Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1859-04-23
The discussion at CharlOttesville

The Discussion at CharlOttesviMe
We find in the last Charlottesville Jsfsrsoeiafa a
synopsis Of The discussion in that place between
Messrs. Letcher and Goggin. According TO agree
ment Mr. lied of, and was followed by Mr. b,
who, after aludng to certain points in the speech
of his competitor, continued -
sTe referred to the fact of the Hon. Mr.. Stuart
having IL a speech delivered in that place the week
prexions alluded 10 his, Mr.. Letcher's connection
with the Ruifner pamphlet and declared MIN 10 oe
unworthy of the conhdenee OF TIE people OF
He. Mr. IT,. had only 10 say that this very gentle
man went to the polls, time after time and Eoe
led for him as a candidate for Congress. M
Stuart vas aware then Of his connection with the
Ruffner pamphlet and considered him worthy OF
trust and confidence now upon that score why
have endorsed him by his Yote9 fic7lF & II
He referred 10 the further fact that there were
not 500 men IN his Congressional Dlstrlet. 81 any
party who did NOT at some time or another, vote
for him either for the Reform Convention or for
Congress- f5+s5s ,f-l ! - casis.
Mr. Letcher said that Mr.. Alderman editor OF the
Lewisburg Chronicle, in lS47, and q regular en-
dorser of The Ruffner pamphlet was now an adyo-l
cate of Mr.. Goggin, in his paper, the Greenbrler
independent Mr. l. also referred to the proceed
ings of meeting held IN
ti6e was done 10 the West on the basis question,
which vas then being considers and discussed in
the Reform Contention. OF tlie 70 gentlemen who
composed the committee which brought In the res,
olusion, eight were Ia favor of Goggn,s election.
u. spoke of the dauger.of reyying these sectional
iss0es upon the basis question when that same
question would come up for discussion, in 1865.
Every one had believed this sectional strife was
ended and il would have been, If 1t was not now
revived in order to pnt him down. On the
basis question; as on all Others, he stood by his
own people in the Reform Conyehtion, and for
his fidelity, to taer interests his Constituents had
rewarded him on his retnrn to them by yelecting
him to seat in Congress, which he had held for
the last eight years 1t the people believed he had
done wrong in firmly adheIing TO the interests of.
his constituents, they could vote against Hmm He
could live independent OF the office and he should
not seek to gain 1t by trucking the passions of
the people of the East or the West How was it in
Legislature in 1871, between Joseph Seger, and
Robt- e. Scott in the discussion on the constitu-
tionalty of the Wilmot Provso, the latter gentle
contended that it constitn ional, while Mr..
Segar who advocated Mr.. LIS election, took 1.-The
opposite side of the question, In lS4T, Mr.. Scott
declared slavery tobe evil; and yet this is one
of the gentlemen who calls upon the people to pros
nounce judgement OF condemnation against him.
The Hon. w. @. Rives, who had been honored with
a seat in both houses OF Congress and lwice the
Minister PleniPoteHtisry 10 France, had in 1887,
declared that slavery was not only social aud
political evil, but MORAL, social and political
evil. -5,,-, I.z,.,s
-tMr.e Letchsr read extracts from Mr.. John NJ.
Bolts Powhattan speech, and from his New York )
Speech inviting Black Republicans to unite with
Wings in an aliancefo defeat the Democracy. Mr..
e. said when he Mr. L. died politically, over his re-
mains would be engraven on his tomb stone, Died
of the Bous.' he advised his competitor to make
himself perfectly easy on that subject, he never
knew Mr. Bolts to damage any other party than his
own. Iflthe Democrats were ever hard run for =
issue they had only TO let Bolts have chance aud
he would furnish them one. From Mr.. Botts' Ari-
can Church speech Mr.. L. read extracts favoring
the acceptance of free negro votesiif they should
be authorized by the Constitution to receive the
elective franchise3en and then asked the audience if he
Mr.. Leteher, was to be condemned at the command
of such man as this. Alinndfng TO Bolts pfopo5
siti0n to the Black Rep6blicans to unite with the
Wings he asked the Southern Wings if they wonld
concur in, the opinion that the Democratic party
ofYirginia was less worthy to be trusted than the
Black Republicans of the North. When Bolts de
sires were accompiished would they DEF If you
organize this party its effect would be 10 divide
South by building up within its party upon Bolts
holy affiianee. He declared this wonld be the in-
sev1atl result of such coatiion, and he asked il
there were any w higs present y no would be wiling
to promote such contamination. He thought
not. -.fifs5.-. ,,5.y..r. ,f,,...
Mr. Leteher aYowed his warm and heartfelt at
tachmentlo the State of Virginia and 10 the Union
he unhesitatiugly and emphatically declared his
liberalization, if ever he was Governor of this
cient old Commonwealth with tbeaia Of the peo-
pie, to resist any encroaehment by tie Geueta
Government upon The rights of the Stale, in The
event of conflict between the General Governs
ment, and any Southern State to stop The march
OF Federal troops through the territory of Virginia,
to subJsgate That State lhesl- sentiments were
most enthusiastically appiauded by the audience
again and again. r,l.t.f Sax! ftI,.a-- -
MIR. Letcher read from the Congressional Globe
to show that he did not vote to admit Mr. Lewis
D. Campbell, to seat in Congress Every South
American present did vote 10 admit him under the
resolution Of. Mr.. Gilmer of North Carolina
THE arguments Of AIR. Letcher agaipst the Pen
sion Bill, were conclusiye and convincing. he dis
cussed the Distribution and Tariff Bills and gave
satisfactory reasons WHY he was opposed to them
The party for which Dir. Goggin was Allied yos
ted for Fuller, for Speaker in the o: S. House OF
Representatives, in Opposition to Mr. Aiken for
which he, Mr. L. gave his vote. t' ii z
He alluded TO The charge of fraud brought against
the President of the United States. II very res
markabe that aficr Mr.. GOggin appeals to the DEM
ocraIic party2to stand, by him. he should come for-
ward and try to arraign tie President whom that
party had elected. Mr. Letcher CONCLUDED by ask
ing in what all this guilt consists? So1e one
wrote to him about contract for the construction
ofoneof the vessels ordered tobe builtby Congress
He end rsed this application to the. Navy, De-
partment as it was proper for him to do. He did
mo- think MIR. Buchanan would be fool enough to
send this to the Navy Department be recorded if
there was anything like fraud contested with the
transaction, Tor by SO doing he would be affording
an opportunity of bringing itup atahy moment
MIR. Lecher had been PEELED to differ with the
President in his Tariff views, the S 80 900 900 Cuba
Bill, and in his Pacific Rail Road sentiments, he
however would stand by and defend him against
the assaults made upon him by the enemies of the
South, and sustain his administration. for lie was
patriot and Statesman ~ zFaEstls Y s1a GH
Mr. Tefche4 IN mo 'Iiast