Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-04-26
~Flesant Extracts.v %

The Petersburg Intelligencer is entertaining
its readers with some "eegant extracts" from
the South Side Democrat of 1851, when Mr..
Summers was running as the Wing candidate
for Governor against 10. johnson. The Demo-
crat was then under the editorial control of
Roger A. Pryor, and was fercer in its denuncia-
tiQps of the policy of electing gentleman to the
office Of Governor, who had once entertained
Abolition sentiments, than any other paper in
the State. The 1ntelligencer of yesterday intro
duces the following extract from the Democrat,
prefacing it with the accompanying just and sp-
prOpriate comments: hH
"We have struck very rich vein in our ex-
ploration of tho files of the South Side Democrat
for 1851 It seems that the Fates have deter.
mined, in the present contest, to pitch the Vir-
ginia Democracy heels over head into the very
pit which they SO eagerly dug for the Wings in
the memorable Summers and johnson canvass
This is what we call retributiye justice, of the
true and genuine stamp; and never was it more
righteously applied in any case of political NAL
versation than this of the nomination and sup
port by the Democracy Of John Letcber, whose
record upon the subject of slavery is every way
worse than was George w. Summers in 1851
or Geo. W. Thompson's in 1850, when he was
so summarily and abruptly abandoned by the
Democracy, after his nomination for the office Of
Second Auditor. -
"The South Side Democrat, at the period we
refer to was one of the leading Democratic Or
gsns in Virginia, end it was the first to sound
the charge of of abolitionism against Mr.. Sum.
mers-a charge which from the moment it was
made to the close of the canvass was perseyered
in with ferceness and iuhexibility that spurn-
ed and derided all publications, explanations and
recantatons. He was pronounced an abolition
ist of the worst type, and nothing that his
friends could say or do, could appease the Bit
terness of the Democratic denunciation on this
head. Every act and argument of defensive
character that they urged only drew from that
journal more furious repetition OF the charge.
The cry of abolition was kept up with unabated
and unsparing vehemence from the opening to
the close of the struggle. We will, in order to
enable the people to compare what was said BY
the Democracy in 1861, about the anti-slsvery
heresy, with what they now say, cite another
interesting passage from the Soum Side Den'o-
crat, which was in 1851 q Jealous and autnori,
tatiye exponent of Democratic sentiments and
principles, (or rather, what they call princtpIes)
Now. If the. name of Letcher is viewed as 1t
onpbt to be. In its connection with the Ruffner
Address, we shall have a very clear idea OF the
peculiar felicity of the following extract:
From THE SoUrHSIDE DEMOCRAT, OoT. 16. 1851.
"The Democratic party were once placed IN
the same strait, and they were not so shocked
and prostrated. When they had nominated an
sboltionist for Office, instantly patriotism got
the better of party, and they retraced their
steps and renounced their candidate. Why did
not the Whig party do likewisea Because the
welfare of the State is subordinate in their esti-
timation to the interests of party. They have
not patriotism sufficient to make them sacrifice
the schemes of caucusses to the public good,
otherwise Summers would have been spurnea
the instant his abolition hereses were disclosed"
"How forcibly does the conduct of the Demo
cratic party, in this particular. contrast with
that of the Wings The Democratic members
of the Legislature had nominated their candi-
date.n (George W. Thompson, for the office OF
Second Auditory "and haying the majority
could easily have elected him. But so soon as
the delegate from Petersburg proved him guilty
of abolitionism, they abandoned him to his tate,
and elected In his stead man above all taint
and suspicion. George W. Summers is convict
ed by testimony that no body dares discredlt, OF
being an abolitionist of the most ultra school,
The evidence is so conclusive and the guilt 80
manifest, that not one Of his advocates has pre-
suned to undertake to prors him guiltless. Yet
the Whig patty and its individual adhereEts, the
Petersburg Intelligencer in particular, still cling
to him with all the tenacity of partlzan devotion
and labor with perverted zeal to place in his
hands the destiny of the State And this too,
the Lntelligsncer does, after having confessed
that it needs our united efforts and energies to
maintain the institution of slavery and to elect
an abolitionist Governor of Virginia would be in
effect to encourage the free-sol fanatics to pre-
severe in their attacks upon the South. What
must the people think of the honesty and patri-
lotism of such a party r" .N -.