Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-04-19
III; L;,lIjr)y Gi.2:is AND TIE 0pP)5I
TON PRESS

dcrs under the weight Of Its folly. while ever,
step serves bu; to increase its diiii ;Lltics an'
render escape impossible.
Seeking to escape from its anomalous posi-
iion, til. Gazette cadcavor, IL cast the rc
Spons!blity of the discussion Of the RutIncl
,,rn inlet on Mr.. o. j. Wise; and say:
the Richmond Enquirer the leading Demo
cratic paper Of the State under the e'litoria
control of o. Jennings WISE the son of the De
mncratic G. wcrnor Of Virginia, brought forward
he ch,rsc of abolition against Mr.. Lctchcr. -
Two errors are TO b. found in this one quota
tion--iirst, the "cllarre Of abolition" was moi
brought forward by the Richmond Enquirer.
but by the Richmond "Whlg;" and. second
when the charge WAS discussed 10y the "En
quircr," Mr. W :. wa, in New York attending
the removal Of Mr. Monrocs remains, AMI the
Enquirer" was un Ter the editorial control
OF Mr. Tyler, who discussed the RItfhcr pam?h
ct when first III vdc public who claims all the
credit and assumes all the responsibility OF that
discussion, anl who was s;ISt lined in every
thing he dill by his associates.
But let Us examine this aborci and laho
rious excuse Of the "G ,zcttc," which ii rc
quests Wing papers Of larger circulation
than" its own, to repuhli>h.
The &C ,zcttc. while the Opposition,
broken ani 'iispirited 10y repeated dtlcat and
DISASTER presented m problhle chance oI
resurrection, WAS true to the ties of neishhor-
hool and friendship, AMI d:fende Mr.. Lcichcr
from the charges Of tn ',e who opposed his
nomination; bit as soOl as is own broken
and dispiritel party ha rlllic !, the "uazcttc
tinlS it necessary to rccant all it hul said
rhc honest avJw,,l Of last l.il, III uic when no
motive existed for misrepresentation is anime
daley recalled when motive iS filrni>lc by
the revived con iition Of its owa party. With
the "GIzettc," Mr. Lctrhcr WIS "A honest pro-
slavery mn, when there WIS NJ Op0sHt0h
party; but as soon n, tn .re is an Opposition
PARTY, Mr. Letcher'S record shows a deep
seated hostli V to slavery, sllye.holdng CON
munitieS, AMI slavc.owners." Thi, i. indeed,
a fair specimen Of the reliance that shoLId be
placed in the Opposition press Of Nrsinia.--
But we have another and later :ivowa from
the "G,lette which We presume it will adhere
to ior the balance OF the campaign. In its
Issue Of the lith inst, the "Gz.ttc' says:
IL he (Nr. Letcherl hal appy4llci to us to
say whether We b.llcrc his ii lclity I" thc inst.
tuition of slavery IL b: above suspicion row
We should hive unhcsiIatinsly SAID yc>' Bat he
rested hs defence on his c,,r-c in the Cphvcn
lion, and as Mr. L,tchcr invited our cNauna.
ton into his record in the Convention, We dId
examine i, and found nothing there 10 show
that he had change hIS opinions III ISL. II
there is will the enquirer bc good enough
tn pvin, it Jut? If Mr.. Lctcher'> own Witness
cpnvic,> him. hos does that make uS RESPONSE
blc? We neither ln,dc the irsc nor Il id.iccd
the eyi,lc lcc 10 sustain il; but simply took the
evidence 10 which Mr.. l.. cher himself appeal.
ed, and let it speak for itself
ltmatters not where nc rested his defence, :"
the "Gazcttc" says he is above suspicion
now" We ak the "G .zettc" to follow out
its present avowal and call upon its brethren
Of tie Opposition press to Cease their false cla-
NOR anu abuse Of Mr.. Letcher. DO this, and
the State will forgive It's unneigh hborly act to.
wards Mr. Letchcr--wil forget It's vacilation-
and the &C lzctte" will in part, redeem It's
consistency and honesty as political journal.
The Gazette" laboring for an excuse for
its conduct, says the Richmond Enquirer is
responsible for every evil that may grow out
Of it, and TO that responsibility he shall be
held" and that responsibility" We have ne.
yer sou .ht to evllc. Tnc Gazette" continues.
lit is not a question Of our sccking--Sc re.
sisted It's introduction INTO the canvass last
summer when the Enquirer brought it for.
ward: We avouchcd for Mr.. Letchcr's present
fidelity. and bcsouyht the Enquirer not to visit
condemnation on Mr.. Letchcr for his past errors,
while that paper at the s,me time 1t was thus
assailing him, declared that it did not distrlst
his prescat flelty to the institutions of V.r.
sini',."
WHAT lies the 90 izcttc' mean in saying L
resisted its in'rod lction lust summer when
the Enquirer brought it o,ward:" The Rich.
nond "Whis" revived the Rnifncr Pamphlet :;
discussed it, m.ri;S, AMI hlazoacl its defect,
throus shout the country; ami when wc, as
tonishcd at what the pamphlet contained,
spoke out against Mr.. Lcichcr, the " ci,zcttc," ="
having 10 party Ia Virginia ami no motive to
influence It's opinion, espoused the ca,isc OF
Mr.; Lctcher and opposed us. IL the "G ,zette'
''reslstcd it> introduction. it III ui now resist
its further discussion. AMI, ~ Its intro luc-
ton WIS tie act Of the Richmond Nv lg.
will not IL. "Glz.ttr' chl upoa lis brethren
Of the Opposition P:e,S to c2lss their arrIi IN.
III mt Of Mr.. Lctchcr twaon thc "lilI .ttc'
no% prcaouncsS SO md upon a ",,aper" which
The III lzctte says h Is ''powc? for harm which
no patriotic mind GA conic.n ,,llt without feel
in5S Of h ,rrur an dread" As the "G nettc"
protests that il resisted the ",lrassin; the sub
jcct from its grave an f,rcins it on thc Demo
crdcy.' will not that plp.r al | Us in the cleo
ton Of its nciShb,r. who, itsayS, is now soun |,
notwithstanding the KifIcr Pamphlet has
been brought to light by it, OWE parly7
The Gazette finds itself very crnbarrass-
ingiy stu .tcl, in its variou, state ncnts in re
srd to Mr.. Letc!cr; m is in very great igno
rIac asc to the orr .in Of the discussion OF the
r ill,cr plmp phleL Tie Ricam,nl Wing"
first brought it forward AMI We discussed the
policy of nominating t. man who had signed
re quest for its publication.
TIC change Of front on the part Of the
"Glzeltc,' from its honest AMI unbiased opin-
ioi as to Mr.. Letcacrs soan lness last fall, to
distinct charge against the evidence Of his
present soualnrss, and asnn to another adlnis'
sion Of his present reliability, and yet to per-
sstencc il opposition to Mr.. Letcber because
Of the Rlfher pamphlet all tend to show the