Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-03-03
Letcher and the Ruffner Address

Oxr of the best iutes Of the season, Is the per
ss,eut prt of the Democratic pres. TO deny that
John Lc,cher ever endorsed The EafneT pa'nrh'et'
The Lvnchburg Republican, has several times
na,;e thi. denial and Mt an.,er aro than vos'cr-
dav. in notice Of Mr. Goegia's spc"ch at Liberty
referred ,e his expressed " determination to
hold Mr I-,eher responsible for III" alleged 'u'
a,.,,.i5n Of Rufocrism' -"sentlments s2,s the
R,rrhl an. which he ncret lid end ~.
We are really surprised tent, il The 'arc o. facts
wb,h are iacontrovertible. =;his dcniaI should he
made.
What was tho object # tho RuGoer address?
Let Mr. Leteher answer The undersigned be
lievino the argument recently delIvcrei lN You IN
tho r,uoslin Society in favor uc .hc removal o'
the zorro population from Western Virginia not
ONLY able bu, nnanswerablo and that Its publ
cation will tend Ia bring the public mind to a coz
RECT CONCLUSION upon this momentons SUBJECT
we beg that you II furnish II full statement "'
the matter for The public press Now whit was
the chief desire OF NJ. Letrher? Certainly t."
abolish slavery in Western Virginia, aud to re
move the Negro population thefclrom. lh'S H
the only Interpretation that can hs gwen to has
language.
How did he propose to effect this "llect9 by
the dissemination Of abolition documents talenla
ted to bring the public mind t. n correct cohci"'
SION upon the momcntods subject
1t is all stuff AMI iusian II say that Dr.. Rnfincr
in,erpolate.l matter TINT 'llouc, john would
not have endorsed iur he did oaGor,c Euaaer l"
1drance, and did not restrict him to any pariicu-
~ 4 q, g.,
present any facts and argument, dat Womb "irius
the public mind to n correct conclusion.
Indeed nr Rui'ner .as> that in their letter
the eleven gentlemen "a expressly that they did
not expect me him t. iUn.z', my speech nus as
II ras del,rerrd, nor did they wish me ta.conhne
myself strictly t, the views then expressed. Ca
I! contrary, they desired IL have the Whole arsu
men, N Juror Of II" proposd'o" presented to 'he
public III consplcDan. and condensed form.
Thus th'} ief it discretionary with me Il add 10
.'tc matter Of my SPEECH whatever | thought pro
per, to give completeness and force to the arSu-
mcnt in favor of removing the Negro population
firm Western Nlrginia,as they expressed ltandthe
~iaie contents Of the pamphiet reyc ~rHea conform
ably tohe desire oppressed ~ has IHry.''
years with Honest John I.etcher- endorsement
prelxed to it, nor did any man ever hear, until
Lelchcr was named for Governor, that he dissent
ed from any of the positions assumed by Doct
Ruffner. Had he been true to his sohriquet Of
"honest,' or deserving Of ii, he would not have
permitted pamphlet prociamng what he did
not believe, to 90 forth bearing his unqualified en-
dorscmcnt for ten years
Ii was fraud upon tie public and dshonora,
Tile to himself; and his friend, can take tbs horn
OF the dilemma if they prefer it, But. says Rev,
Oct. Ruhner in reply 10 Mr.. Letcher's letter to
the Editor 81 the .'Sou,h, wherein he declared
that there were many hing, - cxceptionablc in
the pamphlet, tina, he with others. lc.usel to pay
their sharc towards meeting tie expense ei publ
cation - several Of them aided in the di>trihu-
Il N + the pamphlet, aAd inever heald nj nor
t!lc r'.u,sc Of fraud in The publication, wd,A /
hior 10 he false; imagined any renson but tAsf,
M made no enquiry The subject. Me OF
our party ever. To my knowledge. objce,ea to the
contents Of the Address. Nov, AS Mr.. L.traers
,e.."rse j: vague, call upon him to specify what
''ex ieptionable things fu,teI into the Address
My lie objeet is -ei-dcencc. accuse no one
Let him specify; then, having defmte ,ssu,
will try Conclusions with him.
10 this lair and manly proposition of DR.. Ruff
ner, witch DIR. Letcher i, not at liberty 10 over
Look or ignore, since he charged the former with
a dishouorable act-tbe latter has never ,esn,,d
ed, but preserves discreet and gniicant silence
In summing up all the EVIDENCE in the case, the
verdict of the public must be that John Le,chcr
stands Convicted of completely with every scnti.
ment contained in the Ruffner Address; aud that
in attempting to evade the force Of this corstruc
tion, by vaguely intimatin; that the author had
abused his confidence. he ha, He'd insult to iniu-
ry--6rst in refusing 70 pay his share Of the ex-
pense in which he involved Dr.. Ruttner; and,
secondly, in attempting to aspersc his reputation
as a christian and gentleman. The case is n
plain one. and the force of the argument by. which
We have reached our conclusion cannot be broken.
We trust Though we scarcely cxpccti to hear
no moro special pleadings in this behalf, and
would advise our Democratic c,temporarcs to
cease their impotent efforts to scauit Honest"
John OF the siu that is laid To his charge Better
Iaie The music and claim that he has reperteI.
however UNSAFE II might be Tor n repentant Abso-
lem to assume the reigus Of Government.
Is addition to what is said in another glare Of
our candidate fr the office of Lieutenant Cover.
nor, we make the following extract from ,e.tcr
wrtten to us by All Did friend, who was ra Q II,
t,s county of Munongala:
ava .nan I. Wiley" says he. lis unqucstion
ably :lr lest nun ON our ticket" The does mo-