Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-04-03
and underwood Affair.


! In:the Virginia Convention, on Wednesday,
the order Of the day(tbe Underwood impeach-
>ment) was calledzup.
Mr.. Underwood stated that in consequence
of the pressing business of his court he would
have to ask leave for the rest of the week. 1t
had been his universal practice since in public
lifo not to take noticesof anything in the news,
s,4,although4-ath had gsometlmea.- said
things not complimentary to him. In the ID,
stance, however, Of the publications that had
appeared in the papers in his absence, he felt
in view of the kind relations that had hereto
fore existed between himself and the Conven-'
ton, and the kind consideration 1t had always
shown him, that he should make a personal.
explanation, This he proposed to do ;, !
Here Mr.. j. G. Gibson suggested that It.
would be more proper as, the matter was OF
personal interest to the President, that some.
one else should take the chair.
Mr.. Underwood thanked him for the sugges-
ton, and asked him if he would not take the.
chair? 50,
Mr.. Gibson: ct will with pleasure sir. p
He took the chair. 7IT ga! a-4v.z..yg
A question arose here as to what was before
the House. 1t was decided that MIR. Under
wood had thc:foor on a privileged question:.
Mr. Underwood proceeded to answer, as ne
said, the article appearing in those Radical Or,
cans the Richmond Dispatch and the New
York Herald! In the first place, he would re-
Div to that sentence abiding to his almost I'M
limited control over Federal appointments. In
this instance he was done more than justice. i
He did, perhaps, have great control when IN
the Office Of Auditor 1861, through Sec.
rotary Chase, then Of the Treasury, and made
many selections, some Of which we're very good, }.
others not Hc would say that the appoint
ment of the State tax commissioner was an ex-
cellent one and the author of the article was
member of it. @..t.'@,' sa.''.'. .!," "a
Mr.. HaWShurst arose to an inquiry. tic
asked if he was alluded TOT ,rr... l. ..t.
Mr. Underwood said he would hear what
the gentleman had to say. ......... 1870
Mr.. HaWxhurst: II WAS recommended by
John s.. Carlyle, and my nomination Was con-
frmed by the United States Senate.
Mr. Underwood said that notwithstanding
this he;had recommended the gentleman, but
he would not deny, but that perhaps he had in
this instance overratcd his Influence. AS to-
his 'inordinatc ambition, ~ he would say that
he had never soughtany Office. He had acted
upon the principle that the Office should seek
the man, and not the man the Office. Ilc had
at one time four commissions, signed by Mr..
Lincoln, rendered to lrim--o only two OF which
he accepted, and one OF them was that which
he now held as Judge. He had never yet
sought any of;ce, and. so help him, God, he
never would. % AS to the interview reported,
he stated IT, ~ some time during last year the
gentleman came into his office and said that as
member Of the committee he wished TO sug-
gcst plan Of raising money to Republlcanlzc
Virginia Hc heartily approved of this as he
had always entertained the opinion that unless
the coored man was allowed tho ballot he
would be cxterminatcd. The plan suggested
by the gentleman was TO collect money from
abroad lie (U.) did not approve OF this as
he 1elt sure that it would fail, and that he
would not raise moneyenough to pay expenses.
His friend (H. J, who is remarkable Tor the tc-
nacity with which he clings to his opinions, was
not convinced. = He said he would like TO try,
and asked letters Of recommendation and in
PRODUCTION to rich men at the North, and
thought he said particularly, ''lhv friend
Chase, and his rich son in law" AS TO what
Mr.. Chase might think concerning the Presi-
dency, he would say that that gentleman had
always said TO him that his Office was the
most digni1ied in the Governments; and
five years ago. when he (C.) urged him
(U. to accept the position of judgeship, he
said to him : II consider the judiciary the
best department for such men as you and
myself" He refused to give the letters,
as requested, because he did not wish his name
connected with a fooshtailurc and not through
any unlrenGy feeling His feelings toward the
gentleman (H. were just as kind when he re-
fused him the letters as on the day when he re-
commended him TO an Office in which he made
from SIS 900 to 10000 Of the peoples money.
The gentleman (H. remarked, upon his (U.'s)
dsapprova Of the plan, that it had been tried
before, and could be tried again. In order to
smooth the thing over, and tighten the gentle.
man disappointment and modification, he ar
gued with the gentleman that the National Re
publican Committee were making efforts to
raise. money; and, also, that without some po
.itica excitement money could not be easily
raised, and under the excitement OF a presiden
tial campaign 100000 could be. more easily
raised than 81, 900 at that time. He Gu. then
proposed that the money be raised at home,
and thought that Republicans like ;Hawxhurst
and himself, with good Federal officers, could
raise the money: He asked how much was
wanted. He replied about $4,000. He was
very much surprised that the sum should be so
small, and subscribed 5000, as did also his
clerk. T. He thought that FL. S face frightened
at this. He left, and AS, he said, never offered
the paper to any one else. This might be true,
but he (U;) had heard several persons say that
it had been offered them. They talked about
it, and did not seem TO approve OF its being in
bis (H.'s) hands. The Executive Committee
of the Republican party had approved Of COL
lectipg the money at home instead Of abroad.
The idea among many was, and he (U.) sus
pected, that H. was fully Impressed that he was
in great measure the Republican party, and
his idea of helping the interests Of the party
was so inseparable from his idea of what would
lend to his own ambition, that some were unWiIl-
ing to subscribe to the paper in his hands.
Hawxhurst asked if the Executive Commit
tee did not afterwards send him to the North
TO collect money. /: : ..s l..-.5 -. liz 81 .ir..
Underwood said he was not sent for six months
after this, and he did not then get money enough
to pay his own expenses. -
'2 1 will next refer to the following sentence
Fro,,o ~ q 1otfo, in +hic Poyl,T71co3 organ tho