Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-02-17
WAsRIsofoH HEws AHp GOSSIP.
tEd'for,nl Correspondence Of The Star.
RIcuNoSp Va Feb 16 1Sf

lEdHortdl Correspondence Of Ihs Star
RICHMOND, Va, Feb Is, 1860.
This city is now chock full of delegates to the
Democratic State Convention large nambes
having arrived since closed my letter Of yestef-
day; and still more to come by the several
trains and steamboats, to arrive the course Of the
day. -
The friends Of Wise confidently claim great
numerical majority Of the body, and think they
are correct in making the claim; insomuch al
they went to work In due time to secure the at
tendance here Of every man from every portion Of
the State, known az active In mis- favor who might
he able to pay his own expenses on such an occa-
sion, and could possibly spare the time to attend
In Virginia, the county meetings of both parties,
after naming delegates TO State Convention,
usually add resolution that any member Of the
party, voter In the county, who may be In Rich
mond at the time, is authorized to take seat as
delegate. Hence party State conventions here are
little more than State mass meetings, in the pro-
ceedings of which any and every member of the
party may participate Thus those who choose to
drum up attendants, a. the w ise managers have
done, may at will draw together large majority
Of symPathizers in their cause provided their
opponents, in this case fold their arms, stand
on their dignity, and disdain to resort TO any such
system of generating for their favorte illusory
he does not really possess.
Last night the Wise men held mass meeting
at Corinthian Hall. which is said to have been
packed with motley crowd Of Richmond city
people, Of all political parties, and delegates.
They voted to press the proposition to express the
preference of the State for the nomination of Ex-
Governor Wise by the Charleston Convention The
vote upon 1t Ia the convention will doubtless test
his strength in that body. 1t will of course be
vigorously opposed; for il il an innovation upon
the partys custom, never but once deviated from
On that occasion resolution nstructine the dele
gates to be elected by the people of the respective
districts to vote for Van Buren, was passed
which had to be eventually repudiated by the
State, whose vote, II will be remembered was
| thrown against V. Il on account OF bis desertion
Of the Democracy upon the Texas question The
Wise interest further claim tc be able to throw a
large preponderance of the numerical vote of the
party in the State by and through their in this
instance of the system of 'alernate' voting which
prevails here. County meetings, distant from
Richmond, after choosing delegates, are in the
habit OF resolving that in of the failure OF any
of their party from their county 10 attend then its
vote may be cast by A, b, and c, naming two cr
! three prominent politicians from other counties
who will surely be there.
had but quietly to furnish list of their partizans
they wished to be entrusted with votes to their
active men at distant county seats, charging them
with the duty Of getting those names inserted IN
the resolutions rs alterRates The masses Of the
party In such counties rot knowing anything
whatever CT the particular Presidential predlec-
lions of those proposed alternates-who are only
known to them las invariably being active in the
Democratic party cause) accept their suggestions
mem. Coz" In this way it is not improbable that
some six active partizans Of the nomination (at
Charleston) of Gov. Wise carry in their breeches
pockets credentials alternntes to cast the vote
Of 10000 Democrats Of the State; Mr.. Hunters
friends not having resorted to the same plan to
counteract them.
Ii is now after II a. m. and the convention
meets at noon; SO must close this in order to get
a good seat from which to observe the high
times' that will doubtless come of there
w. ID. VIZ