The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-05-13
Address of John nj. johnson
To the Citizens of the City and COUNTY of AIer
Ondrsu


Address of John Nj. Johnson
10 the Citizens Of the Guy and County Of -Aier.
andria.
In the address Of ex Governor William Smith
before you, on Tuesday evening last, advocating
his pretensions to eeat in the next Congress
from this district he read private letter pur.
porting to be written by me to him in September
1876. OF the letter had no recollection at the
time he read it, and 1 have not a copy. or would
publish IL but have doubt it lie genuine as /
treu recolect that Governor Smith spent an eyenne
at my house, sretks after the date of the letter
and conuersed freely ariM the subjects alluded
TO ii, and asked send him at the proper time
the Of such gentlemen as thought ought 10 be
appointed nagistrates, aud did so.
There Is not word or sentiment in the letter
that would recall, or wish kept secret, was not
in accordance with public sentiment here at the
time it wac written. IL is certain hoiDeuer that If
auould not haze been ,rritten bat from previous as
surance gtuen me by GoUe Smith that he desired
the election Of Mr.. Alfred Moss as clerk Of this
county.
The letter was read, and, in my opinion, very
disingenuously commented upon by Governor
Smith, without stating the previous conversation
between him and myself on the subjects referred
TO in that letter IL must, however, have been a p,
parent to all who heard the letter read that some,
thing had passed between the Governor and myself
on the subjects referred to, before the letter was
written
never sought the election of Mr. MOSS at a sac
rifce of the public Interests; and in the recomen
datons which Governor Smith requested me to
make OF gentlemen 10 be justices, i recommended
men OF honesty, standing, and intelligence, know
ing at the time but few who would vote for Mr.
Moss, to the best OF my recollection
Up TO the time Governor Smith fret appointed
justices of the peace for this county, in lS47 The
relations between him and myself were friendly
and had nothing to gain by dissolving them
He. beieUe had tried 10 serue me- knop Thad tried
to serve him, and so had Mr. Moss and IL auos sUith
deep regret that felt bound TO condemn ham publiclu
for predicting tohat considered q gross decepiioH
upon Mr.. Moss and myself, by giving us a posifve
assurance that he desired the election of Mr. Moss
even advising HIM to incur the expense and incon.
venience of breaking up his residence at Fairfax
Courthouse and removing bis family to this place;
and then "packed the court" TO elect Mr. BerTy NOT
oy appointing magistrates Of character quaIif.
cation, pledged to elect him. for they could not be
found in our community, bus by appointing some
justly obnoxious to you
viii now give the origin of the difference be-
tween Governor Smith and myself:
After the passage OF the first act of The IepisIs-
ture of Virginia IN relation to the retrocession of
Alexandria, but before the act of Jurisdiction Mr.
Alfred Moss, OF the county of Fairfax, was invited
by any OF our citizens to become candidate for
the clerkship of this county--and met with Gov
Smith in the hail Of the House of Representa-
tlyes OF the United States, and said to him that
"Aifred Moss would like to be clerk of Alexandria
county;" and he replied, unequivocally, che aDiH
make an excellent clerk and If left to me shall be
at that time 1T acds thought the Legislature miga
t0ke Ne appointment OF mag fsrdtes from the Coo
l
informed him OF the conversation had with Gov
Smith in the hall Of the House of Representa-
lves. The following certificate of Mr.. Moss shows
what passed between him and Governor Smith,
and sustains me In saying that Governor Smith
gave Mr. Moss and myself positive assurance
that he desired his election:
81 certify, that before the passage of the act of
Congress retroceding Alexandra TO Virginia.
had, at the invitation of friends Alexandria de-
termined at the proper time to become candidate
Tor the cerkship OF the county ofthat county,
mat, during the spring OF 1876, Mr.
John Nj. johnson informed me that he had con-
versed with Governor Smith the subject, and
that he had promised TO favor my election. That
during the ia Il or winter of that wear / saw Gov
efnor smith at falrfs Court house, and in con
Versation with him about the cerkship, he ddrised
me to remove TO Alexandria, so as 10 do qtpay ,uiM
any prejudice that might exist against me, because
was non resident. went to Alexandria shortly
after that conversation, and enga ged board, and
would have removed there but for the sickness of
one OF the members of my family.
"ALFRED MOSS
| understood Governor Smith to deny having
packed the court" to elect Mr.. Berry, and claimed
IN his appointments to have acted fairly between
Mr. Moss and Mr. Berry. To prove that he did
pack court and did not act fairly beayeeg Mr.
Moss aud Mr.. Berry refer 10 The fact that he OBJ
Jecfed to appointing Of most Substantial cfi
tzens magistrate ,rho highly and almost
unanimously recommended TO hin. because he said he
understood him TO be in favor Of the election Of Mr.
Moss Ir9r, aisS to tie rery Objectionable charac-
tcho could not haze been recommended nn9erouslg
and favorabiy as those herejecfed | might refer 10
the fact that Mr.. Berry resided upwards of forty
miles from here, and was almost an entire stran.
ger to you, while Mr.. Moss was known to nearly
all of you and, from his residence almost re-
garded citizen; besides, his high character and
qualifications clerk were known 10 most of
you, and it was doubtless known to the Governor
that he was your choice for clerk. might also
several gentlemen iUho told they acoId be
opposnfed magistrates IF they acouId vote for Mr.
Berry; out THY icould not give the promise and acre
not appointed although they highly and nu-
'nerously recommended, and ought to have been
app olnted, from their locality, character, and
qualifications. might refer to many other cir
cumstanees to prove the same, but prefer submit
ting the following letter from Mr.. John t. Johns
ton which not only proves the charge, but states
conclusively that GoDernor Smith favofed The cleo.
f'on Of Mr. Berry, and practiced ,uhat considered
q deception upon Mr.. Moss and myself ,ohea he
gaze Us positive thai he desired the
election Of Mr. Moss aud ,riIing 10 subject him,
who had been his friend, to the expense and incon
venience Of breaking up his residence at Fairfax
Court house, and removing to this place merely to
keep up this deception. ,-s.zzsal
I=s JOHN NJ JOHNSON.
ALEXANDRIA, April Is, 1858.