The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-08-14
communicated
General Joseph f. Johnston for Con-
: sress.--Why Should We Vote for
EHfss,.2.

We answer first, negatively, that his 81
Ience in this canvass is not to be attributed,
as his opponents urge, to any disposition
on his part to fall back upon his military
reputation and services or his Confederate
leadership as constituting his chief claim
upon the sufrages Of his people. His
friends and supporters in the canvass are,
indeed, as little disposed to count all that
grand past for nought as are the mass OF the
true people Of the Commonwealth and OF
the South, but they are far from asking the
suhrages Of material age and practical
community upon any such basis.
Il We claim the votes Of Richmond and OF
the Third district of Virginia for Joseph T..
Johnston upon the following facts and con-
siderations, some OF which may not be gem
orally known:
/. That no one gentleman now in nomi-
nation, and perhaps no other in the dis
trict, is, OF would claim to be. the peer Of
General Johnston in commanding force of
intellect, or (what perhaps would not be 50
readily admitted) in all those branches OF
culture and information which bear upon
craftsmanship.
9. No one OF these gentlemen could rea-
sonaby hope to acquire in less than the two
years OF his first term such an acquaintance
Nth the members of both branches Of Con-
greSS as General Johnston will have when
he enters the door OF the House OF Repre-
sentatives. Almost every southern member
OF Congress is his personal friend, while ne {,
is Of course known to them all-North ana
South. East and West.
8. No one Of these gentlemen could rea-
sonably hope to acquire, even in the mosE
vigorous and successful congressional Gu
reer. be it ever so. extended, such influence
as General Johnston Will have al the mo-
ment when he steps for the first time upon
the floor OF the House. With all respect 10
the other candidates, it is doubtful Wbethel
any one of them, ii elected, would De
placed the first session upon any commit
fee--certainly not upon any important COM
.nittee-while General Johnstonwould pro-
baby be: nut upon any he might desire.
AMI this intellectual force and furna-
t,,re. fhis acquaintance and influence, hap
nen to be issst achat and to bear just tchere
fbe interests of this district require jtst
noar. MS the following incident and circum-
stances viii show more clearly and impress
siYely tiIan any amount Of general state
ment:
We all agree that the reduction of the to-
bacco tax and the improvement OF our river
are tile two most vital interests OF the dis
trict as affected and to be Affected by sFede-
raj legislation. .5
u When committee Of our citizens visited
Washington Just before the late adjourn
nent OF Congress with the purpose OF Sc
curing the tirst of these two objects it was
fouad that the pendency Of an. amendment
to the proposed bill by Mr.. Vance, OF North
Carolina, was the great obstacle to success.
rendering, as il did, n vote upon the bill It.
self impossible to he reached in the linn
tied time that remained. Alisthe efforts
of all our representatives aud other friends
OF tho measure had been exhausted in
the fruitless effort to induce mr.. Vance
to withdraw his amendment, but the simple
request OF General Johnston, aided by 8
simple legislative egpedi lent suggested to
him, secured the withd raWal OF the amend
lpenf, or rather this amendment, Without
opposi. ipEs from Mr. Vance.
y lNoW,Sas TO the imp oyelnent Of James
river, it ID susceptible OF proof that more is
to be e1 peeted from General Johnston than.
from any other man we could possibly send.