Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-04-23
ON NlNI, AIsh
Seventh Congressional District

Smith, in reply 10 a committee of the Dem
Gratis Of King George County:
Moxry Rosa, near Warrent0n. Va
April l.. lajp.
To Messrs. John Arnold, John ID. Oven.
Frederick Hunter, George d. Ashton nal
j. ". Burnett:
GrSTLEMES:-l have the honor 10 scAn,vr
edge the receipt Of II note. subscribed by g,
twithou, date ~ a Committee appoint.i l.,
u meeting held at King George c.. IL. on IL.
9th instant, to correspond with Inc, ami
Z, know whether, for the sake Of III. bs,
mony of the Democratic party, | am y;ling
to submit my claims t" the action ofs uony.br,
ton.
In 1853, having announced myself q.
Candidate for Congress from thu Dis,ri,r
submitted my views u the voter, thereof ~,
the subject ola Convention. In the oInr,,
sion Of the third paragraph of my rsri. oub.
lislled at that time. will be found the :9hov
ing language: These are my views. bu, Il
yours are different. if you, you The p,oDls. pr..
fer to SIT in Convention, previous 10 the elr,.
ton, yo"rS is the right, and mine The duty @,
submission" This language is clear sni q.
plicit. 1t comedies the unqualified right Of
the Democratic party TO go into Convention AZ
pleasure, and my equally unqualified duty l.,
submit to their riU when ANNOUNCED. From
that day 10 this. such have been my concpp.
tons Of yiyh, and duty. | have proclaimed
it everywhere during the present canvas.
sometimes in my speeches To my fellow clti.
zens, Frequently in letters-and, time, ai,A.
out number, in conversations And now
say to you, Gentlemen, rs | think most ct
you have heard me say before. let the people
have n Convention if they choose. | certain,
will cheerfully conform to their will.
\. word word more, and | will close. IL !,
already whispered, | learn. that my friend,
are f~avering a Convention from apprehen-
sions of my defeat, and that | begin to think
II necessary 10 my success. \ proper self-re-
spcct requires me to repel all such aScrlp.
tons. and to declare that | am entirely con.
tent 10 rest myself upon the justice and man
~ Intelligence Of my fellow-cltiz"ns ! am,
gentlemen, most respectfully yours,
WILLIAM SMITH.
The following Certificates are read by
Hon. Vim. Smith, in reply to the charges
made against him by Mr.. Shackelford:
ALEXANDRIA, Nov. p, 1853.
Gov. SMITH.
DEAR SIR-Your letter of the Goth inst.
is received, in which you say Mr.. Shackrl.
ford has SO perverted and miS-Stated my
statement Mt Culpeper," that you desire |
will put my statement in writing.
| said at Culpeper that | was the delegate
from Alexandria, Ia the Gubernatorial ton.
y~ention at Winchester; that | preferred Col.
Struthrr 10 all others, but in the event OF a
failure TO secure the nomination Tor HIM, !
had called at your lodgings in Alexandra To
see if YOU would make any concessions, by
which | could vote for you or urge your nom
nation by that Convention. You replied
"You could not DO it without a sacrifice OF
personal honor; that your position was well
understood. and that you could not 20 fur.
Their than you had done in your speeches
through the district to secure the vote OF eSe.
nv man in the State" Here the matter rest.
ed between us. The next day | left for Win.
chester. and participated in the action Of the
Convention. and if your name was men.
toned in that Convention | never heard II.
and | believe | was present during 1t. entire
session.
1t is exceedingly unpleasant to me. To b.
brought upon the witness stand in every dis
cussion between Yourself and Mr.. ShscAal.
ford, and ] earnestly hope there may he ~
necessity for the use of this letter. Yours
truly. {. +. SuTILE.
WAsHINC1oS, ID. c., Dec. 22d, 1853.
Hos. WV. SMITH.
Dear Sir:-ln compliance with your r..
quest, it gives me pleasure to state, that hap
pened IN be in your room soon after the nom
~ination of Hon. Henry A. Wise, for Govern
or, Hon. John VI. Bolts being also present
Mr. Bolts said. in my presence, that he Wn
authorized t. state. from the best Informs
ton he could get. that if YOU would consent
to become n candidate for Governor against
Mr.. Wise, you could he elected over him. BY
twenty thousand majority. Your reply was
that you could not consent 10 become a candi-
date against tho nominee Of the Democrstic
Convention, that you We're II Democrat, had
always been one, and intended I" live and
die our. Very respectfully,
J. WILLIAMS
The following letter. in relation to tho
Oak Shade" meeting, has been addressed 10
Gov. Smith:
CuIPfrrR G.. H., Feb. 23ri, 1885,.
Dear Sir: ! was informed hy Mr.. ThOms,
Hill Carter Yesterday, that you wished -
knnw something about the meeting that Va,
held at Oak Shade. during the can'a.. %!
1853. Whether that meeting was gotten W
exclusively by the know-Sothing party, and
if you were invited To address that meeting
in support of Know Nothing principles
He said ne could not give you the Necessary
information bur referred you to me. Tho
facts in regard to that meeting, as well A.
can remember. are, that it was determined I"
have a tree discussion on that day. Mr.
Barbour was invited Ia attend by the Erno'
crnts and Il. II. SiIackrlford and q. D.. tray
BY the other party.
| took an active part in the getting zap 70!
that meeting. and before the day arrived !
heard Of some false rumors in regard L. your
course, which had produced dIssatisfartIon
among some Of your friends, who did n"t
have the opportunity Of hearing your speech
at the Court House. | believed that il they
hear your views from your own Iip'
they would become satisfied. and as a friend,
! determined % invite you TO attend that meet
ing, knowing that it would he the only or
portunity they would have of hearing you
during the canvass.
| did 30. with the appreciation Of several