Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-03-12
Mr. Letcher as a Party Representative.


From an able article, under the above IT,
tie, in the Lynchburg NirSinian, we make
the following extracts -
We think sufficient call,e OF opposition &"
Mr.. Lctcher's election may be easily found
in the position which he occupies a. the Rep
rcscntative of his party. There are certain
general indictments on which his party will
be arraigned. and 10 which, Is its recognized
candidate. he will have TO plead.
First, then. Mr. Letcher will have t" ac-
count 10 the people of Virginia for that ty-
rannca act of the Democracy of this State,
whereby sixty or seventy thousand Wings
though true and lovaI citizens Of the Com
monweath-werc by deliberate and prcme-
dtatcd design. excluded from all voice in the
National Councils This was done by Mr..
( Letcher's party associates. at II time when he
was in full fellowship with them-and We
have never heard that he repudlated the act.
a. n member of the Reform Convention Ill
! 1850. Mr. Letcher was one of the leaders of
the Radical party. and insisted that the m'h
of the West should have their due share ot
representation in the Legislature of the
State. He was. in truth. regarded as the
champion of that proposition. But yet, the
party of which Mr.. Lrtchcr is now the can
didate. has excluded, by deliberate premedl-
tation. nearly one half the men Of Virginia
/ from al representation wh"f"r"r III the Coiin-
ellis of the nation. We call upon Mr.. Letch-
cr to Justify this act before the people OF
Virginia. If it were right. is Mr.. Letchrr
! insisted in the Reform Convention, that the
people of Western Virginia should have
their due share of representation III the Leg
| iSlaturc of the State we wish 10 know how
it can be also RIGHT that a large class Of the
citizens of Virginia should be excluded from
anv representation whatever i'll Congress
An explanation of this is due 10 the people
Of Virginia from Mr.. Lrtcher, when he adj
dresses them from the Hastings.
In the next place. the party Of which Mr.
Letcher is the leader. has increased the eX-
penditureS within Il very few years. from
fifty millions per annum TO nearly one hum
drcd millions. 1t has plunged the country
into debt. and is charging that debt every
day. \ few years ago. we were buying up
our own bonds in the market before they
were due, and now we are selling them 10
the highest bidder to get money 10 supply the
deficiency created by the extravaganza Of the
party in power This is done by i'm Admin
istratnn which Mr.. Lctcher suStains. Let
Mr.. Lctrhrr offer some explanation of this
matter to the people of Virginia. lie Is
competent to do it. il anybody is-tor he has
been behind the scenes all the time. Mr..
Lctchcr. rs the friend u' the Administration.
owes to the people of Virginia some exp lana
ton Of the corruption aud extravaganza
which have run the expenses of the Federal
Government up 10 nearly one hundred mil
! lions of dollars per aunum. lie owes this
! explanation. and we trust he will give il.
I So, also. the people Of Virginia have a
RIGHT to demand of Mr.. Letcher some cXpla-
nation of that famous Administration mca-
sure whereby it was proposed 10 deposit
: thirty millions of dollars in the hands Of the
President. ialthough the Treasury is bank
rupt, for negotiating for the purchase of
! Cuba And not only this. but 10 place the
whole Navy of the Union at the Presidents
disposal, So that he may Use it a he pleases.
/ We should also be glad to hear some cx-
! planatury statements from Mr. Letcher IN re-
gard To the process by which Kansas was re-
| fused admission into the Union when she
came with Constitution establishing slave
nv. Mr. Letcher We believe voted for the
English Bill whereby the question was re-
mandcd back to the people of Kansas. with
AN almost absolute certainty that slavery
would then be prohibted-as i'll fact it has
been. We were told in 1886 to vote for
Buchanan and save Kansas from the grasp
of the Frec-soiIcrs. Mr. Letchcr, we doubt
not. told the people so himself. The people
of Virginia would be pleased to hear from
Mr.. I.cscher why it is that Kansas has not
been saved" The Administration which
was 10 save" it, has had majority iii both
Houses Of Congress ever since the installa-
ton. Not only has Kansas been lost to the
South but another Free State-Oregon-
been admitted into the Union with Mr..
Lctcher'S vote in its favor.
Mr.. Lctchcr cannot segrcgate himself from
his partv-because he is before the people
as "a party candidate, and a. the nominee of
Il party Convention. He is the nominee of
Convention which endorsed the Admins
tration out and out. To this extent he is
responsible for the acts and opinions Of the
Administration, and the people will hold
him to the accountability. At the very
least. he owes some explanation of these va
riorls matters. If he diSavow the Admins
traton he ut once rejects the authority Of the
Convention which nominated him-tor that
Convention endorsed the Administration in
all its length and breadth. If Mr.. Letcher
runs rs an independent candidate, wholly
without reference 10 the Petersburg Conyen-
ton. he has his own record to confront at
every turn. If he runs rs the Administra-
tion candidate he must bear all the sins and
extrayaganccs of the Administration upon
his shoulders