Year: 1866

Remark able Letter from Richmond


Troubles among the Unionists.


corre.nonaence OF the New York Times


RICHMOND, Thursday, June rs, 1866.


have been endeavoring in my late let
,ers TO give an insight into Virginia poll.
tics. considering that to be the principal
# not the only matter in which the nation
NJ large have any interest, and it have
mea,rrably succeeded in my object, l
have shown that while the drift OF public
ani,nus of the State might be much worse,
il is far from satisfactory to the patriot.


Inmy last particularized, as one perpiex..
ity of the political situation, the lately rapid
growth of what is aptly called southern
spirit, and now have another in the timid-
ity of the Union men. Declaring them.
selves already ruined, bound hand and
foot, and under the wheels Of the secession
iuggernaut, they yet shrink from any prac-
tcal political move whatever, Tor the
illogical reason that it might bring political
ruin.


To give an instance, it entered the head
of some one of enterprise the other day
that it might be possible to give some little
form and misunderstanding of the
semblance of forganzation-toth the unionisnl
of the State through the medium of 4tl
of July dinner, whereat some Of the lead.
ing conservatives should be gathered, and
wherein such toasts should be given and
speeches made as would show our SeceS.
! sion mad-caps that the leaven was in their
midst. The project seemed feasible, and
committee of leading Union men sat
upon it last night, and what was the re.
suit ? Agreeing in nothing else, they
were unanimous that no move must be
made now; that they must wait until the
Republicans had carried the northern cleo
tons in October and November, and that
being done, there might be possibility OF
organizing the Union party of Virginia some
time next winter. In vain was it argued
that the growth of the southern spirit was
becoming alarmingly rapid, and that some
thing, no matter how little, should be done
by Virginians to develop and solidify
whatever Of political truth there is in the
State; these timid gentlemen were obdu-
rate. In December, possibly, We will make
a move we are dead now, and it may in
jure us to do anything at this moment. Thus
the whole thing came to naught; afraid OF
their shadows, they could not even attempt
4th of July dinner as an initial move
ment in the organization of the Union
party of the State and this political timid-
itv, which is the chief characteristic OF
Virginia Unionism, is sufficient explana-
tion of its iclplessness and rapid deca-
! dence. never yet knew political battle
won by sitting still and lugrubriously
asserting that the adversary has the best
of you: and if the Virginia Unionists make
! this sort of tactics succeed, it will be the
first instance of the kind on record.


! Another and scarcely less fatal error
! into which the Unionists have fallen is the
tenacity with which each man clings to his
own opinions, not one of which will he sur
render for the sake of party unity and
party strength. Every man almost has
decided and different convictions upon
minor points, and wrangles about them
with an carnestness and zeal which, if dis
played against the common enemy, might
be productive of good results. Jones and
Smith, both agreeing on the great cardinal
doctrines of the Union party, gable about
some such abstraction as the validity OF
the Presidents pardons until each declares
the other a rebel, and their senscless con-
trovcrsy has, and can have, no other result
than the sowing of the seeds of disintegra-
ton in their own ranks. 1t is of no use to
represent to them the folly of such discus.
sOns, and urge the wisdom of silence


they are so inconveniently Independent,
that they will have and will express theil
opinions on all the knotty minor points o.


national polity which have no value what


ever-in short, the Union men of Virginia
have been overtaken by the same misfOr


tune that demolished the Whig party Of


the State-they will drag distractions int
practical politics, and will divide and ge
angry over these distractions. ...


As practical politicians, the Virgin;
Unionists are the veriest tyros upon earth
They don't comprehend even the rudi
ments of the science, and, judging from
my long and uniform experience among
them, am afraid they never will. JohI
Minor Bolts is world-famOus as an adept il
destroying the party he befriends, bu
Bolts is a miracle Of political astutenes
in comparison with some in the State. NJ
proposition is palmer or simpler than tha
the Unionism Of the State, to have an!
strength or respectability, must attach tt
| itself the more conservative element o
the Democratic or Secession party; ant
yet let any move be suggested that will bt
conducive to this end, and eight out OF tcI
| of the Unionists will start from it with {
| disnay that Is too earnest to be simulated
1t was proposed to-day to bestow upon
gentleman in southern Virginia mark o
confidence which would at the same time
afford him no opportunity to betray thu
! Union party, even if he were capable o
| the act, and the thing proposed would
attach to the Union party one of the mos
powerful and wealthy planting interests o
! the State. But this move had about it too
much of practical value not to be repug
nant to the Union Virginia mind, and i
was ut once objected to.


"Why, this man was secessionist, ant
besides, he can't take the test OATH"


! Proposer.-" He was not an origina
Secessionist was always very moderate
and is now as thoroughly Union as any maj
in the State. As to the test oath, that OBJ
lection has no practical value, for We art
not intending to elect him to any Fedora
or State Office"


/ wv. M.-"Oh, we can't think of it
We can't trust any Of these men who have
| been secessionists."


Proposer.- Well, if you are never
going to trust any of them, your party bid
fair to be exceedingly select, and nobody
except those anxious for the crown OF po
litical martyrdom will ever identify them
selves with it,"


So this well-meaning effort to do little
something towards Strengthening the UnioI
element, like everything else of the kin6
attempted during the last year and half
bore no fruit except vexation Of spirit.