Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-04-19
Of Its authority to enforce Nicaragua into COM
pliance with the demands of this Government
This now seems to be the only resort left


DISTRICT OF vIRGISIA-MR. SHAckLEFoRp'
SPEECHES Yesterday, very large concoufse
attended at CuIpeper Court House, Va. 3, to hear
the expected discussion between the three as
prants for the seat from that district in the next
Congress 1t began shortly after IL M, when |
Mr.. Shackleford DEM taking the stand COM |
meneed by explaining the circumSt ances under |
which he entered the field last fall. then with |
out an ayOwed competitor and availing himself
of his right as citizen and a Democrat to ask
the suffrages of his fellow-citizens for the
position. lie went on TO show that he was
better entitled than his Democratic competitor
to the support of his party, by instancing his
steady devotion to it, and contrasting that with
what he charged as the shortcomings and
various tergiversations of the latter, Mr.. VIM.
Smith, who, he held, had only been elected up
to this time, SO far as the Democracy were con-
eerned, by forcing himself on the party against
its will
Thus, in 1853. Mr.. Shackelford urged,
Mr.. Smith had refused to abide the action of
convention; pressing his claims to the seat as
earnestly as he had shortly before pressed his
claims to a seat in the Senate of the United
States from California. He was then voted for
by a large portion of the Democrscy-the
speaker among them-only because no more
acceptable Democrat was in the field. In 1855
occurred Mr.. Smith memorable coalition with
the American party to compass the defeat of
Mr.. Wise and his election to be Governor Of
Virginia in that gentleman's stead, rs the can
didate of the Opposition, which, had it succeed
ed, Mr.. Shackelford explained, would have re-
a. Iocoa a.
the Presidential canvass of 1856.
On that occasion, though the Democracy
were ignorant of the extent and purpose of that
coalition, so openly did he accord aid and COM
fort to the Opposition as that he received but
about one-fOurth the Democratic vote of the
district for Congress. Mr.. Shackleford de-
scribed ut length the circumstances under
which the Democracy then felt it due to their
honor and the integrity of their principles to
turn their backs on Mr.. Smith; including the
Marshall House speech, dc, &c. Again, in
1851, Mr.. Shackleford urged, when the Ameri-
can party being practically Obliterated and not
being able to advance those who had served
them, and Mr.. Smith was lgain seeking an idep-
tifcatiOn with the Democratic party, large
portion of the Democratic vote was only given
to him a choice of evils; his adroit manage
ment, and that of his friends, having prevented
Democratic congressional convention from
meeting, as in 1858. lie admitted that ON that
occasion, knowing nothing of the Walker letter,
and there being no other claiming to- be a Dem
Ocrat formal in the field, he had him elf voted
for Mr.. Smith. Upon the conduct of Mr.
Smith in deserving the party from whom he had
received more, personally, than any other living
man lin the celebrated gubernatorial eIectio1
of Mr.. Wise,) he was terribly severe; represent
ing him grasping at the throat of the Demo
cratic party in its hour of EXTREMIST need to
strangle it for his own benefit.
Here he referred to the Walker letter. de-
manding its production from the pocket of Mr.
Smith, prOclaiming that its production would
prove the truth Of his allegation of a corrupt
effort on the part Of Mr.. Smith to bring about
the defeat Of the Democracy on that OCCASION
showing the letters Of Messrs Bolts Lewis and
Walker to prove the truth of his description of
its contents, and Offering instantly to withdraw
the charge and Of we understood him cor
Tectly) to withdraw from the canvass if on its
production, it did not bear out his allegation
rs to its contents, to the letter. Again and
again he demanded the production of the
Walker letter, and bore mercilessly upon his
opponent (Mr. Smith for his refusal to let the
people see that portion of his record rs r. public
man; to which he held they were Justly en-
titled, rs n means of ascertaining whether he
really did or did not deserve their confidence
and support lie next said that he had on the
previous Saturday, in the discussion in Kappa
Ia mock county, inquired of Mr. Smith whether
he had not written still another (preyiuuS
letter to Walker in reply to VS. first intima-
ton that considerable portion of the Ameri-
oan party desired his nomination by their con-
yentiOn rs their candidate against Mr.. Wise ?
de (Mr. SMITH had professed not to reeolect
whether he had or had not written any such
letter; and he again asked whether he (Mr |
smith, had written it, and if 50, he demanded
its production.
As Mr.. Smith declined then to say whether
he had or had not written such letter Mr. |
ShacklefOrd drew n copy of il from his pocket |
and reading it aloud, handed it to Mr. smith |
who nodded assent to its general correctness 70
prove It's entire correctness, Mr.. Shackleford |
then drew from his pocket the original, which |
was as follows:
I fisHt,aIl WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 1881
D,Gr ST: am in recei ut of your letter dated the
18th instant. subscribed by Martin r. Iipscomb |
Sergeant Of the city Of Richmond. and w. f. |
w dlkeI OF l.ynchburg, Va, containing a request |
mOnd, Va.
The signatures to the letter. and the letter itself
all appear 10 be In the same hand writing and as |
you are wholly stranger To me il is obvious that |
our relations cannot be- marked by that frankness
and confidence which they may require
j am deeply dissatisfied with the nomination of |
Mr. Wise, not from any personal difference with
him, but from the gross outrage and Injustice
which has been practsed upon the Old Line De
hocracy ana the people, and as at present advised
have no desire tn see him elected To defeat him
however, requires a course Of policy which I shall
forbelr at present detailing to vou until we under
stand and know each other better TODD this can
You visit w ashington, or would you prefer should
meet You I'm Frederic ksburG9 For the confidence
Won are pleased To express in nv behalf Won will
please accept INV thanks. IL will not be found
as believe 1 can say was never false
to d personal or political relation
am, very respectfully. yours,
(Signed) WM. SMITH
To r. L. Walker, Richmond Va
The production OF this letter, and its char
actor, created the widest excitement among
The Democrats present and Undesirable mcr.
7 lment among their opponents. Mr. ShackIc-
ford, continuing, called on the Democrats pres
ent to know whether in the face of the proof of
his purpose TO compass the defeat of the De-
mOcraey OF Virginia in that most important
contest known to the whole history of the Dem
DC rate party involved in this preliminary letter
TO Walker, and of the letters of Messrs. Bolts,
Lewis, aud Walker himself, declaring that in
the suppressed CD letter to the latter Mr..
Smith had avowed that policy 10 be his own NOM
nation "a the candidate of the American marty
against the Democratic nominec-Mr. Wise
and urged 1t earnestly on Mr.. W. rs the repre-
sentative OF that party, they conceived Mr..
Smiths denial of the truth of his version of il