Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-05-06
POLITICAL DISCUSSION IN SOUTHAMPTON.
SorTnAMrrON, April Psi, 1852.

Mcssrs. Editors The good people Of this
county were rather unexpectedly enter
tanned by a discussion to-day at FrInklin,
on the Seaboard Rail Road, in this county, be-
tween Messrs. Lctchcr and Goggin. The no.
tice was short, but n circus company had drawn
together q crowd of some twelve or fifteen hun
drcd people. Mr.. Gcggin led of in a speech
of one hour, and, concluding that Mr.. Lctcher's
connection with the Ruffncr pamphlet was his
most vulnerable point-that was the burden Of
his spccch-in a question which had been so
thoroughly discussed by the press and in our
Convention, previous to Mr.. Lctchcr's nomina-
ton, of conrse he made no new points. What
q pity he did not have Tim RiYes' speech re-
ported for his use in this canvass; for Mr.. Cog
gins was far inferior in argument, in power
and effect. Indeed, Mr.. Letcher has had much
harder rubs sparring with his friends than Mr..
Goggin can give him. AM these sparring
touches with his friends have made him wiry,
supple and activc-far too hard for his adversary
in fair fight. Letchcr, in reply, stated frankly
what had been his connection with that PAM
phlet, the opinions he had entertained, what
his opinions were now, and.called upon every
man who doubted his soundness on the ques-
ton of slavery and his fidelity to his State now
to vote against HIM; from that he carried the
war into Africa; showed in what company
Goggin was now in, what company he had al
ways kept; Harrison. who was a member Of an
Abolition Society in Virginia; Clay, who wish
ed all the negroes back in Africa, and who op-
posed the extension Of slavery and slave terri.
tory; Taylor, who ran in the free States by the
Executive ~proviso; Scott, who desired the abo-
lition Of slavery in the District Of Columbia,
and held it the duty Of masters to mellorate
slavery even to determination Summers OF
| Virginia, who voted to abolish slavery in Fir-
ginia.
Both Of the leading spirits Of their last Con-
%vent,on, had been on North begging. the Black
Republicans to form with him a holy alliance,
&C., &c. That he Gosgin) held that odious
and detestablc doctrine, that a citizen OF Nirsi-
MIA, caught By the Federal authorities, with
arms in his hands, obeying his State laws and
| Constitution. in resisting what his State con-
| sidered an unconstitutiona law, was 4 traitor;
and, as such, was to be shot. That he, (Letch-
er,) so help him God, would never hold that a
citizen Of Virginia was a traitor, who obeyed
her Constitution and her laws; that Virginia
had a right to Judge when the Federal compact
was violated; and when it was, he was ready,
with the whole power Of the State, TO plant
himself on her Northern borders, and say to
the Federal powers, not a hostile foot shall
press Virginia Soil. Not only that, but not a
man OF a gun shall pass her Territory, to attack
a sister State Of the South.
Mr.. Goggin replied in n half hour speech,
made no new points, and wasted most Of his
time in anecdotes. Mr.. Letche- closed the dis
cussion in 4 speech Of the same length.
Now, MeSsrs. Editors, let a locker on, who
NAV perhaps be, as all men are, somewhat under
the influence Of party bias, give you his opinion
of two public men, whom he has never heard
before, Us impartially as he can. And first, Of
Gogsin. He is, | am sure, a good, jolly fellow;
he opens his mouth, and the words fy like wa
ter out a pump spout, gush, gush, gush, until
you stop the valve. In his opening, he told us
Le,cher said he had risen from the dead
There is one thing certain, whether he has been
sleep or dead, his anecdotes are older than "Old
Joe Miller's.' Why did he not stop in Rich
mond and see L. W. Tazewell, and Get some
new ones? Tell his friends he wastes his time
sadly over these old stories, TO stop him from
playing to the pit so much; that down here in
his reply speech, he devoted half his time to
stale old anecdotes, when he ought to have been
addressing himself to the great questions before
him. He is a pleasant fellow, from whom You
can draw more amusement than instruction.
About Letcher, Goggiu said, very aInusingly,
he had a head that looked like it had worn out
three bodies Now there was more in that than
Goggin thought for; Letcher is a serious, earn
est man; he does not 60 j~estingly about his
work. A man rising by his W excrtions, Ia
king a step forward with difficulty, holding
that steadily, looking EDWARDS and upwards
still advancing, he is thoroughly in earnest in
what he is about. As the result of that, as a man
of steady views and principles, he drives right
at his object, without showing either much
fancy or classic training; yet at times he be-
comes eloquent from the strong and luminous
manner in which he presents his thoughts. As
a debater he is far the superior Of Goggin, a
clearer thinker and better rcasoner. There
vas one thing that pleased me, the discussion
was conducted in a tine temper, hard blows
given and received but no bad blood between
them.
We were glad 10 see Letcher down here, es.
pecially as It had been said he was afraid to
come. We are all right, and expect to give a
good account Of ourselves. Yours, &c,
LOCKER o..