The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-06-19
WgsTpEALIA. June II, 1860,


WEsTPKALIA, June Ii, 1860,
C,acrai William B. ,ShdnlS: r. ......
Drar Sir,-Iours of the 10th, with similar
,cttrrS on tho same subject, are before me.
MANY of nv icllow-citizenS Of the ConserYa-
rive marty having called on me individually
rnJ through county meetings to becomea
candidate for Congress at large for the State,
take the opportunity in replying to your
note to respond TO all such inquiries and So
Friiation>.
Whilst ! can say, in all sincerity, that de-
sire no Office, | have been reared i'll tic old
yir,inia school. which taught in our better
day. that the people had right to summon
,yiom>ocrcr they might choose to represent
them in their places Of public trust, and
that il was the part of good citizen to obey
.urh calls. | therefore do not feel mt liberty
I, disregard demonstration Of the people
fhqf is 50 clearly defined; and longer to with
hold my name, | am persuaded, would he
considered aS Il want of, appreciation on my
uart of the high compliment that has been
nld me, coming, i'll ii great measure, from
iho,, who have anta%onizcd me Ill politics
for quarter of II century. -."
Fit should be the pleasure of the Conser-
yatiyc party to elect me TO seat in Con-
crr>, | will most ZealoliSly render them all
hc service that my humble ability will ena-
hlr me 10 do. ....r
Ofthc rise and progress of political events
| have been Il close observer, but for ten
wears past have taken but little part inpoliti-
cal matters: consequently official honOrS
have but few charms for me in these de-
moralizcd and vcnal times but, however
feeble my efforts in the public service might
hc. feel bound to render all the aid to my
native state in this hour Of her dreadful
trial that | am capable of.
do not deem il necessary for an Old-llne
Whic 10 say much of old opinions that have
become wcll-nigh-obsolctc, and To he re-
pcating old internal improvement speeches
now. when everybody is for the system,
would hc like ones awakening from Il Rip
Van Winklc nap.
am familiar with the North American
continent from the Mississippi TO the British
provinces. and have crossed Virginia from
the sea to the Ohio, and beyond nearly to
th, lakes. twice on horseback. Uniortu-
narrly for Us, have met with few i'll our
borders who knew nnythingo of internal I'M
prVycmcncniS us Il system. If i had been
in Congress twenty years since, believe
the James river and kanawha canal would
now bc pouring its trade into Richmond. L
would finish the Chesapeake and ONO rail-.
road at once, and the water line rs soon as
practicable. which should not be long. The
work from Petersburg to Bristol U'G Lynch
bur" could and ought to he greatly I'M
proved The Norfolk and Great Western
should be laid immediately with two tracks,
and all other works should he pushed TO
completion. You may ask, Where Is the
money To come from! In reply, | ask where
did the northwestern States get money 10
construct hundred times rs much! L
am for PROGRESS. | want to make Virginia
an empire. Let us build all the cities from
Alexandria to Norfolk. ! do not believe
there is such another territory on earth.
With twenty millions of white people,
where will Samho be:
| was. rs | thought, Il consistent Union
man. but should be unwilling to take the
tcst-oath. Ny political disabilities were re-
g,.rded by General Schotield rs merely tech
nical. / presume, if elected, l could obtain
my seat.
To give Il clear view OF my position on the
most vital issues before lis in few words,
| insert here an extract from letter written
by me in january, 1868, and published IN
some Of our leading journals ut the time !:
- NY platform (the only true test OF loyalty
is the Union, the Constitution, and white
mans government, with equal justice to all
men before the law. / invite my friendsand
all who have agreed with me to come; ana
TO my old political opponents extend The
olive branch in good faith. Politically lWill
vii! stand on this platform, to him will l
henceforth give all the aid | possess
without regard to his antcccdcntS. The
question is not who will come, but who
will stay away? There is dark cloud
in the horizon, and we know not at
what time 1t may burst upon us. Let us
prepare ut once, ere it be too late, tor the
coming storm, and the man born OF a Cau-
casian woman who will not stand by us now
may he meet his just rewards" In the
same letter | said If | had the power |
would this hour remove from every man III
Virginia all political disabilities Besides
this, have urged the removal OF all politi-
cal disabilities on some Of the most proml-
nent members of both Houses Of Congress.
Universal negro suffrage is on us, but l am
not one of those who despair OF the Com
monwealth. 1t is not necessarily fixture,
and believe it will be but Sh0rt-llVeu. l
have steadily opposed the extension nf sur
frage, believing it to be an acquired and
not a natural right, and that it should be
cniovcd only by the intelligent, honest, and
virtuous, and not by the ignorant, profll-
gate, and vicious. The safety OF Virginia
in the great struggle before us depends on
our ability to cut away us many OF the deadly
eXcrcSccnccs of the abominabie constitution
Us we NAV be allowed to reach, and TO elect
II Legislature OF our good men who arc IA
vorable 10 good government and opposed 10
anarchy.
| have never seen either of the aSplrantS
Tor gubernatorial honors. L bear them no
personal unkindness, and do not call people
by hard names; but they are not oi my
household. One of them has good white
lieutenant, and promises well and l nave
no reason to doubt his sincerity, ana he
viii, therefore, receive my earnest support.
The other has Il negro for Lleutenant-Sio-
vernon on his ticket, which, III MaSsachu-
sets, would bring down curses from SUM
ner and irretrieyabie ruin on the party
which might attempt such thing i'll amy
northern State and if such thing VIII not
stir the men of Virginia, IL We're needless
for me to speak, though should be able TO
pour forth i'll the eloquent strains OF henry
or TO sound the clarion notes ol Clay: Lam
not the rival of anv one, and would now
most willingly support any man on WHOM
the Conservative party might agree 10
their vote In preference
10 an election myself but having
been persuaded that my name WIN
bring voters to the polls who would not
Otherwise come. and the Conservatives Ill
this section will not vote for either OF the
asprauts for the office which many OF nay
old political opponents desire to confer on
me, if can bring one voter TO the polls
and save the Legislature bya single member
/ shall he amply paid for any sacrifice that l
ain called to make, if by so doing | can con-
tribute single atom towards reconstruct
ing constitution under which we may I'VE,
or TO the election Of u good executive ana
legislative departments of government that
may save us from impending ruin. Or the
three aspirants for Congress 1T large, ! have
not one unkind personal feeling; it is their
and not my province to speak of their