Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-03-21
Correspondence of tho virginian.
The Discussion in Roanoke.

The Discussion in Roanoke.
SALEx, March 18th. 1859.
Messrs Editors.-Messrs. Letcher and Goggin
met here Oh Tuesday last, and addressed n large
crowd The appointment having been made 10y
Letcher, be led of in speech Of an hour and a
quarter, which Was replied to by Goggin in one
| of equal length and these were followed by re-
| oiniers of half an hour each. If we to have
pnr candidates stumpng the State. this is certain
" a plcnsanter arrangement thnn listening tn
i.cnry A. Wise, or anybody else Tor four mortal
hours. repeating ms the said II. A. Wise inform
Ell us four years ago for the 18th time, the
same thrradbare story. | believe that the two
contestants came here equally flushed with hope
Of victory. They had been together in the Tenth
Legion" and of course Le,cher had heard the
loade-t t. kens of applause from that qsAr'er,
while Goggin in his turn had been greeted both
Mt Stnunton and Lexington with nm arior and
enthusiasm that might well seem to him the fore.
runner Of future triumph
Whether it was, rs suggested by Goggin in
ply that Letchcr fancied hini-el u candidate for
the Presidency or that he had already had some
uncnn Portable specimens of Goggin's mode Of
dealing with IN opponent as Vulnerable rs himself
he occupied his first allotted time almost exclu.
sivcly in the discussion Of Federal Politics The
subj crts Of Distribution, the Tariff and Government
expense, were alternately dwct upon, and Lct,L.
"r made the usual Democratic apology and de-
fence Of his position all Of them. The "olI
share al his time. Just ms he was about to close
his opening speech. he seemed to remember that
he n candidate for Gubernatora honurs and
tia, he was the identical John Letcher who had,
about IS elvc years ago. nm unfortunate conncr-
ton VIA the Ruifner Pamphlet. But one might
have supposed from his tardy and rather casual
nllnson to it, that it was II rcry small n6air-a
mere uthfnl indiscreton, which lac had long since
repe ed oiand which it was unnecessary to ring
into 4 pre- cnt canvass. Just here time expired
and J. closed.
t"., gin rose 10 reply, and commenced by n good
ratu: II nusiun 10 the fact, thu, I.ccher had set
"a stealing some OF his thnndcr--that be
It'"e-" had opened the canvass ut Ilarrisonburg
by tr,dcilnS to his opponent offer Of EXccu
tive 'cmcncy for his past political sins. Lctchcr
had a.ticpntcd him by making the same offer
Goygl then went into short review of Federal
Polit,-. and showed by Lctcher's votes in Con-
ercs~ that he was very vulnerable on many i'm
portn'.t points especially that his yauntcd cogno
men a. TREASURY Watchdog was all CANNON
that IT, no deserved to be called ''IIonc>t
.J1hn than many other people. One Of Guggin's
thrn~'~ was particularly annoying to Lctcher, he
.an,e It evidently touched the popular feeling
fletcher has labored to defend his vote upon the
lid soldiers pension blu by insisting among
Other ihing., that the Government had paid ull it
Ind ntrac,ed to pay them for their services, and
that they had no claim for further compensation.
rule when he went to Washington as n member Of
en- .;css upon n contract to receive SO per diem,
anl had afterwards, for He same scrpice received
5000 II year, which, during the long session o!
CONG csa nuounted to double AZ much as he had
contracted Tor. and during the short Session to
abau, 1913 90 II day
L"'chcr endravored t. parry the force Of this
blow, by reminding Goggin that he had received
pay without rendering any service in contestnS
Il ,ilrr's scat in Congress. But the easy and
o', .ous reply to this s, that Goggin was only
aefi-,, upon the uniform usage in such cases and
II II: 70 winch is dciensbe upon grounds Of pub
l.e pllicy
! u ARE ready to a-k hy this time "what of the
L Il err Pamphlci?" and of Letchers movement to
divide the Sinic To make II free Sfate of Western
vi mia? These were brought into the discussion
N Il hou-h ilnot think that Goggin got after him
Will sharp stick enough upon these points vet
h uade out letcher's case n very bad one
III l,c,t John thought he conld but save his
- a by h ne,y coniessing his sins and dccar-
~. us repentance But Gu..in held him and
hi- ,arty to the rule heretofore nctel On hy the
Dem crncy, insisting that if George w. Summers
had committed the unpardonnble sin, much more
ha lctchcr, under the aggravated circumstances
oi his case, sinned against light and knowledge,
ani had added to his other tiangression the
h't'less Of refusing to pay for the publication o.
pamphlet which. by his confession, express
sed he opinions he lien held on the subject of
N,H'c cry.
Bat have not time to follow the discussion
further. 1t was conducted very pleasantly on
bah side-, and as is usual in such cases, the
lrtlive friends OF both claimed the victory. 1t
seemed t" me that it was contest between two
non, Of whom was vulnerable ut every point,
aaI the other armed in a coat Of mil.
Yours respectfully.