Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-03-18
From the Stanton Spectator
The Candidates for Governor at Aerr,sou-
burg aud Staunton.

From the staunon Spectator.
The Candidates for Governor ct Harrisou'
| burg aud Staunton.
| We had the good fortune to witness the hrst en-
| counter between Messrs. Gog2in and Letcher. nj
| the town of IIarrisonburg. on wednesday. the 9TH
inst before rather small number Of the people.
The notice Of Mr.. Goggns intended visit to the
heart Of the Tenth Legion, Tor the purpose OF ma
! King the acquaintance Of Honest John" and his
friend, had reached but few. and the people did
not >crm 10 turn out 10 hear Mr.. Letcher, for the
,.rson. we presume, that they Ind often heard
him lef,re. Mr.. Letchcr opened the discussion at
IIarrisonburg in speech Of ono hour and quar-
ter about half OF which was taken up with nn
account of his stewardship M u member Of Con-
gress. Mr.. Gogein responded in speech of the
same length Mr. Lctcher rejoined in speech
of half an hour; Mr. Goggin concluding the de-
bate We see that the Rockingham papers say
that i. was evident that Mr.. Goygin was no match
for Mr. Letchcr. II is natural that partisans
SHOULD 10 to some extent blind to the merits Of an
opponent, but how any man OF sound mind. who
witnessed the encounter Mt llarrisonburg, cnn OK
press such an opinion, nj loss to conceive
/, ,ec;n not "A match for John Lctcher! Why lie
il the acknow lodged match Of Shelton f. Leake,
who is rs far superior to MIR. Lecher as it is pos
,iLle + one man to be above another Mr.. Cog
yin welis q bright and kern blade. which cuts
to the quick Mt every stroke, and Mr.. Lelcher
ilIu.ralian of the gentleman in the Missouri Leg
islature like n worm on u pin book. We hav,
seldom heard the equal of Mr.. Goggin az
efficient stump speaker, and we can assure
our friends throughout the State that he deals
with Mr.. Letcher without gloves. lie keeps his
nppo'"nt on the defensive all the tlme scarcely
allow I him to max nssaliuy motion. Bold and
INTREPID a, the lion. he nmusrs himself and his
hearcr, BY playing for n moment with his victim.
push ng him hither and thther with his paw be-
fore be proceeds leisurely to mastcate him. This
il our opinion Of the calbre Of tho two men.
which we think will be endorsed by ma ority
of their hearers wherever they go. While he
shows himself to be every inch II man in debate,
they will inl him genial. wholc-souled, old Var
ginia gentleman in social intercourse. The eye
that ,asl,es fire and fcarlessness when he makes IA
holn thrust at his adversary beams with gcneros-
ity zen he mingles with the people and shake
them heartily by the hand. We hope that the
l""i Of the State gencrally may have the orpor-
iun not only to him. but tn talk with him,
aud feel assured TINT they will find him in all
RESPECTS deserving of their support.
A. stanton, on Thursday the candidates adj
dre..rI one Of the largest asscmblages Of the poo
lle at we have ever seen at n political Discus
SION The time was arranged IA ut Harrisburg,
hut Mr. Goggin, in u spirit OF courtesy which Mr..
tetrhcr had no ght to expect. after making his
app tntmcnts without consulting his opponent,
consented to omen the debate. lie should have in
sistrl upon Mr.. I.ctchcr's Leading off Mt every
point. until he entered into fair arrangement in
record to the times and places of discussion
throughout the canvass. We will do Mr.. Lccher
~ Justice to say that he defended himself at
~aunton with more ingenuity than Mt Harrison
lar, bu, utterly failed tu clear his skirts of ma
~ gricvous offences laid at his door by Mr.. Gog
I'm We cannot pretend to give even an outline
If tie discussion either at llarrisonburg Staun-
ton. Suffice it to say that MIR. Goggin infused in
Ia lis friends, Il spirit Of enthusiasm that will
si,nw it's fruits on the Goth of May. Such speech
~ he makes cannot fail to win friends, and will
a.~nredly work n mighty revolution before the day
Of lection. One thing must have been remarked
l., every body who heard the discussion. 1t
tic first time that we ever heard Il ID smocrntc
tn make speech that the charge of aboliiionism
Nj not made and vehement urged against the
candidate" Of the opposing party. Let it be under.
-'o 4 then, that Goggn is recognized rs Sound
the gnssc. Mr.. Lctchcr in order to avoid the
.r @ OF Ia comnlicty with the Rutfner pamphlet,
ii indeed read extracts from the Richmond Wing
lug sine reraetcI, rejecting upon the sound
- of the Hon. .lno Minor Bolts. las if Bolts
eeEc hia - nIl,cttor,) but ho never said turkey
ao.r aft' MIR. GoSgin quoted the Richmond En-
qercr, drnnuncinS him in far harsher terms as
,crcd ali OVER with ab,tionsm, which that pa
lor has never yet retractc'i or modified.
II he great good that We hope to SEE effected by
liz sc ds,n sons is, that Mr., Goggin cannot fail to
il pire in the breast Of every Wing and Ameri-
an who listens to him. something of that earnest
ne - and energy and determined spirit that beams
tfon his cwn expression in every word that falls
tf.n his ns. lie has the same confidence in the
II nmph IF his cause that worked such wonders
t,r Henry \. Wise in the last contest and we saw
f, m the spiri, that prevailed on Thursday among
friends that wonderful things arc yet to be
accomplished under the lead of the gallant and
Eaepid Goggin.