The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-01-12
The Senat0rs'lip.

The Richmond correspondent Of the Pc
tersburg Courier sends that paper some inter
esting speculations CONCERNING the pending
Senatorial contest in this State. He writes:
GAS informed you months ago, there is
not the slightest doubt but Mr.. Johnston
will DO re elected to the United States Sem
ate, if the wishes of large majority of the
conservative members of the Legislature can
prevail. Yet, as 1 then said, and now re
peat, it will not do to consider the matter set
tied and fixed in favor Of Mr.. Johnston; for
while doubt very much whether Mai w.
T. Sutherlin will run, or be run, in opposi
ton to Mr.. Johnston, think it very proba-
BILE that Mr.. Cochran, of Augusta, will-or
that he will put up somebody to contest the
election with the regular Conservative candi
date. Mr.. Cochran, though a conservative,
has been acting in very insubordinase and
Independent manner of late, and very re-
Gently he has applied to Congress to have his
disabilities removed. Why, atthisj unotgre seek
to have his eligibility to Federal Office restored?
1t has suspicious look. to say the least of it.
IF Mr. Cochran runs before the Legislature
for the United States Senate, the chances are
that he will be elected for it will be remem
bered that he nominated and elected Mr.. Jno
Green Smith, Judge Of the Hastings Court of
Staunton over Senator Waddell and I con-
slider that, having done that, he can certainly
have himself elected United States Senator
over any conservative candidate. After hav
ing run Mr.. Smith against Mr. Waddell (the
latter, as he avowed, being gentleman for
whom he had the highest esteem and respect, }
| cannot see what consideration can restrain
| him from allowing himself to be run against
ANYBODY for SO great prize as the United
States Senatorship. II will be recollected,
too. that Mr. Cochran was elected Judge of
the Hastings Court of Stanton, but after
holding the matter under advisement for
months, he declined to qualify. Why? The
reasonable presumption is that he had his
eye on something better. He has tested his
strength in various ways since then, and in
nearly every instance, 1 believe, he has come
off victor. The election of Smith over Wad-
deli showed him what he could do on joint
| ballot.
The power of Mr.. Cochran lies chiefly in
the support which he almost invariably re-
ceivcs from the Radical side of the House
l ne Has dloO ouidll ~ VI CoooeA 'N~i' W.
| who, combining with the Radicals, give him
his majorities. There are several Radical
members of the House who are called leaders
of their party, but the journal will show thai
Mr.. Cochran has carried that party with him
almost solidly even when he was opposed by
such Republicans as Thomas, Jackson, Pop
ham, McCracken and others. shall not pre-
tend to explain this-l content myself witt
giving the fact. 1t seems to me that Mr.
Cochran is the most dangerous rival chat Sen
ator Johnston is likely to have. do not sa,
that he will run at all, but have given thu
reasons which incline ME to that opinion A
further reason is that, as am informed. he
cannot be re elected to the next Legislature
! Mr. Cochran is closely connected by marriage
if not by blood, with Senator John L. Levi
: "a fact which may explain some things"
4 In Sonora, Indian sea ps are quoted
az on