Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-04-27
TON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

The SEVENTH DISTRICT OF VIRGINA.-The
approach Of the Congressional elections in Viz
ginis seems rather to increase than to diminish
the inter-Democratic party excitement in the
7th district of the Old Dominion. On Monday
last at Orange court there was an exciting strug-
Gle. we hear. between tho Democratic supper
tiers of Mr. Smith and Mr.. Shackleford, respec-
lively. in which the lstter triumphed signally
The point of the former was to secure the adoI-
ton of resolution endorsing Mr.. Smith as the
candidate of the Democratic party of Orange
county for reelection TO Congress. That of the
latter was TO bring about the adjournment of
the meeting (Democratic) that was convened at
the end of the discussion between the Senate
rial candidates, (Messrs. Green and Early,)
without an expression of the party in favor of
either Democratic aspirant for the position. In
that they triumphcd; but not without row, in
which, if we are correctly informed, few eyes
wcre.blackened and noses were bloodied.
At Fauquier Court, in Warrenton, the three
candidates for Congress-Mcssrs. Smith, Shac-
kleford, and ThOmas-met and discussed the
issues Of the times. Each was backed by n
hos. of eager and vseiferous friends, nearly ell
OF whom exercised their lungs in cheering on
his fayorite. The discussion is said To have
had pretty much the same result as that on
Monday Of LAST week, at Culpeper Court
where the large crowd was about evenly di-
vided, as at Warrenton on this oceasion-the
Opposition men being to man for Thomas; the
present members of the Democratic party who
had been members of Know. Nothing lodges
being for Smith, and the Democrats who had
Away, been firm opponents of the Know-No-
things being mostly for Shackleford.
In tho course of the discussion, Mr. Smith
was induced to read extracts from the now so
famous Walker letter-the letter for the pro-
duction of which Mr.. Shacklcford had hereto
fore called in vain-allcgiug that if produc-
ed from the pocket of Mr.. Smith it would surely
convict him of pleading for the Know Nothing
nomination for Governor for himself, against
Mr.. Wise. As the extracts read by Mr.. Smith
hayo been described to us, they were pleas for
that nomination, embracing a refusal to Join
the lodges on the ground that to do so would
lose him Democratic votes, and thus endanrer
his election over Wise. On the whole. thew
have certainly served to whct the appetite of
the Democrats of the district for the whole let
ter-a lengthy document, it appears-which.
for the sake of straightforwardness and fair
dealing in politics, it is to be hoped will even
tually be brought to light.
A far We have learned. the contest for
Congress in the district is likely to end in Mr..
Thomas getting the vote of the Opposition with
few exceptions, Mr.. Smiths getting the vote Of
the rafting Know Nothings and some others
who have allowed themselves to be persuaded
by his personal adhercnts into belief that he
is stronger in the district than Mr. ShackIeford.
and in Mr. Shackleford' getting the vote of the
great mass of Democrats who have from first to
last steadily opposed the know Nothing party.
The condition of affairs in the District illus
trates most forcibly the fact that there is a day
of reckoning in all things-in political as in
other matters