Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1859-02-12

the following IN reference TO Vol. JOHN D., |
BALDWIN, of Augusta, and ANDREW HuNrER,
Esq; of Jefferson:
aThe Rockingham Register says II il authorized
to state that Col John B. Baldwin win vote for
Letcheri Our contemporary must assuredly be
mistaken. Col. Baldwin has been announced more
than once as one Of the distinguished gentlemen
who.would attend the Richmond convention, and his
name was among the most prominently mentioned
in connection with the nomination for Governor,
of the State with no sign of Discrimination
on his part, until he became candidate for The
vacant seat in the Supreme Court of Appeals He
can scarcely have discovered change in his polls
tics so soon nor il be believed that he can
sent TO link his fortunes to party who elected his
estimable father from position which he graced
truly, and who darkened his last days with the
ingralitude of q people whom he had SO faithfully
served"
SIT is not so difficult however, 10 understand
that Andrew Hunter is preparing to cross the RVS
er 1.-THE Stygian) and destroy the bridge after him.
for he has been wiring in and wiring ont ever
since he made his late campaign speech in this
place from which none of his auditors could tell
which of the Presidential candidates he preferred
to support In letter to the editor of the Freder.
icksburg Herald, which shall publish, he with
draws his name from prospective association on
the opposition ticket because as he alleges, there
are considerations of public duty and of political
character in the way, which cannot disregard
Now, what are these Considerations If Mr.. Hum
ter wants to be Democrat let him have the man
illness to come ont at once and say SO, let tie opin
q
NAV be- or rather. what they inevitably must be.
1t is too late for Mr. Hunter TO change his own po-
ltical creed npon clear convictions of'publc duty
and most unfortunately of all he is debarred the
privilege of pleading the Know Nothing bugbear as
his excuse for he was among the first to crawl in
to the culvert, with a dai k-lautern, and make the
acquaintance OF Sam. Well let him go and all such
like him, Tor the party will be the purer for the
cleansing and when all its excresences cast off
the honest body of the people will come over TO us
and leave the deserters alone in their glory
Some time since, we admonished our Wing
friends'of the propriety of catechising some
of their favorite candidates for Governor, be-
fore they adopted them as their standard
bearers and now the wisdom of our advice
can be seen. What is true of Col. Baldwin
and Andrew Hunter, is also true of Col. R.
E. Scott, of Fauquier aud others. The truth
is, there is no longet Wing party. Know
Nothingism swallowed it whole in 1855, and
those who could not go Sam and his miser-
able clap>trap about 'furriners' and Catholics,
were left without a party, and have been
forced to seek quarters elsewhere. And where
could they 60 except to the Democratic pare
ty? Let who will attempt to disguise it,
there is in truth but-two parties in the cOun-
try-Democratic and Black Republican,
Virginlans and all Southerners have to choose
between them and intelligent and patriotic
men like Col. Baldwin, r. E. Scott, and Ans
drew Hunter. cannot be expected to sympas
thise with Black Republicanism-the deadly
enemy of the South. The effort Of the Rich>
mond Vhig-a paper which has been more
bitter in its denunciations of Know Nothing
ism, elias 'Americauism, than Henry A.
| Wise himseIf-to reinstate the old Wing par,
ty, at this juncture of polical affairs, is one of
the most absurd propositions of the day. It
is a noon>struck scheme, which will, like the
Distribution movement, which had the same
origin, (the Editor of the Whig) all end in
smoke. Nothing practical or good can result
from it. In the North. where the great body
of the Wing party was to be found, there is
no longer such party-not greasesspot OF
it remains. What can Wing party in the
South, unaided by Wing party in any of
the Northern States, accomplish! Black
Re2ublcanism first put down-a work which
all Southerners should unite to accomplish
and which another Presidential defeat, we be-
lieve, will accomplish-then there may be a
reformation of parties but not before.
We, therefore, think union of the parties
at the South against the common enemy oil
Black Republicanism, is natural and proper,
and reflects the highest honor on the patrio.
tism of those who unite in such cause. II
the Democratic Party cannot put down
Black Republicauism, what party cana The
Wings of the South are left TO 90 somewhere
and the Democratic party, the only nation
al and conservative party, is, we repeat, the
natural and proper place for them. To as
sign selfish motives to those who may under
these circumstances be found acting with the
Democratic party, is unkind.
PostscripL-The last Rockingham Regis,
! ter says: cit is due to Col. Baldwin to saw
that the statement in the last Register, sWe
are authorised 10 say that Col. Baldwin will
| vote for John Letcber,' was made without the
| knowledge of Col. Baldwin. 1t is due to our
selves to say that we merely intended to ex>
press our own telief a. to the vote of COL B.,
founded upon our knowledge that the Col.
| occupied no party position which could pres
vent his thus manitesting his high regard for
| John Letrher, who is his warm personal
| friend.'
The above, it will be perceived, leaves in
doubt the vote of Col. Baldwin for Governor.
Winchester Virgiaian.
On the above bull of accommodation by
the Winchester Republican, without even the
trial BY jury of his peers, the Leesburg
Mirror has the following. We shall leave it