Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-06-17
The Virginia Elections.

Col. William Smith has been elected Governor Of.
Virginia by about 900 majority over Thomas Stan-
hope Noupnoy and George W.-Munfad. Colonel
Smith has been heretofore Governor of Virginia and
has. served several terms in the old, and one
ia the new Congress He was an original Sc
cessionist, but unlike, many Of that class, he
entered the army and has fought gallantly, though
probably sixty-ve to seventy years Of age. He was
no "peaeea61 secessionist" in practice, Whatever
he may have been in theory before the war. We
honor the old man for his consistency and courage
The Conservatives of the State numbering three to-
one Of the people, divided their votes between Col.
Smith and Mr.. Neurnoy, the latter receiving .
m.jority Of them. The honest fighting ssessiens
lists generally voted for Smith, together with many
Conservatives in and out of the army who were anx
ious to honor him for his services in the field the
majority of the Conservatives voted for Mr.. FlouF
noy; andthe stay-athome, Office holding secessiatt
lists and the dregs Of the Yanceyites all Of them b
ing camorous and interested supporters Of the Con
federate administration, voted for Mr.. Auneord. =
The vote of the latter is quite small Col. Smiths
election is, therefore, not secession and admins.
tration triumph. tits the result of peculiar creun
stances, and to some extent accidental. If the Con-
servatives proper had been organized as they shodd
have been, and as they were in this State last yr,
and i the Richmond Whig and other Conservative
journals had given to Mr. Flournoy vigorous sop
port, he would have been elected by handsome
majority, Notwithstanding Col. Smiths military
popularity. I
The Examiner Of the 9th says it is impossible y
say when the names Of the Governor, Lieutenan;
Governor, members of the Legislature::and of Con
gress will be known with official certainty but thu.
paper compliments the people of Virginia on the r.
suit of the elections in the following strain: ''
"The candidates elect are of all hues and shades
of opinion and character. 1t has been confused
scrub race, and the winners such as might have
been expected The election has been decided nct
only without regard 70 party, but without the a.
sistance of principle. Wings and Democrats, ola
submssonists and staunch supporters of Stae
Rights have been elected OF defeated where they
least expected If any general idea is to be gather.
ed from the action of the people, it is that they wer.
strongly disposed to vote against every candidat,
rendered prominent by position character or talent
1t has been the apotheoss of the obscure, the bless
ing of those who might have, and should have ex
pected nothing Most of the members Of the las
OohSrtSS anu Inc Legislature are Qefe0teQ Tnerl
they have been re elected, with perhaps single ex
ception, they were opposed by men more prominent
in late political action than themselves. The expa
nation Of this popularity is not We hope. to b.
found in an increasing disposition of the State II
mobocracy, but to the fact that the people are un
happy and distressed, and therefore disposed to b,
dissatisfied with allahaas .hoa4s ssssy h..s iita
habituany trusted. Nearly every voter has lost
son, brother, O. seen them come home cripples
and is glad to crafty his humor in vote agains
the public man to whom he has been accustomed t.
commit his share of public power"
The above extract furnishes pretty good evidenc
that the Conservatives have carried the Legislature
and Congress, and have thereby rebuked the selfish
ness and paEtysn Of the Confederate administrator
New men-that is "obscure" men, in the Ian
guage of the Eraminsr-have been'put in, and tn
old hacks who have disappointed and displeased tn
people, have been turned out That is good. The
people still rule, even in Virginia.