Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-04-16

The Washington Era and John Letchsr.
The Opposiaioa press Of the State have
been attempting to make great capital cut
Of an editorial. il reference to the Virginia
State Election. which appeared in that arch
abolition journal, the Washington Era, and
it was quoted with great gusto by the Hon.
A. II. II. Stuart in his speech here and also,
we suppose, in his speech at Charlottesville.
In that editorial, after strongly advocating
aud urging the election of Mr.. Letcher, it
winds up by styling him its "weak and err
ring brother" Now is any one, Wing or
Democrat, SO green as to suppose for mo
ment that this ablest organ Of the Abolition
party. edited BY one Of its most talented
men, is 50 obtuse as to advocate the man
which it really preferred for Governor Of
slave-holding Virginia, openly in its edito-
rial columns, which it knew would be read
and quoted in every opposition paper Of this
State e~.I f...t.,...s.tai;,
Does not the editor of the Washington
Era know, if he can see over his nose, that
the sincere support by him Of John Letcher,
is tho only way in the world to strike .
death blow to his success here in Virginia,
the bulwark of Southern Slavery? No, the
policy which it is pursuing is too transpa-
rent to deceive any one, the most ignorant
and short-sighted, and every one must see
that his real object is to defeat Letcher and
elect Goggin. Now let us consider briefly
the motives which would be likely to actuate
a sharp-sighted Abolitionist and see ifthis
end, above all others, is not the one which
John Letcher, stands, the representative
man, of the great Democratic party, which
in $50 met and succeeded in defeating the
Black Republican party, to which the edi-
tor ofithe Era is an ardent adherent, and his
election would tend tremendously to cement
and unto the Democratic party Of the South,
which is able with the aid of one or two
Northern States to carry the Presidential
election in 1860, thus overthrowing and
crushing che Black Republican party. and
with it all the hopes Of its aspiring members.
Is it not natural that the editor of the Era
should desire the discontinue of such par
ss44 ft
Again, what has the Era or its party to
gain by the. election of Mr.. Goggin? He
is the representative man of the party dia-
metrically opposed to the great foe Of the
Republican party Of -'56, whose election
would be almost equivalent to the defeat Of
the Democracy in 1860; and what good will
result to the Era and its party by such an
event2
In the first place the Opposition have
openly declared their willingness to co-ope-
rate and coalescc with the Black Republi-
cans, should the latter allow them, and the
Republicans being the stronger Of the two,
1t is but natural to suppose, that the treaty
between the parties would be greatly to the
advantage of the latter; but even should the
Opposition party Of the South, in the pride
and arrogance Of recent triumph Eve are
going now under the supposition that the
Democracy have met with rebuff which
renders them entirely incapable Of making
a successful stand against the Black Repub-
licans in 1860 refuse to cooperate with
the enemies Of the South, would the Era
and its party lose by the substitution of an
Opposition for Democratic foe !? By nc
means, we think. for in the first place be-
fore the Opposition can become the stronger
party at the South, the Democratic party
must be overthrow, disorganized and dis
solved into it's original elements a very
improbable event, at least; then again the
scattered fragments of the Democratic party
must be collected under the Opposition flag,
a flag which they have always despised and
detested, and which nothing but the mos1
extraordinary combination Of circumstances
will compel them to serve under. AND
then again, the Opposition party itself mus
be organized, for at present it stands on nc
platform, and holds to no principle, but op-
position to all existing things-And all this
must be done in little over year. '4.'
But the consequence most likely to flow
from the defeat Of Mr. Letcher, and the
one most to be desired by the Era and its
party, would be the division of the South,
Virginia, Maryland and may be a few other
Southern States going for the Opposition
and the rest maintaining their adherence te
the Democracy; then the success Of the Re
publican party, and the filing to overflow
ing Of the Era's cup Of happiness is certain.
4 We ask again has the Editor of the Era
and the Abolition party anything to gain
by the election of Letcher and defeat Of
Goggin? On the contrary, has he not all
to lose and nothing to gain ,sfsia,
I Judicial Election.
We give below the vote in the Judicial
Election as far as we have heard from it.