Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 May 1859 — Strange things going on in Virginia. [ARTICLE]

Strange things going on in Virginia.

There are several incidents, worthy of re-< mark, that have occurred during the exciting political canvass now in progress in Virginia, that we have intended to make a note of ere now. There are evidently strange things going on in the Old Dominion. A week or two ago, a Democrtic meeting was held at Richmond, to discuss the matter of a Democratic nomination to represent that district in Congress. The three candidates in the field were Messrs. Caskie, Dejarnette and Thomas. The former two spoke, and then the latter, and what followed Is told by the Richmond Whig thus, and it speaks for itself very significantly, as the reader, we think, will admit, after he peruses it: “After Thomas had concluded, another Democrat by the name of Abrams arose and announced himself a candidate for Congre-.s, also, and made a most eloquent and impressive speech. Its impressiveness consisted in the fact—and here was the serious partof the day’s performance—that he proclaimed himself in favor of the extinction of slavery in Virginia!'' The IVAiy then asks: “Is there nothing in the announcement of Mr. Abrams—a Democratic candidate for Congress in the Metropolitan District of Virginia—to create alarm and apprehension!” There are evidently strange things going on in Virginia. Even Mr. Letcher, the Democratic nominee for Governor, a few years ago indorsed the Ruffner Address, one of the most decided Emancipation documents ever written or published. It was at the time, 1847, distributed over the Western part of the State in large numbers. The letter requesting it to be published and endorsing it as able and unanswerable, was signed by a number of gentlemen, and Mr. John Letcher, the present Democratic nominee for the gubernatorial chair, was among them. Mr. Letcher did not repudiate the sentiments till he was about to become a candidate for office, and the National Era, the antislavery organ at Washington, intimates its belief that Mr. Letcher in reality entertains substantially now the sentiments he did then, and it therefore hopes he will be elected! Werepeatthat there are strange thingstaking place in Virginia. Tiie Nashville Bunner, referring to the above declaration by Mr. Abrams in an open Democrtic meeting in Richmond, says suggestively- : “If Letcher can be supported as a candidate for Governor, Mr. Abrams very justly concludes that he can successfully aspire to a seat in Congress. Mr. Abrams is no worse than Mr. Letcher.” The spectacle presented by the canvass in Virginia is interesting in the extreme.