Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-25
RICHMOND wHIG.
THE SENATORIAL CONTEST.

| THE SENATORIAL CONTEST. -H
To ms Editor Of The Wig:
lesMr Huater desires to resume g position to which
he Is entitled and for which he Is pre- emnenty fitted.
Why should he be SO rsncourously attackedg Why
his claims seat in the Senate of the oonfed
crate States be discussed without bitterness? This
time for revng aud for personalities LIST rs leave all
se Oft at sort to the Yankees, at least defer till
peace ia declared Surely, Mr. Hunter Ia the best judge
Of the proper sphere for his abilities. If be thinks he
can serve his country bser In the Senate than in the
Cabinet, ls. him by all means bis ssat in the
Senate. Or shall he be constrained to keep place
which he would prefer NOS TO rotaip? Let him resign
then, say bis enemies But the country cannot afford to
lose his services The permanent polly Of the goyerns
ent ID yet to De decided upon tao destiny Of Che new
born nston Is still to be shaped; an we need impcr
ously tbs best wisest pursst, and most experienced
men in the councils. To deny that Mr. Hunter is man
Of the frat order Of ability, is not less malignant than
silly. For years the whole country has accounted Mr.
Hunter among the very foremost Of living statesnen-
His speeches and oraons all attest this There is no oc-
| cSsion'to which he has not b,en found equal. As
Chairman Of the Senate Committee on Finance he has
rendered the most invaluable services. And it is the
financial question which is now the most important of
all others the and the future prosperity Of the
Confederate States. Ia the Senate, Mr. Hunter wio
his place. at the head of this Committee
aud will gil |: other can begin to fll it-for
no other person has his experience.
But it is said that,in leaving the Cabinet Mr. Hunter
Is deserving the President. Not ALL The country arc
the President one-the welfare of the country is the
Presidents welfare. Mr.. Hunter is but retiring from
position in which he oln in the nature Of things 10 but
little service for mouths come another 10 which no
render services of the highest possible value and
which other 10 the nation can so eff f,ctually
render. He goes position in which he can sustain
the President far more vigorously than he can now
Mr.. Hunter, as a representative man in this revolu.
ton, ought not to be opposed by less than him
SELF Mr.. Seddon is the only worthy to be nstned
in comparison with him in this respect and Mr. Seldom
vii! not oppose him. The defeat Of Mr.. Hunter 10 this
contest will be viewed throughout the South as delest
Of ths cause 1t will disherten our friends there.
believe am not mistaken In supposng that Mr. Barbour
is the only opponent Mr.. Hunser has 10 fear do Lot
circulate among the politicians, but the
is what have jus. stated. should think the members
OF the Legislature would not be able TO- present them
selves before their constituents with the hope of approval
after escing Mr. BIrSour and rejecting Mr.. Hunter As
to the relative abilities of the two men, think all will
agree with me that, far Mr Barbour is concerned
tho leas. said the soonest mended With regard to Mr.
BlrbOurs devotion the South grave question arss
This devotion may exist ia the highest, most patriotic
unsefsh, frank, manly, opsn.hearted and saightfor.
ward intensity but when was it manifested wss Il
when Mr. Msmminger's suit for a Southern Conference
pending b,fore the Virginia L,gslatureg Il is said
that Mr. Memmngers defeat is attributable almost sole
ly to Mr. Barbour. do no. know this but have heard
/. from the lips Of Democratic members then 10 the Le
gssture. Was Mr. Brbours devo ion to the South c 4
hbed in bis behavior at the Charleston Convention p
Delegates to that Convention declare that he blew hot
aud cold, aud was by turns both a Douglas and a
Breckenridge man. This may may not be true. But
his course in the Virginia Convention atoned probably
for earlier Did it9 Ask any secessions in the
Sate and he will tell you, emphaticaly, no. His course
uncertain, undecided undemocratc up almost 10 the
period when the most rabd Unioniss were forced to
como He was mora sstuse than they and acted
quiokly-thats all. The election Of such man In
place of Mr.. Hunter, would not add to Virgnias nfn-
ence on the contrary, i. would seriously impair it
think.
Ths say in spirit Of personal hostility to Mr. Bar
b,ur, for 1 do not know him. say il as Virginan,
who desires his State to maintain the high position she
has always held. love old Virginia, and esteem her
welfare and honor Beyond all things else The success
Of this that Is nothing to me- have no axe to
grind, have never had, and pray never may. am
not party man, and certainly not Democrat; for OF
the few votes have at intervals cast during my
life, oil were for Wings. know Mr. Hunter no. at all
intimately, but believe him to bs pure and patriotic
man, an able and experienced statesman, and SUCH
desire to see him once in the Senate lending bis
powerful aid TO the solution of the financial and other
troubles that surround us. The State will be what she
has always been and ought always to be- the admitted
and honored leader in the Republic if he is elected