Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1863-05-22
For the Yindicator.
The Governors Election.


AS the time appfoaehas=for the election,
the public mind looks around 10. make a
selection from the various candidates an
nounced to fill the two highest aud most
important positions in the gift Of the peo-
pie.
Among those nominated Of course All
voters will have choice, and each nomI-
nee Will have supporters, but in making a
seiectlnn, important questions arise relative
TO the qualifications indispensable to consti-
tute candidates fit for the exalted station.
1t is conceded on all sides that there
never was a period, not excepting the
emergencies Of the Revolution in which
statesmen of tried loyalty and true courage.
experience and discretion were more illdis
pensaDle, and were more imperatively de-
manded to be at the head OF affairs and in
the char Of state of every Stata, more Is
peclally OF the old Dominion he mother Of
States --a State Which has always stood pre-
eminently at the head OF all Others hereto
tore, but more emphatically at this i,npor
tant crisis, as being the seat Of Government
OF the Confederacy, and upon whose sacred
soil the Yankee hordes for nearly two wears.
have concentrated their forces, with The
slogan cry Of .On to Richmond upon
whose soil have been more troops mar
shalled, greater battles fought, and more
blood split than on all other battle fields du
ring this gigantic strug gle; and to capture
Richmond and overrun and subjugate this
venerable and glorious old State would af
ford the Yankee Cloths aud Vandals mex
pressible pleasure and unbounded exulta-
ton.
The same important causes and consider
ations which led to the selection and eleva.
ton of the present distinguished President
of the Confederacy, because of the union of
eminent military aud civil qualifications
imperatively demand man Of similar
qualifications in tie Governor of Virginia !:
for while it would not be SO important as
to be indispensable that Richmond should
be defended as the seat of Government Of
the Confederacy, yet it is indispensable
that it should be forever successfully de-
Tended as the capital of the Cd Dominion.
because It's capture would be the direst ca
lamify that could befal our cause. and give
the Yankees the greatest stimulapt to in
creased exertions in this momentous strug
gle. Hence no man who is simply red
tape methodlcal civilian, and nothing more
Will by any means meet the requirements
OF the occasion He must Be man in ey-
cry way equal to the great emergency
He must unite distinguished civil and mil
itary talents, and be man of tried and
undoubted courage, fortitude, discretion
and experience. One who could lead q
squadron IN the field with all sufficiencv
and be conversant with military matters
generally, as well as safely administer all
State affairs.
Let the merely civilian, therefore. how
eyer eminent his qualifications, at this i'm
portanS era. stana aside and await more
quiet times for His elevation, and let US
have man uniting the civil aud military
qualifications, upon Hhieh I'll could RELY as
a guarantee foI safety and protection to our
dearest rights.
With these incontrovertible facts.;n view,
who among all those now . dominated cornas
nearest to those requirements The an.s
swer is unhesitatingly aud uuqus stionablv
GENERAL WILLIAM SMITH He is ex
tenslvely known as distinguished civilian
and gallant cascers such man as IS re
CURED IN this important crisis. as Governor
of the Old Dominion, and will be cordially
supported as candidate He has hereto
fore occupied the position, having been
elected by the Legislature under the old
constitution, and discharged his duties faith
fully and efficiently He will probably
now be elected nuder the new constitution
by the people, with The aid of TIE soldiers
whose companies he has been ID the tented,
field amid the din and daDgeuof battle tii1
ring the whole war and who after lighting
his way to the head Of brigade, mas re
signed his seat in Congress to enable him.
to discharge his military duties more efH
GENTLY.
We may have peace during tie year, bit
we never shall have. peace till we drnb the
I Yankees into sense of propriety. which
may take some years to accomplish 1t be
hooyes us therefore to prepare for the worst
in electing a Governor qualified in every
respect to meet the emergency.
AS the present Governor is from the
West and the Lieut. Governor from the
Eest !: IS necessary for Tie next Governor
TO be from the East and the Lieut. Cover
nor from the West; with this programme
among those nominated for the latter posi-
ton, no one comes nearer the requisite
standard than General John D Imboden
Of Augusta, who Also untes the requisite
civil and military qualifications. He is a
lawyer of fine attaiuments, and an officer
Who has been engaged in the service Of his
country throughout the whole war.
Generals Smith and Imboden would
therefore meet the emergency of the crisis
md present an eptionable ticket, up
IN which all parties could unite, because
III political antecedents would be discarded.
he one having been heretofore a Democrat
md the other Wing. These, with the
present Attorney General, j. r. Tucker,
will complete the ticket
RAPPAHANNOCK.
ft*
For the Vindicator.