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

bis own money, IN behalf of MIR. Buchanan
He then referred to the Oak Shade meeting
claiming that it was a mixed meeting, anC
that he spoke there to his constituents. Gov
Smiths speech was necessarily confined to
reply to the charges of Mr.. ShackelfJrd, and
be concluded amid much applause.
At the expiration of Coy. Smiths time,
Major Thomas rose, and after being greeted
cordially by his friends, said:-That he GRAY.
ell the kindest indulgence of the people OF
Culpeper. On yesterday, on his return from
Flint Hill. he had been seized with a
severe chill, and even at this time he
felt that il was returning. But with Il
heart full Of the cause, he had determin'
cd at all hazards, Ia speak to the people
and he desired their close attention.
From the indications here exhibited, and tht
speeches of his two competitors, he was led t
the enquiry 50 pertinently asked by MIR. 10
ger A. Pryor, Have we a Democratic party
among us?-and though he believed this t.
be strictly true. he thanked God there was a
Wing party among us. He cam at the bid
ding of that party, to unturl its banner to the
battle and the breeze, having inscribed upon
its folds the conservative principles OF the
country which have ever characterized the
Wing party. He then spoke of the resuscl'
tation of the Wing party-the necessity
which had caused it's reorganizatiOn,-and IN
this connection drew a beautiful parallel be,
tween the resurrection ofthe dry bones in the
Valley. as described by the Prophet, and the
r~eanimation Of the disbanded Wing party.
He then appealed to the people to discard all
party ~prcjudices, for Il moment, and forget that
they were enlisted as Democrats, Wings, or
Americans, and to Judge if the cond ton Of
the country did not require that its destinles
should be transferred "a other and more de-
serving hands. To prove this, let facts be
submitted. When Mr.. Fillmore gave over
the government to Mr.. Pierce, there was a
surplus in the treasury of about S4O,0N ,WDO,
50 the papers stated. When MIR. Buchanan
succeeded Mr.. Pierce, there was in the treas
ury 4 surplus of nearly $4,000, 900, and in
the last contest for Congress i'll this District,
theGuestiou between Mr.. Smith and his com
petitor at that time, Mr.. Snowden, was. rs to
what disposition should be made Of this sur,
plus.
You all remember that Mr.. Snowden took
the ground that inasmuch rs this surplus
arose in IL great degree from the proceeds of the
sales Of the Public Lands, IL should be dis
trihuted among the several States. Mr..
Smith then commended for the deposit system,
such a. had obtained during the admins
tratinn of Gen. Jackson. Mr.. Thomas then
referred TO the action of the State Of Virginia
upon that subject, and remarked that not
wi,hStanding the fact that Virginia had re-
cciyed upwards of =. 20O, 900 from the Fed
rraI Treasury. she had declined to receive
the residue of her quota. amounting t. about
| $40. 0OO-Nirginia politicians having III the
meantime discovered that the said act was un-
constitutional, reducing ' irglnla to the con-
ditinn of Il suppliant mt the feet Of the Gener-
al Government, and that 1t contiictcd with
the resolutions Of '9S 80. He here referred
+, the inconsistency Of the Democratic party
in taking the larger amount, and refusing the
smaller, and contcnded that by their action
they should return the larger amount. to the
Federal Government, it being now in need.
He next spike of the profigacy Of the
I Democratic Administration, and said that the
peoples money had been wasted aud squln-
dered by the providers who were intestlng
/ the ]purliru- of the Treasury. He was not
called upon to defend his Whiggery before
the people of Culpeper; his situation was uu-
like that Of his opponents. who were at this
time engaged in the work Of denouncing each
Others Democracy, and inasmuch ~ Mc>srs.
Smith and Shackelfnrd were etcrnally quar-
reling among themselves. rs TO which was the
best Democrat. he, Thomas, thought that the
best thing that could he done was for the
people to settle the difficulty by rejecting both,
and electing him, who would act AZ their
Representative with a due regard for the
safety and prosperity of the country. be
| appealed to them not to array themselves ~
the friends of either candidate, until they hal
fully and deliberately weighed the principles
which should govern their actions. He
thought it remarkable that large amounts
and large grants of the public lands could be
given to the several States. which he enumer
ated, for the purpose Of constructing Rail
roads. bv Democratic authority. and under
Democratic Administrations, and that Nir
ginia which had ceded to the Federal Gov
eminent her large domain, could receive n"
portion therepf. He also referred % the large
amount "f Public Lands which had been
granted to various States, and desired to
know Of his competitors why it was Demo-
cratic in those instances and not Democratic
To allow Virginia any interest therein. For
ID knows, she needs it, oppressed and
burdened as she is, by her heavy taxation
and large public debt. He appealed to his
opponents. whether they would be in favor OF
tho proposition To restore to Virginia her in
trrcst therein, and said it was time that she
should elect men for her representatives who
would regard her interests in that respect
lie next adyertel to the fact, that the
Opposition party of Virginia had no Repre-
sentative upon the floor ofC Congress to dissem-
mate information calculated to inform them
of the corruptions and Observation-Disclosures of
the Government. He then referred to the
reports Of tho Committees cf Investigation on
the subject Of the Naval expenditures and
the public Printing. lie then inquired what
Wing had received q copy Of those reports,
or what Democrat either! lie thought there
was n studied effort to keep this information
from the people. 50 that Democratic suprem-
macy might be ever maintained in the State.
Mr.. Smith then stated that he had dis
tributel all documents that came to him, u
the different wspap ers in his District.
Mr.. Thomas said this amounted to Just
norhing-for if Mr.. Softer OF Mr.. Garland
were to undertake to print these reports
they would print nothing else for Is months.
He then adyerted to the large increase Of
public debt, under Mr.. Buchanan's Admin
i.tration, which amounted, "a Senator john
son IF Tennessee, said. II % miIlions-and
this too when the country was in n state of pro-