Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-03-22
MI SCELLA N Y .
Letter from Hon. A. H. H. Stuart.


At the the great Ratification meeting in Rich
mond, on the night of the 7th inst, the follow
ing letter from the Hon. A. II. II. Stuart was
read:
STAUNToN, March 9th, 1869.
Gentlemen-I have had the honor to receive
your invitation to participate in the meeting
to be held in Richmond, on the 7th instant, for
the purpose of rstifying the nominations recent
y made by the Convention of Wings and Amer
leans, of candidates for the offices of Governor,
Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General
Those nominations meet my cordial approba
ton and regret that | cannot be present to
express, in person, the many reasons why think
they should be confirmed by the people of Vir-
ginis, at the polls.
With regard to the Democratic candidates
should have but little to say. have known Mr..
Letcher from his boyhood, and should take
pleasure in bearing testimony to his high char
acter for itegrity, and all the qualities which a.
dorm the character OF private gentleman. As
such l should delight to honor him. But, stand
ing IS he does, the representative man OF q po.
litical party which has, in my judgment, done
so much to iDure the best interests of the coun-
try, and which, unless checked in its mad and
mischievous career, is destined to bring upon US
still more serious calamities, by paralyzng the
business of the people-alienating one section of
the country from the other-eEdangsring the
stability OF our institutions, aud degrading our
national reputation in the eyes of the civilized
world feel bound by every consideration of
public duty, to oppose his election by all fair
and honorable means. .
| regard the present contest as but the initiative
step to the great struggle of 1850. 1t will show
whether the people of Virginia are loyal to the
principles of their fathers, and properly sppreci-
ate the blessings of our glorious Union. 1t will
make known to the whole country whether
they are prepared to rebuke and discard from
the public councils those selfish agitators, who,
for partizan purposes, and to secure for them
selves the high places in our government, have
not disdained to stoop to all the articles of the
demagogue-to trample under foot all the prin-
ciples OF civil liberty-to sanction the most a.
farming assumptions of federal authority-to
pander to the most mischivous sectional prejudi-
ces--to set at naught the solemn admonitions
of Westinghouse squander the public treasure
with prohigacy unknown to the better days
Of the republic-to startle the public with exhi-
billions of corruption in high places revolving to
every sentiment of integrity-and finally to rem
der imminent the danger of a dissolution of that
oonfederacy which is the palladium of our liber
aggression from abroad.
The time bas arrived for the people to pause,
and reflect on the present condition of the coun.
try, and the causes and the party which have
been instrumental in bringing it upon us. The
time of reckoning is at hand. The days of the
Democracy, trust, are numbered. To quote
the language or o distinguished Senator, used
the other day in reference to the ambiguous
platform OF Democracy, Virginia desires "neith-
er to cbent nor be cheated" Heaven knows
she has been cheated long enoughl She is now
prepared to look the dangers which beset her
squarely in the face. The imposing character
and members of the late Opposition Convention
show that she has aroused from her lethargy,
and is ready to take new observation to ascer-
certain how far che has drifted from the course
which duty to her own lofty fame and duty to
her confederate sisters require her to steer
1t is obvious to the most superficial observer,
that under the fatal auspices of Democracy the
country has become divided into two great Sec
tional parties, which are fast pushing Us to the
verge of dissolution of the Union. Losing
sight of all the great Industrial interests of the
country, and protesting to be the exclusive
guardian of the peculiar institution of the South,
the Democracy has, adopted as its cardinal meas.
ures, the acquisition of Cuba, per tas aut netas
the repeal of the laws prohibiting the African
slave trade-the seizure of Sonora and Chihua-
ha by force of arms-and the invasion and oc-
cupation by lawless bands of marauders of the
territory of friendly but delenceless neghbors of
Central America.
At home, we find the same party, at one ses-
sion of Congress, repeating that great measure
of paci6cation--the Missouri Compromise
(the repeal of which the Virginia Legislature
had pledged itself, but few years before, to re.
sist at all hazards and to the last extremity D.
and affirming, as fundamental article of their
fai n, the absence of all constitutional power in
Congress to intervene in the territories for or a.
gainst slavery-and, at the next session, we
have seen the same party attempting, by the in
tervention of Congress, to force the Lecompton
Constitution on the people of Kansas, in opposi
ton to their almost unanimous wish Defeated
in this iuiquitous measure, they now, in the face
of their former dogma of .intervention-de
mand that Congress shall pass laws, repeating
the acts of the territorial legislature, and SUBJ
stantially establishing, by Congressional legsla-
ton, slavery in the territories
What confidence can be placed in party thus
regardless of its own plighted faith, and of all
the obligations of the Constitution and of com.
mon honesty
Is it matter of surprise that measures like