Con-
ventlon met at the Courthouse at the time
appointed. The worthy Chairman on TAX
his seat remarked, 'This is understood to
be meeting Of the frineas ola Convention"
The meeting Of the friends Of a Convention
undertook to appoint delegates for the whole
Democracy of the County, while that Democ-
racy had taclce said they did not want Con-
vention, and would have again said SO on
that day, had they been permitted to vote
But all opposed to Convention were ex-
cludcd from voting and thus deprived of the
right Of expressing their sentiments. This
action Of the friends Of a Convention, shows
clearly that they knew the Democracy of
the County were opposed to Convention
After this fair statement Of the facts touch
ing the Convention question, in these two
counties, there cannot be an impartial man
who will say Rockingham and Shenandoah
wanted Convention True there were a
few in each who did, but their numbers are
outweighed by those who opposed to a Con-
vention in other Counties Of the District ~
So hold that majority Of the Democratic
voteys Of the District did not ayaut a Con- |
uentiom, and that the Convention of the Both
ult., was held in defiance Of the popular sen
timents of the Democratic party Of the Dis
trict, and in utter disregard Of their rights,
and that all democrats who were not there
are free to disregard its action. Is such
Convention to be regarded as the WILL
or THE PEOPLE Of the District, and
are its behests to bind the Democratic free
men? Are the Democrats Of the District,
who did not want Con 7ention to be made
to "bite the dust" and bon in obedience
and humble submission to the edicts Of
few gentlemen calling themselves Conven-
ton Are the selected FEW to DC
TATE to the MANY and force them to
vote against their will? If 50, then, indeed