The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-03
THE d. 9. sENATORsH1P.

THE ~ g. SENATORsH HIP.
THE CANDIDATES cANyAssEp.
g Ex.G0YERg0R LETGHER nv THR LEAD.
The organization of the General Assembly
completed, there was perceptible decline
In the crowds that throngsd The Exchange
Hotel: last night, which n as occasioned By the
homeWard fight OF the snnmerous disap-
Pointed aspirants for fegisIative favors
Owing to this the political gossius and
members turned their attention TO the sena.
totiai question, which is now the current
topic OF conversation. a Dispatch reporter
last night made partial canYass Of the Con.
seryativa members of,ha General Assembly.
and notwithstanding the skiIfGi manauyresI
Of anysot them to avoid the butfon-h0ie,
thinking he Tas q candidate, be was enabled
tomnke Sefy good survey of the; field. The
oas thing seemed to. be agreed tipoa by sa1
minority Of those to syhans no spoke was that
Senator Johnstons chances Tor rejection
were RAPIDLY growing email by degrees and
beautifully less.W His strength. it was
stated, would be eocfned to that section Of
the State lying between North Carolina and
West Yitginia, west Or the AIleghanies. a
senator who ts close end critical obseryef
remarked that under ordinary circumstances
the Southwestern. candidate would carry the
entire Valley OF Virginia TO- Che Poto.
mac; bur COW, nnf6rt unately Tor Senator
job. ston, as soon as be crosses che snountalns
he IS met by Ex-Governor Le.eher, who has
a widespread popularity 10 that entire sec.
tInn. AT what 81 known Ia political par.
lance as the divide" goi0g east by south,
Mr.. Johnston meets face TO face the Hon.
John .Goode, of Norfolk, the !" Young
America of Virginia." who WAS born in the
shade OF the Blue Ridge. Goode will, it Is
thought, show great strength, and may turn
out TO be the most formidable candidate
against Letcher, With possible chances in bis
favor; but at present Johnston seems to be
regarded as the man to be disposed Of first
by bis opponents. In whatever compli.
cations may arise there is every rea-
son to believe on the part of many
from sections outside OF his own, while it Is
said on the other hand that Lescher, by his
middle position, has good cbaoce Of pick
ing up votes from the friends OF other de-
feated nominees. Members from the Valley
the senator. By the Valley proper Is meant
in all political controversies all that portion
of the State between Bristol, on the Tennes-
see line, and Jefferson, on the Potomac; and
as against any Eastern candidate this section
will present solid front for any man along
Its whole line. Some of General Johnston's
friends, in anticipation OF bis defeat,
contemplate putting forward Mr.. James
SboFlu of Gurp aouptu. in hia rtarp
He IS lawyer Of distinction, an orator, and
the son of Sheffey Of Revolutionary fame,
and it is thought that he might command the
Southwestern vote, but would fail to develop
any outside strength, Hthen, Ii Is contend.
Valley man would fall heir TO their full
strength beyond the mountains, he would
come East with muster.roll hard to beat.
10 the last are two prominent candidates-
Goode, of Norfolk, and ex Governor Smith,
of Fauquier; but there are few who claim
that either of these gentlemen can command
the undivided vote OF bis respective sec-
| ton. It Is believed that Goode will be
| weakeEed by the friends Of Mr.. Thomas s.
| Flournoy, OF Halifax, and Smith by, per-
haps, Judges Christian, Montague, and
| Crump, Of this city; all Of the latter from
the Tidewater district. Among number
OF other gentlemen named, John w. Daniel,
of Lynchburg, looms up With fair share of
support at his back He Is spoken Of with
a good deal Of enthusiasm by his friends,
and In the future be may become formi-
cable candidate. Mr. Coghil Of Amherst
4 Judge Ould OF this city, Hon. a. Fl. 81. Stuart
| of Augusta, are also spoken OF, as we'll as the
Hon. r. M. 7. Hunter; but none Of these show
any strength at present worth mentioning
| In fact, their chances are dependent upon q
string of circumstances now hardly to be
expected. The South Best-viz,, the Trans
Blue Ridge country claims Inc senator, as
the East has the Governor, Lieutenant Gov
ernor, and the other senator Colonel With
lers); that she has the right to tse senator; ant
the Dispatch reporter was informed tha
quite respectable number OF Eastern mer
allow the claim. Should this be the case, II
is contended that Leteher stands the bes
chance. h
The name of Hon. John T. Harris has alst
been mentioned, but 1t ,s understood al
coming from himself that he Was not In the
| field.
The Hon. j. Randolph Tucker has ais,
many friends, but as he comes from the samt
county with Ex-Governor Letcher his plume
will be likely to bend 10 the old Governor
and be will have to enccumb to the tneYita
BILE. :.
The outlook last night was therefore II
| favor of Letcher yet 10 the course Of tht
canvass complications may arise and com.
bipations may be formed that will materially
alter the slate as 1t stands new.
| D,rr,cu,r nv ON RRoAn SrREEr. Yesterday