Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-04-20

Q lHt u IIpScs u M HNs
of partisan power, and to the enrichment o
favorites.
He then referred TO the proposals for fur
nishing the machinery for the new sloops-ot
war, with the view Of obtaining the loves,
offers and the most responsible bidders-anc
read an extract Of a letter from j. CLANCY
Jones. late a member of Congress, from
Pennsylvania-and now Minister to Aus
tria, in which he says 1.-The Secretary will
advertise for bids, but will not give it to the
lowest bidder" and referred to the fact thai
for the construction of the said machinery
for the vessels-of-war, the bids offered
amounted to $500. 500, and the bids accepted
amounted to S5Sl ,O00-and~ why-because
the contracts were given to those who would
use their influence in behalf of the Democra-
tic party-and with the means thus afforded,
enable them to carry the election in behalf
Of the Administration MIR. T. here referred
to various instances of similar conduct, and
spoke of the vicious tendencies and corrupt
ing influences exercised by the high func,
t~ionaries Of the Governnlent-and condemn
ed the practice, and although the committee
had exonerated Secretary Toucey, yet he held
that such action upon part of the public men
of the country was deserving of the severest
apprehension.
Mr.. Thomas having concluded. Mr.. Shack
elford rose to reply and was loudly applaud,
ed by his friends. lie referred to Major
Thomas's charge of extravaganza on the part
of the administration. and especially in refer.
ence to the bids for the machinery Of the
sloops-Of-war. and read an extract from the
Washington States To disprove Mr.. rs as
s%ertions, and 10 show that it was an opposition
House which made these expenditures. The
gentleman must have been asleep and just
awakened. Instead of coming from the val
ley of Jehosaphat. the gentleman must have
Just come from Sleepy Hollow. 1t was not
his fault nor the fault of the Democrats, that
the Wings had no representative. They had
frequently had a chance to elect u man from
this District, but had always loved Mr..
Smith 80 well that they had voted for him in
preference To one of themselves. But the
hlgs had been in power on one occasion,
long enough 10 pass a Bankrupt law, aud
then repeal it. The Wings could never
hold the power, for when it was given them
they did not know how 10 manage the gov
ernment, and the people had taken the power
our Of their hands and given it back to the De-
mocrats. As to the charges brought against
Iembers OF Congress for extravaganza, he
had nothing to do. Let Mr.. Smith answer
them. The President had rebuked Congress
for their expenditures, but his rebuke was
not heard. Governor Smith had said hat
he, Shackeltord, could not be elected
He would tell that gentleman that if MIR.
Thomas was not in the field he would beat
him smith and that - Smith ,r,pIl hunG
cut, az he ought to do, he would beat Thorn
AS. Smith had never been elected except by
the aid ofthe Know Nothings. Called again
for the Walker letter, and said, why was it
that the gentleman can read other peoples
letters 10 him, but never reads his, Smiths,
letters to other people.
lie says he was unwilling to run against
the Democratic nomination, yet he was ready
with Il plan to defeat the Democrats and
elect the opposition candidates. The gen.
t'eman introduced Il statement from Mr..
Williams, to show that he was unwilling to
run rs a candidate himself-bur here is a
letter from Smith referring TO Lipscomb's
letter containing Il plan to defeat Wise
lie answers these arguments by stating that
| wore Know Nothing Pantaloons-that
voted for him in 80, DC. In 55. no had no
one else to vote form '55, the Walker let
ter was not proved. but while he voted for
him, ne, like many hundreds of Democrats,
did not endorse him. lie supposed that
ike J. II. Carter, he tShackelford) had been
drugged-thought when he voted for Smith
that he had some little consistency in him
but had been mistaken-thought Smiths
running wasonly an attempt to defeat his
clection-and that Smith would much pre-
fer seeing Thomas elected to Shackelford.
Gov. Smith was greeted with applause;
thought Mr.. Shackeltord should back out, IA
there was no show for his election. The
Wing press, at least, two Of them in Freder-
icksburg, We're magnifying his prospects into
s,mc consequence. lMr. Shackelford they
lid the same thing for YOU in '55.) Thought it
quite apparent that Mr.. Shackelford WAS the
weakest man. Mr.. Thomas had asked if
there was n Democratic party. lie read ex-
tracts from the speeches Of Messrs. Seward
and Bolts to prove that there was a Demo-
cratic party. In 1885. he, (Smithl had ia
ken a position to unite the whole people at
tue South against Black Republicanism-
Asked why had the Wing party died: The
rate Of taxation to support the government
was now less than for tOrty-seven years.
MIR. Thomas was for heaping up the taxes.
After dwelling on this subject for some time.
he again turned to Mr.. Thomas, and asked
why he did not resign his seat in the State
Senate if he had any confidence in his cleo
tion-Reterred to the tariff. If the gentle
man was elected he supposed he would make
the old promise Of 80 per day and roast beef,
while if the Democrats remained in power,
the people must eat German black bread
lie inquired how Mr.. 7. would vote for
Speaker-if for Il Democrat? He, Smith
would do the same. Would he vote for a
Black Republican? He said Mr.. +. was
formerly Il Democrat. (Mr. L. said that he
had once before denied this, and Mr.. Smith
must not repeat the assertion. He WAS a
Jefferson and Madison Democrat, who were
Wings Mr.. Smith then read from the
National l~ntelligencer to show that the def
cit in the Treasury was not owing to cItrav-
agunce, but was owing to the late financial
crisis. He charged the extrayagances Of
Congress to the Black Republicans. Mr.. S.
concluded by hoping that the people of Cul-
pepper would not sanction the conduct of Mr..
ShackcIford. in running simply to defeat
him. Smith "a he said he vas doing. DE
MED by Mr. Shackelford.)
Mr.. Thomas again took the stand to close
the discussion. He was vociierously applau-
deI. He commenced by saying-''l told you
he'd touch it aisy" and he has touched it