Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-03-26
Opposition Fiction .

Opposition Fiction.
The Wytheville fiction Of the Opposition,
has been completely refuted in the last few
days.
The Richmond Wing of the ..21st inst,
hears through gentleman from Wyth,"
that conspiracy had been formed by GER
tain leaders Of the Democracy Of that place,
to gagGoggin on the subject of the Ruff
ner pamphlet. It says:
cit appears, as we understand from the
gentleman aforesaid, that precious to the
arrival Of Goggin and Letcher in the coun-
ty, threats hab been made by the "Imposi--
ton leaders alluded to, to the effect that 1t
Goggim should azlude to the RNner PAM
phlet IN the course of discussion, that (the
leaders referred toy ,could make 1t a person
al matter Nth hin. 7! Mr.. Goggin opened
the debate, and did allude to the Ruffner
pamphlet and Letcher's connection with it,
in the same courteous and pointed manner
in which he had alluded to them both in all
the previous discussions. The moment he
did so, the ring leader of the conspiracy to
insult and intimidate Mr.. Goggin, sprang
to his feet and declared that If Nh, Letcher
acouzd not make a personal matter Of Mr..
Goggin's allusion to The Ru6ner pamphlet,
he acoMd!! And thereupon arose scene,
gotten up by these desperate little ''Impo-
sition" leaders of Wythe, such as has never
before disgraced the venerated soil Of proud
c,,I
fifteen Or twenty, perhaps-there was a
general and unprecedented confusion and
disorder, during which the discussion of
course was entirely suspended"
After discoursing thus at some length, the
Wing devoutly ''thanks God that the peo-
pie and press Of Virginia are still free"
and declares that the latter, SO far as he is
concerned, shall never be gagged, that
although he stands in some fear of assassin
alton, "the Richmond Wing under our (his)
control, shall never be gagged
Al! very fine, very determined, but un-
fortunately for the Wing, the object of its
invective, like the battle at Rock Fish Gap,
the object Of Goggin's eloquence, never ex-
listed, nothing Of the sort euer happened at
WytheviNe.
Thus goes another opposition romance
it is really surprising how they will tell
tales so susceptible of refutation.
E Some time ago, the opposition were
growing very Justify over letter received
by one of them from gentleman formerly
resident Of Rockingham, stating thai
Letcher soon after the Rufner pamphlet
was printed, had handed one to him, com.
plimenting it highly, at the same time, says
this gentleman, giving one to Mr.. Alger.
non S. Gray. The,sfollowing is a letter
written by Mr.. Gray to Mr.. Letcher on the
subject:
BUCHANAN. March IS, 1859.
Dear Sir AS was leaving Lexington
this morning on my way to Kentucky, a
friend handed to me the Richmond ''Whig'
of yesterday. containing certificate dated
March LIST, 1859, and signed VIM. Miller,
which states that "you handed to him and
me, at the same time, in Harrisonburg, DR.
Ruffner's pamphlet" I have endeavored
to recollect what I could on the subject,
but I do not remember the incident at all.
The editorial in which this certificate is
embodied says. "Col- Grey, who has not
been seen on the subject &c. I do no.
know why was not seen on the subject. --
have been at Harrisonburg ever since Mr.
Goggn was nominated, except four days
until Wednesday night. I saw Mr.. Miller
there and spoke to him about the 1st O.
March, and was in the Court house dur
ing the discussion between Mr.. Goggin ano
yourself, and in the town all that day. Z
was known there that was going to Ken
lucky about the 9th, but this subject wa!
not mentioned to me by any one. The ed
itorial alluded to says, also, the incenda
ry character Of the Rufiner pamphlet wa
calculated to make lasting impression OF
the memory of the circumstances stated -
This may be true, but I have in vain en-
deavored to remember them. I maxi
this statement in reply to your request
and shall feel it my duty to all con cernee
to give copy Of this to Mr.. Goggin before
the speaking at Fincastle tomorrow.
! Your friend and servant,
A G Gp AV