The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-12
THE WASHINGTON UNION.

NN - VI AAAAiE III A4hllEFHAGnts vi. AUikMl
claimed the privilege, and proposed to meet at Richmond
or Charlottesville. He Nr. H. having made appoint
mentS previous 70 MI, Goggin's nomination, and having
respectfully invited him TO participate. conceived that he
had performed his duty to that gentleman. What his
(Mr. G's) course would be he could not tell. He should
pursue his own course, and leave Mr. Goggin TO do the
same and, If God would spare his life, he intended ma
king his last speech in Mr.. Goggin's own town, thus
boarding the lion in his den.
The speaker here stated that previous to his nomination
most Of the democratic papers OF the State had advocated
his claims to the Office of governor, and many of the OPP
position Journals had expressed themselves in terms high
ly favorable TO his nomination. Now, the song was
changed and the Norfolk Herald, which a short time
back had intimated TO his party "to lay aside their po-
litcal soruples, and vote for the democracy. Now, on
the I'd of March, 1859, he finds the following abusive ar
tlcle
"Ah, hal Honest John fox like opens the canvass
in Shenandoah in his own district. the very centre of the
Tenth Legion. He has three excellent reasons for so do
ing the first Is, the hope that Goggin will be there,
where amid the ferocious yells and shouts of the Swa-
bians, nine-tenths of whom are 'dimmycrats, he expects
to gain the presage of victory in the first encounter.
The next is, that among u people who worship the
almighty dollar, and where a Spanish four-pence expands
10 the size OF n cart-wheel, he can fill the long ears of his
auditors with the puerile whimperings about tea and cof-
fee, which it is understood is to be the staple of his
speeches. The third is, that there are scarcely any slaves
in Shenandoah, and as the mass of his constituents are
known to hold fast to the anti-sayery notions, they
brought with them from Pennsylvania, Honest John
thinks his head will be well shielded against the thwacks
which Mr.. Goggin is sure to give the anti-slavery candi-
date. Who, in the name of all that is honest and fair,
ever heard of a candidate for governor or a candidate for
Congress commencing the game In his own district, es-
pecially in a locality where to be anything but a dim
mycrat' is criminal. Where it is almost lawful to shoot
down an anti.JacSson wing on the highway
In reply to this article Mr.. Letcher remarked that un-
fortunately for this poor devil, Mr.. Goggin, his candi-
date, had just spoken in his county and town. Great
laughter Is it true that the people of this county are
less loyal to Virginia than those of Norfolk {? No, sirs,
but they would be found ever ready to enlist under the
glorious banner upon which was inscribed "Sc Sempa
2brdiras, He would not in his absence assail Mr.. Cog
gin. During the eight years he (Mr. ID was in Congress
he fought hand to hand with Giddings, the bitterest foe
of the South, and he would refer among Others to a speech
delivered on the 9th Of February, 1855, in which he used
the following language
"If the Union cannot be preserved upon terms of
equality, and If the territory OF this country, acquired
by the common blood and common treasure, is not TO
be open alike to the North and the South, then we desire
TO be informed of the fact and whenever the crisis
comes the Union must be dissolved, whatever may be the
regret that will attend its dissolution. / for one, re-
garded as one of the most conservative men in my own
State, and unwilling to believe that there was u settled
purpose OF this kind anywhere, am yet prepared for the
result whenever these issues shall DO forced upon us by
the people of the North. / shall stand by the rights of the
land in which / was born, and in which L trust my bones
shall repose. ! ask nothing here but what | am willing
to accord TO Others and so long as l have life or voice
or an arm to raise, they will be raised in defence Of the
rights, institutions, and honor of the glorious South.
The Union has its benefits and blessings. l acknowledge
them all but n Union based upon other principles than
| liOhC u t'liitiilf HAS iD tUili IS ~ lnt l. CDDlt llOn u
State which has maintained her rights in times past, and
which will stand by them in all time to come with equal
irmness. Whenever an attempt is made to strike down
her institutions and interfere with the rights Of her citi-
zens, the North will find that Virginia can and will ex-
hibit u spirit of stern resistance that she will stand by
her rights and institutions to the DEATH
Is there any man here who does not endorse these sent
iments? Not one who boasts the glorious name of Vir-
ginan will dissent.
Mr.. Letcher here reviewed the character of some Of his
opponents, and asked, who are they that assaii him Z
Who presided over the Richmond convention VIM,
Ballard Preston, a man that said no one had q right to
hold slaves. Mr.. Il. i, Scott, who was one Of the chief
actors in that convention, stnl holds the doctrine that
Congress has the right to piss the Wilmot Proviso. Jno.
Minor Bolts How stands he 7 as he, too, has thrown
down the gauntlet, he (Mr. L. would take It up.
On the 9Th of January, 1856, he ignores the slavery
question, and, in his speech before the convention in
Richmond, on the 18th Of February, 1859, he declares
that he was willing to unite with free negroes to put
down the democracy. Mr.. Bolts is for the spoils without
regard to the rights OF honor OF the South. The Rich
mond Wing, in 1856, that repudiated him and called his
adhercnts the miserable Bolts clique, is now willing to
unite with a man who takes to his bosom blacl,-republi-
cans and free negroes to form q union for 1860.
In 1856, John @. Adams was invited to Richmond to
participate in a dinner given to Mr.. Bolts, although, he
(Adanis) had publicly proclaimed IN Congress that he
would see the whole five millions Of southern whites
~butehcred TO bring about abolitionism, How much fur
Their could any man go?
The speaker asked, who invited Ii. w. Davis to Rich
mond and staunton2 His utilization with the blackre-
pubicans in Congress was notorious. Is this the party
that arraigns mel 4 party that voted for Willard Fill.
more in lSiS who in 1912 actually INTRODUCED and vo.
ted for a bill for the naturalization and introduction OF
negroes to the rights of citizens, and which Gov. Wise,
who was at that time in Congress, denounced. Have
these any right to question my s%oundpess? During the
administration of Mr. Fillmore the speaker would admit
that lie ACTED his part well under all the circumstances,
but he must be condemned for turning out those kidnap-
pers upon application OF Mr.. Summer who attempted to
run out 10 negroes from the District. Is it not strange,
also, that during his administration Washington Territory
was ORGANIZED. and aliens who arrived in the Territory
the night previous to the election were permitted to vote;
but now the democratic party was to be a~rraigned for
even consenting to the present naturalization Laws. The
speaker had always maintained that every voter should
be first naturaliaed, but the majority ln Congress had
pas sed the Washington territorial bill, and IT, was nov
eft to work out its own results.
With regard to Internal improvements Mr.. Letcher said
that the burden Of taxation should not be increased. The
legislature had gone far enough. These works SHOULD
advance slowly and surely. lie regretted that be could
not procure the passage Of a bill by the late Congress,
granting 10 Virginia 81 ,0T6, 900, to which She is Justly
entitled for moneys advanced in the revolution. Mary
land had received her claims Tor the same thing, and he
doubted not at the next session Of Congress, Virginia
would receive what was due to her upon q fair settlement
Il would aid us in the State improvements. He was not
willing 10 see lie people further burdened.
In conclusion the Speaker made y most eloquent ap
peal 10 those who had sustained him in the past. e.
could with more confidence ASS their support now, and
in indicating him, they would ~yindicate Themselves.
He hoped that the voice of Shenandoah would be heard
as the voice of thunder, and her people ever be found as
true to Virginia as any other portion Of the State,
The speaker here took his seat amidst loud applause,
and the following resolutions were adopted with entire
unanimity