Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-03-12
The Congressional COnyA ntion.


In our last issue. we asked the question,
is not the free fight movement device
OF the opposition, to divide and conquer
those who have hitherto been inyincible r.
The groans Of the know nothing organs
answer that question emph atically in the
affirmative. The last Lexington Gazette is
very wrathy with the Augusta democracy
for daring to favor Convention, and has
the impudence to appeal to our own breth-
rem in Rockingham. to punish our temerity
The editor Of the Gazette thus discourses:
Rockingham is determined that the wire-
pullers Of Augusta and Rockbrid de shall not
trick her out of the honor Of furnishing the
candidate. She is determined to set the
dictation Of thesupper end loco-focos at de-
tance, and resist the calling of a Conven-
ton to the last. And if the locos of the
other counties persist in their course, and
force a Convention, she is fixed in her pur-
pose not to be bound by its action
Yes, the object is to divide and conquer.
The upper-enders are to be arrayed against
the iower-cnders, the pure minded, gen.
erous and patriotic democracy of Rocking
ham, are to be aroused and embittered
against their brethren Of the other counties
Of the District. Instead of fostering her
own principles in the hearts Of her weaker
brethren - instead Of uniting her power
with theirs, and battling as one man for the
cause we all love, she is to place herself un-
der the guidance Of the common enemy, to
take counsel from know-nothing wire
puller, and crush out democracy in all the
other counties Of the District We would
respectfully ask this cunning son of Sam"
when did the democracy of Augusta or
Rockbridge trick or attempt to trick Rock
ingham? Come up to the trough, Sambo,
and answer for once in your life, like man.
Was it when the lamented Mcdowell and
Taylor, of Rockbridge bore the standard Of
Democracy in Congre SO CALAMITY as the
chosen representatives Of the Tenth Legi-
on? Will you dare to say that The glori-
GUS sons Of Rockingham envied them their
well merited elevation? No, they were
their choice, and they gallantly strained ev-
cry nerve for their election They could
not have fought more earnestly for one of
their own children. They acre their chit
dren. In your ear. Sambo-- the Democrat
ic party is a national party. and without re
spect to birthplace, claims every American
whethey natipe or adopted, as children and
brethren. Was it when erfavorite Letch-
er was called from Rockbridge to take his
place in Congress !? Will you dare insinu-
ate that he was less the candidate of Rock
ingham than Of his native county, Rock
bridge: No, Sam, you hnoac that without
the hearty cooperation Of Rockingham and
Shenandoah, he could not have been elect
ed. You knov that he was emphatically
their candidate, and that to this day, they
are proud of him, and that now as ever,
those unselfsh counties only desire to see
the mantle Of their favorite Letcher descend
upon a acorthy successor, without regard to
his birthplace. Suffer then, these section
al strifes to remain where they properly be-
long, the Know Nothing party. Talk
there as much as you please about natives
and foreigners. Stir up as many petty
jealousies as you choose. They fit you
we'll. But keep your ugly muzzle ont Of
our trough. and do not strive to afflict us
with your peculiar maladies. We tell you,
we know more about the Democracy Of
Rockingham than you do, and we do not
hesitate to believe that at this moment, and
for weeks passed, she is and was for con-
vention, by an overwhelming majority,
which increases, every day, as she sees more
clearly the ''cat in the meal-tub," the deep
and cunning devices Of the enemies of De-
mocracy. She will take care to be fully
represented in this Convention at Harris
onburg on the 30th inst, and when it shall
have acted, wo, to the luckless politician
who shall be persuaded by the arts of our
adversaries, not to be bound by its action.
It would be better for him that milestone
should be tied about his neck, and he cast
into = culvert. Rockingham tricked by
Augusta and Rockbridge! How! when
that Convention assemblies, will not Rock
ingham and her sister Shenandoah, hold the
power in their own hands--a decided ma
jority of the Democratic vote of the dis
trict? No nominee then can be put upon
them without their consent, and the preten-
sion Of the Gazette is shallow and absurd.
The transparency and the insincerity of the
Gazette's TRADE against Democratic Dis
trict Convention, becomes ridiculous and
harmless, when we observe the loud and
anxious calls in the same paper, for know
nothing conventions to ratify the Rich
mond nominations, and to nominate can
didata for tho Sanato Whv will not n.