Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-01-25
EDGAR sNOWDEN
ALEXANDRIA,:

TUESDAY MORNING, JANUARY %, 1859.
The Richmond Enquirer in reply to its AS
sailants in Rockingham.
We published yesterday, an account of a
recent Democratic Meeting in Rockingh ham
county. The following is the reply of the
Enquirer:
1--WE are unwilling to believe, without
some further confirmation of the statement,
that Captain Hiram Martz, employed the
language attributed to him. If he did, he
has evidently been deceived by dishonest
men. We know that he could have made n"
such statement, with regard To the ''Enqui-
rer' or to Gov. Wise, as Of his own knowi-
edge. In any event, he shall not be subject
iected to harshness through our columns
lie is Il very aged and infrm man, and
hence naturally irritable and impressible.-
Thus it is, that he has been led to arraign
the Enquirer" Oh charge of opposition to
Conventions, in ignorance of the fact that we
have consistently and persistently conceded
with him, in urging the policy of calling con
ventions in all cases, to nominate legislative
officers.
If he has been induced through misinfor-
nation, to make the unjustifablc assault Oh
Governor Wise, now attributed to him, the
circumstance of his late visit to Washington,
probably furnishes the best explanation OF
the fact.
SO far as Captain Martz is concerned, then.
We abstain from all uttcrance of censure.-
We owe it to his age and present position,
not less than to the plain and honest, though
impulsive character which he sustalns, to
permit him to resire peacoably from the polit,
ical arena, without an expression OF condem-
nation from the press Of his party.
But if Captain Martz has been misled by
ISLANDERS uttered by other men, we have a
word to say to these individuals, whoever
they NAV be, or whatever their position
The assertion that Governor Wise ever in
tricued. or even sought by justifable means
TO supplant Mr.. Hunter in the Senate, Is 4
slanderous falsehood, wilfully, knowingly
maliciously coined by Governor Mises enc
mics, for the sheer purposes OF political III
trigue.
No less a parsonage than the President ot
the United States is fully cognizant of facts
which are of themselves sufficient to nail this
falsehood to the counter No one can offer
more satisfactory evidence of the falsehood o
the statement, than can the Hon. +. NJ. I
Hunter. And the Hon. John Letchcr cal
testify directly to the same effect.
ANY man who wants information on tht
subject can doubtless obtain it on proper APP
plication, from any or all of these three Wit
nesses. NJ,
As for the ''Tammany letter." Gov. "iS'
stands firm TO every sentence which II con
tains. Mr.. Hunter condemns it. 81 be 1t
then. But if Mr.. Hunters friends are, witt
his approval, bent on making the questions
involved in the Tammany letter the issue o
SUCCESS or defeat to Gov. Wise that issue can
be easily tried. Let Mr.. Hunter once ex
press Willingness to discuss the matter, face
tn face with Gov. Wise, on the liustinSs
and we pledge our word for it that the Gov
eruor will meet him anywhere and every:
where throughout the State, wherever and
whenever a meeting can be fixed. And II n
IS desired to follow up the contest with the
opposing efforts of ''-econd chop debaterS
SSise's son" is ready to meet any respectu
ble man among Hunters followers, ON pre-
cisely the same terms. .,
The part which our noble friend, 5. /
Waller, esq, is reported to have taken IL
the debate at Rockingham is exactly VIVA
we would nave exptcteo iI"i "i
self q candidate for office, and with ever!
temptation to court the support or avoid tint
resentment of men of all parties and "pln
ions, his independent spirit, nevertheless
will always prompt him to speak out boldly
whenever truth and justice need an advocate
He is no halfway man. lie has both th'
spirit and ability to meet assault with assault
fact doubted by none who have once seei
him tried. .. -
Any of our friends who were present a
the discussion in Rockingham, Will do Us
favor by furnishing, eonhdenhaliy OF o.l'ci
w;.a reliable information as to the accurac,
Of the "Whig's" report. If Captain Mart
has really been induced to make the state
msnts attributed to him. before the people
Nottingham ssi we are prepared to carry ,t thu
war-not against Captain Martz-ws have
no unkind word to offer him-but dlrectl.
"into Africa"