New-York daily tribune., 1862-05-15
.IOE9N LETCElER,

sOnal aspirations. nave rciu"W occu H"'c e'ii"
inely exemplifed than in the career and char
acter of the individual above named. John
Lctchsr is a citizen Of mid-Wcstern Virginia,
and has been lifelong asprant for Office under
the banner of what calls itself Democracy.
MANY men adhere to tho Democratic party
because they deem it the strongest buwark OF
Slavery; Le.chcr, Anti-S!avery by original con-
vic,ion and by the general sentiment of his
,icinace, is now prolessedly Pro-Slayery, be-
cause that 10 the interest of Sham Democracy.
Elected to Congress and to the Chief Magis-
tracy of his party he has tried to keep pace with
il in its recent break-neck course; yet when the
Southern bolt was made at Charleston, he re-
colled and sustained Douglas to the end-with
no other result, however than to give the
State TO Bell. The Democratic leading strings
were in the hands OF the disunion conspirators
Wise. Hunter, Mason. Bocock, Seddrn, John
NJ. Daniel. Nc.-and Douglas, with the regular
nomination and tho support Of the Governor.
received but 1920 votes in the State to
"a, ,323 for Breckinridge-Be beating the latter
by barely 3j5 majority.
But Letcher was still Governor with some
years TO serve. ilc could not well be set aside
bis position rendered him worth c0ucaing--and
he was ultimately roped or bulod into taking
part with the rebellion Disilusted and hated
by tine early and hearty Dsunionsts, he is COM
PEELED to cynce an eXtrayagant zeal for their
cause, and 10 favor measures of prescription and
violence which IN bis calmcr hours hc must
loathe. Hence The Richmond Examiners inti-
nations that be- has become scandalou,y intem-
perate. and has recently exhibited himself in
public gatherings in a state of gross intoxlcation
have an intrinsic credibiliiy which the mere
assertion of that journal would not give them.
Seeing what Virginia was. what she is. aud what
has brought her to this state Of squalor and mis-
ery. if any man on earth might be expected to
seek rsfiee from the agonies Of remorse IN the
stuoor of drunkenness. that man is John
Leicher.
THIS luncliooary on the 5th transmitted
Message to the rebel legislature OF Virginia,
wherein he premises that the recent General
Conscripiion orGercd by the rebel Congress Is
unconsttutionli-ihat is, unwaraDted by the
Monfcom.ry Constitution Of l66l-which it
doubtless If. Letcher, however, docs not pro-
pose 10 insist on this point, nor do We. The
Rebel despotsm will do whatever il deems eI-
pedient; and those who have, like Letcber
run their nocks into It's nooe, may grumb'e II
they choose, but must nevertheless submit. IL
is very trite maxim that whoever seeks to
enslaye others surely enslayes himself.
Alter adroiily suggesting that he has had no
share in the Military councils Of the Confed-
eracy-the Rebel State authorities having been
com mpletely absorbed or ignored by JEFF. Davis
and lis Cabinet--he insists that
We hey. Lad teye.-ss recently bat instead Of dis
couras:ug piins p.oPe they should produce es'
scy The eppo..ie eject. 1ney should stimulate us 10 In
ci-s.-d Efforts 20 r,douh-d enersir- ard sh,ad arouse
throughout tie en,ire Coni.d-fsy not- determined un
couipromdng aud nuy eiing spirit. ~ eyor VII de
t,rnine hs Ae shall .o be .ujos'trd the VIII
b. tree can Dol De reduced to slavery"
If The past defeats of the Conf,derates ought
20 make them so much stronger, fow more
.uch should render them perfectly insincbe.
-lIcsartha p!c!ulc oi u shabby and seedy
! personagc kcaod out of his lodgings for in.
ability to pay, with a scheme for paving of
the National Debt sticking out of lis pocket,
mas had many counierpnrts; but the Conied-
crate notion that their leaders have made a
grand mistake in fighting and getting whipped
at boms when they should have invaded and
conquered thr Free States. is ono Of the best
OF them. They might not to be sure, have
been worse whipped in Chic or Pennsylvania
Than IN Tennessee: but one defeat here would
| have cost them more than several at home.
But hear Letcher on this point:
Our policy mus, BE- changed Ws make thi. q war
Of Invasion. must push with zeal and energy equal
that Inhibited by WHY enrmy. Maryland 100
deemed Accomp tLi the WI, be- opon-d to The
iny-.on OF ,h- North tnouaid. of armed
| m afss al -idrs who -i cheer luly
,-r -,ioes with ou. and will eorii,y cool,r, In c.r
ryns ou as to toss sec,ios in which has not yet boon
.rn We must increase forces n tho Valley oi tifsnis
Iers.ou u,a be lately lr euorrrd He must have the
poyer 20 clear vsey make al points H. the
rn-ny- territory most likely TO iLc bm t.
Northern paoue their and will enable them TO feel
and sppn oae tbe dis.dvaaeet and evils Of -nch
they sl'iy brought upon the country They
mus: made cr these before hope u
pear. and the they made to feel them tho
| sooner ace VIII came.
ty.n asp upon Maryland relieve hur subusaod po plo
and enable TO unite with those whose interests and in
.zn ol her best citizens viii al rush 10 the standard of
the Southern Confeiersoy and will themselve,
Glen. soldiers their brethren now In service la Virginia and
other States Of the Confedsrsoy"
a." Interests and institutions" do you mark
MARYLAND is claimed as q natural ally and
adiunct of the Confederacy, not that tho Union
has wronged her in any way. but because she
is Slave State, and must Of course sympa-
tbize with Pro.Slavery rebellion. And if she
were as thoroughly Slave State as South