Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-08-10

80 long u the control OF this matter was LETT
with vou who have "a personal knowledge Of all the
facts relating to the subject, was quite willing I"
abide YOUR decision in silence: but as the applica-
non h,. been made to d quarter where | am url-
Ln,uu and the facts not understood, and where
my occuser may be powerful enough to have in JUS
,ice done me, il Is duty Ia myself to present.
through you. (the appointing head OF your Suh"r-
Jiu,tr officers Il defence, which shall be a. brief
rs possible u,.,,
The charge is true. | voted for John Willis.
esd of Orange who is IL sound and consistent Il
Democrat ~ any man iii the State Of Virginia {:
and regret that majority of the people OF the
District did not select him their Representative
!, Tnnyr,ss In that event. the interests ut the
Marty and the country would, III my opinion, have
suffered no ietrnent. and the differences which
.;r,. 1913 have existed i'll party i'll this dis
trici. much >oftened. if not entirely healed.
| shall lament the condition of our political AT
fairs. when such Il man rs John W Ills snail he so
.ticmatze, that TO vote for him is TO he regarded
=, y u,litical -iu. to be visited by pains ana pen
atlcs. .
could not vote for Mr.. Smith consistently with
my convictions of public duty, political prupricty.
and nv own personal respect. i am liable To err,
us others have erred. but | acted upon reasons
which To nv mind Justified my course, and by
which must stand ar TAIL.
In 1858. there was general expectation that
he
~ il, candidate for Congress gentleman who
was obnoxious To the other party On account Of
ri,. efficiency ut his services Ia our party III the
Niryiui, LEGISLATURE Ii was well known that the
defeat of that gentleman was an object much deSi
red hy our political opponents. aud that They were
ready L. unite upon any man, oil any party. WI"
might he strong enough L" secure that object.
Mr. smith vino had Just then returned from Cal
il.ruin. Was solicited by james r. Sr"ther. esq,
tF,,ts, IA
rrrr.D To brcom,r candidate III opposition I" the
nominee of "ur party, and was pledged the sap
pnrr of the " hg party, 80 far ~ II could lee con
trnlled hy Mr. Str"thrr and his friends.
Mr. smith hecnruc II candidate, and through his
friends used every effort 10 prevent party nouii
nation In this course believe that (in district
lust formed he was violating party usages, nnd
sowing the seeds "t disSenii"n III our ranks, ana
DESTROYING "rganrhaiI"n. >" heiir| my II"
fused. with many others. t" support HIM then. j
call attention To- Mr. Strrthcrs letter. here inserted
June 22xp lS57.-MY DEAR SIR BY your
letter of the 18th. Won ask for the purposes "i
self defence Il statement from ot certain facts
connected with Governor smiths candidacy for
Congress III lSJ3.
Nv own savings aud doingS. ! am always
ready to avnw ami a. Gov. Smith i'll $50; repeat
cdy referred I" them on the stump II" rule oi pro-
rriciy can by possibility be supposed I" forbid my
statement of them now tU You.
La the spring of l>I3. the Legislature reformed
(the Wings said. Gcrrymandcred) the C"ngreSSi"h-
~ Districts and ,bis WAS made largely Dcmocra
tic--ar,l party Convention to nominate candi-
date who was already designated i'll public opn-
ion WAS in pruccss of construction. Influenced
Ly no wish To promote the prosperity oil the Dem
ocratc party. but 10y strong desire To defeat all
the objects of it, Convention. ! consulted large
number of the Wings al the District. including
nearly all of the most prominent men Of the party.
~ tn the I'm. Of policy and action To- be adopted
by that party in the Congressional election, and
snurh; To- obtain concert Ic Oar conclusion
was. that il would Ice ,nindirious To run Wing
candidate, Lut very iudirinu. fn induce int" the
field ~, iuIruruu,ut AMI caucus Democratic can
di,I,r ,cr th,urtt and MANY of IL still think that
ii, Interests. ,r tb. Hrrut,ir would Sul,rr 10 de
tri,.nt fran = li,rurIinu of the Democratic party.
Tb,.,. gentlemen authorized me to declare their
intentions and then, ui,ns of the purpose oi the
Will barry. f. i, proper here {" state that Mr.
Suuw,ieu who became n candidate in opposition to
Governor Smith. Ma not party To these consul
tationS.
Meeting with Gov Sm'th IN Washington ety.
mentioned the subject "i the Congressional I'e'-
tioa 10 him, stating that some gcntlemoh' whose
names mentioned, had authorized me l." say that
they would not lie candldates-that we believed IN.
Wing party would not run candidate. hut would
GENERALLY support an anti Convention Democrat
that if he would become such candidate !
thought lac could he easily eIertcd--thn would
support him actively against the Convention can
dilaie If during the contest between him
aud the Convention nominee. any Wing ihirftcr-
rcd aS II third candidate, would dch"'Il''. Ihe
act ~ unfair and that III II" event would vote
against him.
Mr.. Smith became candidate. and his address
To- the people aud his speeches the stump must
explain ih, causes. reasons. &C.. that influenced
him. My declarations IL GOV. smith above stated
To- YOU. forbade my voting hciwrrm him and Mr..
Sn"wdrn in that election otherwise should then
have given MIR. Sn"wdrm my vote and active sup
port. Yours. truly JAS i. STfoIliEE.
Z. :. | believe that have given You very ac-
curately and nccimctly the entire substance "i my
acting aud d"ln:S about the election "' S'''.
lou can test It's accuracy hy submitting TN. letter
(" my friend. Col. I. J.. Suite. VII" was iuiiN M
formed 10y letters and otherwise. OF all | said
ana dlh
JOINS l. JOHNSTON ESQ., AieNahdfla' Va
S,nu after ti.. election was over Won Ar. aware
that Mr. Smith made an effort for nv rcnius Al
similar H. the nn, which hr is now making. That
,hnr, si,,n,iiy failed
In Is,s Mr. Smith was upon the Know Nothing
ticket and received the cordial support of that
rarty Tor Congress. N, rct"s." t" support Gov.
Wi4. and our other candidates. i'll the very crisis
of our party in that year. In that great aud vital
contest. the whole weight of his influence wa.
against the Democratic ticket. moi only i'll this dis
trirt. but throughout tie STATE. la thus city, ANA
many others heard him in u public speech make an
attack upnn Gov Wise, Mr. McCoiuaS, aud Mr..