Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-08-03
Il Card frOm Cot. HI. 4. Hopkins.
PETERSBURG, July 81, 1860.

II Card from Cot. HI. Z. Hopkins.
PETERSBURG, July 81, 1860.
10 the Editor of the Examiner
Absence and accident together prevented
me from seeing your editorial comments on
my reply to the enquiries of Gen. Stands
until yesterday. A very brief explanation
is all ask, to save me from misconstruction,
aud this, am sure, your generosity will
freely accord to me. First. you say. "He
was not appointed to support the nominees
ola seeding Convention" as he says; and
just as little was be appointed an Elector
''to support those of a regular Convention"
In this | differ, radically and Sholly, with
you. If am not bound to support the reg
alar nominees of my party, by virtue of my
commission as Elector, then whom am |
bound to support? Am | at liberty, by
virture of my appointment, to advocate the
election of any other candidates than those
nominated by the regular Convention of my
party? Then / might WELD my official an
fuence to promote the election of Gen. Hous-
ton. Mr.. Bell, or even Mr.. Lincoln, with
out any violation of my official obligations.
/ admit, when the people have voted, their
will, as expressed at the polls, it becomes,
thenceforth. the law of the chosen, Electors.
For instance, if the same Electors were run
on the Douglas and johnson ticket, on the
Bell and Everett ticket. and on The Brock
inridge and Lane ticket, then the Electors
on the ticket having the majority, or the
plurality Of the popular vote, must, in the
College of Electors, vote for the candidates
of that ticket, whether they supported or
opposed them in the canvass In such
case, as in all cases of instructions. | would
say to the people, "Thy wiN, rot asi'le, be
DONE But as there will be three separate
tickets, with wholly different Electors, this
political anomaly cannot occur. AS hsan
to be brief. will say 30 more on this head.
You say, 'From Petersburg, Amelia, Pow
hatan, Prince George, and all through the
South side, we hear that the people are pot
making or couuenancsng any Douglas par
ty.' 1 can only say in reply that Doug
las party" is already 'smade" and fully Or
ganized in Petersburg, where we believe we
are already in majority over the Secession
party. In Prince George ard Dinwlddle,
/ found the douglas party at their July
Courts united, resolute and enthusiastic -
In each of these places delegates have been
appointed to the Staunton Convention. In
Mecklenburg and Prince Edward, the Union
Democracy and the Secession Democracy
are said to be nearly equally divided, aud
so it would seem by the proceedings of their
respective meetings at their last Courts. In
Amelia, you are probably right hear
the ''old jackson Guard" there have at last
surrendered at discretion. In Powhatan-
Deuiocracy that never surrenders-l only
know HIS that was present at their meet
ing, called to ratifv the nominations of Brock
snridge and Zane. and while the Court House
was crowded during the discussion, sort
of stampede occurred before the vote was
taken and by ny count, the resolution was
carried. ayes 6. noes2 Another eye and
ear aitness told me he counted. ayes 8. noes
8. As it is difficult to euamcrate voices ut
tered sc CT about the SAME time, | am will
ing .o concede that [, and several others
@ho concurred with me ia the count, may
have been mistaken, and thai the ayes may
have been 20 instead of 6--yet even that
numbee IS oplg about l in Is of the whole
De1aosrsoS CT tie county. The same thing
with aEout tiIe same proportional result, oc-
,rred in chesterfield [ do not pretend
nat either pogl.atan or Chesterfield has Jet
declared FOR Douglas. But as these were
Breckifridga end Lane meetings, | infer the
S 'cessionisst are ret SO numerous as you SUPP
rose they are al through the south-side. .
In conclusions, alloy HE to thank you for
tie expression ct your ''fcar' that [ have
made "a mistake" IN eating into ..'rather
bad curreiit to naft re towards Office -
If it be that the '.current' have chosen
shall watt ME frois Office shall sweeten
my Disappointment With tie consoling re-
fcctior that nag frEshd vas more cautious
and sagacious il choosing 1.-The current to
watt hin, towards Office.
very truly, 7oir6, &c.
II i HOPKINS.