Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-03-22
Letter from Hon. John NJ. Bolts.
RICHMOND, March 14th, 1859.

fly all who heard my remarks of the abandon
ment of all attempt to answer the argument,
and of the desperate straits to which they are
reduced, for something that will constitute
capital upon which the existing canvass In this
State may be conducted
Despairing of all efforts to refute the stubborn
facts that have been presented against the De-
mocraoy, they have resorted to the most un-
candid, disingenuous, and unfair means, to create
popular prejudice for the momentTnot against
the candidate of our party, but against me, who
am in no sense before the people for any once.
At this, however, / have neither felt surprise
nor regret. was not surprised, because nave
been too long accustomed to such misrepresenta,
ton not to have been prepared for it. | did not
regret it, because it conclusively showed the
weakness of our aeversaries' position.
But did regret to see that Mr. Letcher, be-
4 tween whom and myself the kindest relations
have always existed had initiated so bad an ex-
ample; and, taking the "cue" from the Rich
mond Enquirer, had unceremonously and gra-
tuitously introduced my name into the canvass
as if my soundness, or unsoundness, on tie slav-
cry or other questions had anything to DO with
the contest between Mr.. Goggin and himself;
and as if my merits or dement's were now pre-.
scented for the consideration and Judgment OF
the State lfhe is correctly reported, he has
misrepresented my language, and the meaning
| it conveyed.
am not in the habit of taking positions that
will impose upon me the necessity for retraction
or apology, On the score youth, indiscretion or
thoughtlessness. 1t is customary with me to
weigh end measure all my words; and it is u
sual for me to say what mean, and to mean
what say; and, on the occasion alluded to, l
| ....,;,I,, ,ooont oil tbot did COW
In the N. Y. Herald of the 10th, Mr.. Letcher
is reported to have said several ungracious and
uncomplimentary things of me, that had no
reason to expect from him.
'sJohn NJ. Bolts" he said, "had taken the stand
against him. How stands he ?" "The Rich
mond Wing has been compelled to denounce his
unsoundness" "He avowed 10 his Richmond
speech his Willingness to unite with free negroes
to put down the Democracy" ''Spois were
of more interest to him than the rights of the
South"
When and where have I taken the stand a.
painst him have mentioned his name but
| once. and then in terms of warm personal friend
ship. and chiefly to show the Inconsistency of
those who had denounced him as being "a deci
ded abolitionist, ""untrue to the South" "unfaith
/ full TO Democracy" deficient in moral integri-
ty," and "wantiDg in mental capacity" and yet,
lin the same breath, declaring their purpose to
vote and work for him, if he should be the nom
linee of the party. Ny object was to show that
the institution of slavery and the interests of
the South were least cared for, by those who
were most ''t;lssy" on the subject, and that the
Democratic party had only used the question as
a football for party unity and ascendency.
i This is the only connection in which have
J used Mr.. Letchers name, and if that is often
sive, then plead guilty of having thrown the
first stone, although did not make one of the
charges myself Several weeks ago, certain
facts were placed at my disposal, under the sup
| position that intended to take On active part
} in the canvass, connected with certain specula-
tive operations of Mr.. Letoher in Washington,
that cannot be otherwise than detrimental to
his prospects if disclosed, as they certainly will
be, and if they should be established but which
, declined to meddle with, because they partook
: of personal, as well as of political nature,
and because felt towards him all the ties of per-
sopal friendship. a
But, ''the Richmond Whig," he says, Hhas
been compelled to denounce my unsoundness,"
How far it is either generous, or proper, or ad-
, missable, for a gentleman to repeat charge or
) denuncation, that has been again and again, to
his knowledge, Internationally Withdrawn, vol
unfairly and without consideration other than
, that of we'll settled conviction and manly ao-
acknowledgements leave to Mr.. Letcher, ONE
less interested occasion, to determine. Bnt II
he relies upos the withlraUn charge of the Wing
; to establish unsoundness in me, how does he
propose to acquit himself of the Gnwithdrawn
and lately reiterated charges of lnSqpadpess and
unscorthiaeSs against him by the Enquirer-not-
withstanding he is the candidate of the party
that the Enquirer is now pretending to support
And, 81 announced my willingness to unite
with free negroes to put down the Democracy"
he saws. When and where did Mr.. Letcher see
this. except in the Richmond Enquirer-author-
! ity that one might suppose 10 would not be ca.
} oer to quote, or establish as reabie-and which
he was obliged to know was gross misrepre-
sentation of what had said for he had evil
IDENTIFY read my speech as reported and that
certainly furnished no foundation for such q
charge.
i There was but one report of my speech as far
as have seen, and that was taken for the New
1 York Herald, by its regular reporter, who,
! take pleasure in saying, reported me- in SUBJ
stance with great acedrsey--apd his report was
never seen by me until it was in print-and that
represents me as saying, in reply to complaint
that was willing to receive the vote Of the Re-
lpublican party--'thst if there was State in 'the
Union composed entirely Of free negroes, and
| the Constitution GAGE them the right to pste, ]
could be mach obliged to them to help me to beat
the Democratic party"-and so I woodland
l Mr. Letcher and all his party would, as all
know, make every effort and sacrifice to secure
their votes to keep them in power.
But, will Mr. Letcher as lawyer, politician.
gentleman, or man of sense, say that the
language Justified him ig saying Of me, before
a crowd of his constituents, and id my absence,
with no one to represent me- or correct him,
that had said was willing to unite with free
negroes, on any TERMS or for any purpose g.
First, it was apparent to all, that my remark
was intended merely as an illustration of my
deep seated, and earnest conviction of tue ne
cessity for, and determination to use all Oonsti-
tutional and lawful means to accomplish the de-
feat of Democracy, and not as proposition to
seek their aid even, for the reason that there
was no such State in the Union, and never could
be; and secondly, to recsips aid from them was
very different from uniting with them, as every
body is obliged to know, who understands the
weight and meaning Of the English language.
To unite or coalesce with q party implies a
recognition Of equality, and reciprocity; to re-
ceive aid from them implies neither the one nor
the other.
presume II MT. Aetchere mouse or Darn snouid
be on fire, he would be glad to get aid, either
from Black Republicans, or free negroes, to put
it out Yet nobody would ever suspect that HE
would unite, or coalesce, or form partnership
in business transactions for pecuniary specula-
tons, or political advantage with either We
all know he would be too pure and immaculate
now, whatever he might have been willing to do
in 1866, to form coalition or to unite with that
degraded, unworthy and disfranchised portion
of our population, known as Wings and Know
Nothings; but will he say, he would not be
thankful for their aid, to beat Mr.. Goggina Or