Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-08-14
COY walker of Virginia.

the recently elected Governor Of Eirs mia
The Governor opened conversation on the
noliical affairs of Virginia. declaring himself
to be an earnest Republican, an uphOlder OF
tbc Reconstruction acts OF Congress, in favor
nj the adop,ion Of the Fifteenth Amendment
and irm and unwavering friend OF General
| Grant and his administration. Tn asking him
! how il was that he had been so earnestly sup
ported by those who had hitherto been the
most bitter opponents Of all these men ana
measures, he remarked that II wa evident that
people outside OF lI!ainla did not distinguish
! hotwecn the noopIc and the politicians. lie
contended that the great mass on the old poll
ticians Of the State ad opporcd his election
refusing to VOTE themselvcF, and Influencing
aII whom they conld control not to vote that
! he had succeeded in cutting the mass OF the
people loose from the old politicians, and II
sustained by the Republican party. and the Al
min;stratiou. would soon succeed IN making
oooi Pepubcana of them A great many
men. he admitted, had voted for HIM a. what
thev regarded "the least Of two evils, hut he
rontapded that the great mass had gwen HIM
\ cordial support because they detested his op-
moment, because they were disguised with the
old politicians. and because they believed tha'
he could secure them q representation IN Con,
ercss. and the restoration ofthc State to IT'S old
! position in the Union, which IS now the MIST
and ardent wish Of MI the people. ,,
al" Ir'nn nynrrss;no the opinion that be wonid
| bc orcrslauched as Gov Pierpolnt had been,
b7 the shrcwd and cunning politicians by whom
| he wonld be surrounded, the Governor prompt
| IL rcplied that be was Northern man, with
earnest and settled convictions on all national
toncs. and that he intended to be Governor OF
Virginia, and not mere tool IN the hands OF
any set OF men. lie also significantly remarked
that the new Constitution gave to the Cover
nor the reto lOra--that he had been elected
BY q large majority OF the popular vote oil the
State, and would not come into his office like
Governor Picrpont, with only the meagrc
backing OF few OF the new residents OF two
small counties. The title OF Governor Pier
point to the Executive chair he had himself
regarded as most ridiculous one, and 1t was
so viewed By every honest and intelligent man
in the State: His administration was farce
from beginning to end, and no one had any
right to expect any good results to flow
from it.
la abiding to his CANVASS OF the State, the
Governor said that he had confined himself to
discussion of what would be best for the IN
erest OF the people and what should be
promptly done to make Virginia great, pow
eriul and wealthy State. He had denounced
their neglect OF their own interests Tor the pro.
| motion Of the political interests OF professional
politicians, and had told them that all thclr
| past and present woes were the result OF their
| had teaching and worse actions. They had
| driven them to the verge OF rum, ana had
proved themselves utterly incompetent TO lead
| them out CT it. lie said that be was every
where complimentsd by the people on this new
mode OF eectoneerlng in Virginia. They were
sick and tired of the old political harangues
from the hUitincs, and personally promised to
stand firmly by him in his efforts to rogen'ratc
and di>enthra the State NirIiIa reconstruct
co, would be flooded with q new and vigorous
population, wealth aud skilled labor would flow
| into her borders the pric, ot lands woutrapd
| IL enhance. her cifics become great and prJSpe
| rous and III no way could thlS !e done so
rapid Y and otfec.u2lIy AZ bg The voluntary re
turn OF the people 10 their allegiance 70 the
old flag, and the utter abandonment not only
OF the exploded iacas thar lei to rebellion but
| of that class OF men who had, since the close
ofthc rebellion, laborcd to keep them aTrayed
| in bitter antaconiSm 10 Congress, and 20 the
great party # progress that had shown dcvo
| Ton 10 principle and capacity and determl
nation to carry out its CONSCIENTIOUS purposes
| of governments, that must and did command
| the respect and admlratlon OF the whole clvllZ
| ed world.
| In thc course Of conversation he alluded to
| the effort benr made to INDUCE Gen. Candy to
exclude from the Legislature those member
who could not take the iron clad oath, express
| ing the hope that nothing OF the Kind would
| he attempted. Ii such course was pursutu
he declared that he could not and would not
remain in the State He had not the slightest
fear bnt that he would be able to conro. those
men, and to bring them up TO the support OF
the administration OF General GRAFT. The
ncorlr we're With him, and he had rea1on to
| believe that even larre portion 0i those who
| voted against him were now satisfied with the
result, hence they would not he sustained By
| their constituents 10 any lactou5 lcei5fauon.--
The neon lie wanted peace, and were determined
to have it, and il sustained and upheld by the
| Republican PARTY and the administration, he
would pledge himself to make Virginia the
most loyal of all tho Southern States. 1t
| contrary course wa pursued he would regard
| it as triumph to the old politicians, who were
already claiming that their prOphcslcs are about
to be fulfilled, and that the rcsnIt OF the recent
election would not be accepted b. Congress rs
n restoration of Virginia to fall equality a one
| OF the States Of the mon.
THE Power OF THE MATES. The Cmcn-
natl Enquirer has been figuring upon the cen.
;us OF $50, AMI it, political results in order to
show how fat and how far the Eastern and
| Middle States have lost power in Congress, and
| how soon the Northwest viii ovcrpower and
make them tributary to thc Giant power arising
west Of the Allcghanics. 1t shows that in 1910
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Mis-
sour had thirty-two members Of Congress, and
thatin 1870, with Iowa, Wisconsin,, Minnesota,
KansaS. and Nebraska since added, there will
be eighty-three members-an increase OF fifty
two la 1910 the six New England States
had thirty eight members, but in 1870 will
have but twcnty-two-a loss OF sixteen. In $40
the Middle States and Mary land had eighty
one, and IN 1870 will have but sixty lour-a
| loss of seventeen. According to this EXHIBIT,
the Eastern and Middle States IN $40 had
majority Of eighty. seven over the West, but
| according to the next census viii have but
three majority. By adding Kentucky to the
West, where that journal thinks i; properly
belongs, that section will have ninety one Rep
resentatives to pit against the cighty-siX from