Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-04-05
Aitbmon0 Enquirer.
rHE LEXINGTON GAZETTE AND MR LErcNER
By RITCmE, DUNSAvANT, TYLER + WISE.
TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL 5, 1895.

TUESDAY MohNlNCs AfhiL 13 ieoo'
THE LEXINGTON GAZETTE AND MR LErcHER
The Gazette is a Wing paper, published
in Lexington, and is now one Of the most de-
cided opponents of Mr.. Letcher 10 be found in
the State The vindictivencss Of its opposition
not only overleaps the bounds Of common
sense, but that consistency which should ever
characterize high toned journal.
When Mr.. Lctchcr's claims to the nomina,
ton were under consideration, and we were
aboring with might and main, and all the
zeal that we possessed, 10 defeat his noInina-
ton, we should have been seconded by the
Lexington "Gazette," IL il is "or honest in
its opposition to Mr. I.ctchcr.
After two lengthy editorials upon Mr. Lctch-
er's record, with a pencil Of light" as the
Richmond "Whg" says. it concludes thus:
"Such is Mr.. Letcher's defence. Such is
the record To which he appeals 10 vindicatc the
sincerity of his change Of opinion in respect to
the social and political evil Of slavery. Does
the testimony which he has adduced tend in
the slightest degree to show change Of opinion:
But, on the contrary, does it not convict Mr..
Lctcher Of deep-seated hostility to slavery,
slave-holding communities and slave-owncrs:--
And vet il is upon the evidence Of his course
in the Convention that he relies for his defence.
We have examined his course in the Convention,
we have looked up the defence on which he re-
lies. and what is il WORTH Instead oi acqulttlng,
it serves only to convict him Of the charge on
which his own party have arraigned him before
the people Of Virginia.
The editor Of the Gazette" living with
John'Letcher, ncishbor and rroleSsed friend,
evidently fully cosnizant Of all his political
acts and opinions pronounces him oil the 3lst
of March, 1859. as convicted "of deep-scated
hostility to slavery, slave holding communities
and shareholders" With this knowledge and
belief should not the Gazette have aided the
Enquirer" in preventing the nomination Of Mr..
Lctcher:
The editor of the Gazette" knew the his
tory Of the Ruifncr pamphlet, the Convention
debate, and the Congressional record; ne says
that John Letcher was by it convicted "of the
charge on which his own party arraigned him
before the people Of Virginia And yet that
editor, with this knowledge, on the spot where
the main offence was committed, was so lost
to patriotism, as 10 defend John Letchcr
against our attacks, when he must have known
far more than We even intimated.
In July, the following defence appeared in
tbn 7 II cinnnd "a
Whig," and was written, We are informed 10y
Mr.. S. McD. Moore, and appeared partly in
loaded editorial type:
but let us turn onr attention TO the pam
phlct itself, and see what foundation it furnish
rs for the charge Of aboltionism against Mr..
Letcher. The speech Of DIR. Ruffner which
he was called on to publish, was delivered in
February. The note requesting it, publica-
,ion, was written in April and the pamphlet
was published in September. The pamphlet
does not purport on Ms face to be 4 publication
If the speech, but is an address to the peoplcof
Western Virginia. and the author processes to
give in il the substance Of the arguments used
nv the author in debate which took place in
the Franklin Society. Th" author states certain
acts and bases the argument on those tactS.-
He moreover Uses some coarse expressions, not
ust d as far rs VIC remember or purporting 10 have
been used by the author. or any other member Of
the Society in the debate referred to- and in no
way strengthening or impairine the force Of tn
argument; and these expressions are culled By
one newspaper, and made the ground Of i'm.
parchment by others. against Mr. Lctchcr and
the others who signed the note to DIR. Ruffner.
MS wanting in fidelity to the South. 4 more
false and unfounded impeachment, and one less
warranted hy the facts, can scarcely be con-
ccvcd Of The facts do not. in our Judgment,
warrant such an impeachment against the au.
thor of the pamphlet, much less against the
signcrs of the note addressed to him. And We
will here affirm that notwithstanding his views
on the subject Of slavery, We do not know
purcr man or n pnrer patriot than the Rev.
Henry Ruitncr; and in the event Of n collision
between the North and South, we should inf
nitcly rather rely upon his fidelity to the South
than on that Of the men who rcvilc him for the
honest expression Of opinions, which were, at
the time, held by thousands Of others in the
State, and had been avowed by Jefferson and
very many of the purest patriots that this old
Commonwealth has ever given birth to-"
The editor Of the Gazette" knowing John
Letcher to entertain "a deep-seated hostility
to slavery, slave-holding communities and slave
owners" believing him TO be convict Of the
charges" We preferred, withholds its superior
knowledge. On the 3Oth September the Ca
zcttc' put forth the following in relation to
letter published in the New York Times:
The letter was written by an ill-wisher Of
Mr.. Lctcher, most probably by some hircing
aboitionist from New York, in order to provoke
him to take ground against one of the two
branches Of the Methodist Church, and thus
array its influence against him. The slarery
question * net az issut il the coming c0nrass,
,J0r there is but one opinion on that question
in this community, nor has the Methodist
Church Of either wing identified itself either
with John Lctcher or Judge Brockcnbrough.
About here, as between Lctcher and Brockcn-
brough no lines could be drawn since almost
everybody is for Letchcr The Democracy are
for him, because he is a consistent exponent Of
the oldcn time principles Of their party; nnJ
tho Wigs prefer him to any other Democra',
berause they beliers him to he an HONEST MAN.
who looks to the GOOD or TIE COUNTRY. and be-
cause they know hlm to be rSlNrEAcmARLE in
Ills DEVOTION TO TIncISrA AND HER ISsriTr-
TioSs.. ALL PARTIES Know HtN TO Br TErE TO-
THE PRo-sLAvERY INTERESTS.
What will the honest men Of Virginia say oi
such conduct? With the knowledge that John
Lctcher was hostile TO "slercrp, slave-holding
communities and slave.ownerS," the editor Of
the Gazette" defended him, pronouncinS
him "rSIMrEAcnAsLE in his devotion to 'lr-
ginia and her INSTITUTIONS" Believing and
knowing from his record, that John Letcher
was convict Of the charges" We preferred
against him. how could the Gazette say
"ALL PARTIES know him 10 be TRrE to the PRO-
SLAVERY TNrEREsrsg'
And again--how could the Gazette with
the knowledge it now parades, pen the fol-
following remarks about Mr.. Letchcr:
"Were il not so wickedlv mean to seek to