The Republic

Correspondence of the Republic.
Virginia Legislature

Richmond, December 3, 1849.

I propose to give a short sketch of the proceedings of the first day of the Virginia Legislature. The Senate met and elected Joel Pennybacker of the Tenth Legion as clerk, after which they adjourned to wait the action of the House. I believe Mr. P. is the gentleman that occupied a clerkship in the Land Office in Washington. You see that the Locofocos take care of their wounded. The House was organized by the re-election of Col. Henry L. Hopkins, Loco, of Powhatan, as speaker, and Col. G. W. Mumford, Loco, was re-elected clerk, both without opposition. But when the spoils-loving Democracy came to the office of Sergeant-at-arms, which has been held for the last ten years by Col. Daniel Ward, a good and true Whig, they would not resist the temptation to place one of their own party in the office. When the different candidates were placed in nomination by their friends, flaming speeches, chuck full of patriotism, were made by the different hot-heads of the Locofoco party in support of the Locofoco nominees. After two ballots Col. Street, Loco, of Franklin, was duly elected Sergeant-at-arms. Next in order was the election of first doorkeeper, the incumbent of said office being a Locofoco, as a matter of course was re-elected without opposition, securing the full vote of the party. The election of second doorkeeper was next in order; that place being in the embrace of a Whig, the Locofocos were again ready to place some of their party in nomination for the office. Some five or six Locofocos were placed in nomination in opposition to Mr. Chambers, the Whig candidate. On the 7th ballot John Rady, a young Locofoco, was elected as 2d doorkeeper; he formerly acted in the capacity of page to the house. After a good deal of wrangling among the Locos who placed the other gentleman in nomination, they united upon the above, so as to defeat the election of a Whig. So your readers will perceive that the Locofoco party of Virginia has commenced the work in earnest on the first day of the meeting of the Legislature. It was truly amusing to see the caucusing which took place in the house while the elections were in progress; the prominent of the party were busy whipping in the young and inexperienced to do their bidding; they seemed to come in well and without much trouble.

The above is a specimen of what that party will do whenever they have the good fortune to succeed in getting power into their hands.