Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-06-21


mc and all those with whom have converscd,
than any O! the candidates now in tho field.
think snch n course would ID much towards
securing Your election.
Very respectfully yours. Ne.
WM. h. Strands
WFslpHAlIA, June 18th. 1869.
General VIM. i: Shands 80,
DEAN SIR Yours of the 10Th, With similar
letters on the same subject, aro haiore me.
MANY of my fellow citizens OF tho Conservative
marty having called on me Individually and
through county meetings to become candidate
for Congress ct Largo for the State, take the
opportunity in replying to your note to respond
10 all such enquiries and solicitations whist
can in all sincerity say that desire no office,
have been reared in tho old Virginia school,
which taught in our better days that the people
had n right to summon whomsocvcr they might
choose to represent them in their places OF pub
lie tiust. and that it was the part OF good cltl
zen to obey such calls. l therefore 90 not lecl
at liberty to disregard q demonstration OF the
people that is so clearly defined, and longer to
withhold my name | am persuaded would DC
considered as Il want OF appreciation on my part
of the high compliment that has been paid me,
coming in n great measure ON those VINO have
antagoniZcd me in politics for quarter OF
century. If it should 30 the pleasure OF the
Conservative party to elect ne to seat IN Con
press. | will most zcalOusly render them all the
service that my humble ability will enable me
Go do. Of the rise and progress OF political
events | have been close observer, but Tor ten
wears past have takon but little part IN political
ENTHUSIASTICALLY official honors have but
few charms for me in those demorahzed and
vcnal times but however feeble my efforts IN
the public sci yicc might be, feel bound to rem
der all the aid to my native State IN this her
hour of dreadful trial that am capable o.
, | do not deem it necessary Tor an Old line
Nhir to say much OF old opinions that have
become we'll nigh obsolete; and to be repeating
old internal improvement speeches now when
everybody is for the system, would be like one s
awakening rom Rip Van Wrinkle nap. fm
familiar with tho North American continent,
from the Mississippi to the British Provinces,
and have crossed Nirgir'a itom tho sea to the
Ohio and beyond nearly to the lakes, twice on
horseback. Unfortunately Tor us, have met
with few in our borders who knew anything OF
internal improvements as 4 system. II / had
been in Congress twenty years since, L believe
the j ames River and Kanawha canal would now
be pouring its trade into Richmond. would
finish the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad at once,
and the water line as soon a. practicable, which
should not be long. The work from Peters
bufy to Bristol. via lIynchburg, could and ought
to be- greatly improved The Norfolk and
Great Western should boail Immediately with
two track, and all other works should tie
pu he'd to completion You may ak whore Is
the money TO come LON? In rcply. nSI;
where did the Northwestern States get money
to construct an hundred i'mcs IA much? AN
Tor progress. want to make Virginia an en-
nire. Let IL uaild up all OF her cities rom AlcN
anira to Norfolk. do not believe there Il
such another Territory On Garth With twenty
millions Of white people where Will Snlhbo lie !
Wa a. ihOuaht ii consistent thioh man.
but ahonld hn unwilling Ia take the tcst ol'h.
My political disabilities were regarded by zen
Schoiicli a. merely technical, | pre- fumc, 1t
elected, could obtain my seat.
Ia give clear view OF my position on the
most vital issues before III iii n lev words l IN
scrt here an extract nom letter written lay me
in January, 1865, and published in ono OF our
leading journalS at ;hC time
My platform (thc only true test OF loyalty
is the Union, the Constitution and a white
mans Government, with equal Justice to all
men before the law. | inI ,tc my lends and
an who have agreed with me to come, and
To INV old political opponents, extend the olive
branch in good faith. Politically, will know
nd one in the fish, and the man who will stand
on this patlorn to him [ will hcncciorth give
all the ait possess, without regard TO- his an
tocednnts The question is not who will come,
but who Will stay away ? There il a dark cloud
in the horizon, and we know not at what time 1t
may burst upon US. Let lis prepare AT once
ere 1t be too late, for the coming storm, and the
man born OF n Caucasian woman who will not
stand by lis now may he meet his Just reward.
In the same letter | said: "lf had the
mower would this hour remove from every
man IN Virginia all political disabilities. Be-
sides this, have urged the removal OF all po-
Iii cal disabilities on some OF the most proml-
nnnt members Of both houses OF Compress -
Universal negro suffrage is on us, but | am not
one Of those who despair of the Commonwealth.
1t is not necessarily n fixture, and l believe 1t
will be but short lived. have steadily opposed
the extension Of suffrage, believing 1t TO be an
acquired and not q natural right, and that II
should only he enjoyed by the into" gent,
honest, and v.rtuous, and not by the Ignorant,
proiligate and vicious. The safety of Virginia
in the great struggle before us depends on our
ability H. eat away rs many OF tho deadly
cxcrcsccnces OF the abominablc Constitution rs
we may he allowed to reach, and to elect
Legislature ont of our good men, who are IA
vorablo to good government and opposed to
anarchy.
have never seen either of tho asprants
for gubc:natorial hohors | bear them no
persona! unLindncs3 and do not call people by
hard namcs; but they are not of myhouschold:
One OF them has good white lieutenant and
promises wcll--and have no reason 10 doubt
his sinccrity-and he will therefore receive my
earnest support. Tho other has negro Tor
lieutenant governor on his ticket; which, If in
Massachusetts,, would bring down curses from
Sumner and irrctrcvablc ruin on the party who
might attempt such thing in any Northern
State, and il such thing will not stir the mon
of Virginia, it were needless for ME to speak,
though should be able TO pour forth the clo'
qucnt strains OF Henry or to sound the clarion
notes Of Clay. | am not the rival OF any one
and would now most wilngly support any man
on whom the Conservative party might agree to
concentrate their vote in preference to an elcc
ton of myself; but having been persuaded
that my name viii bring voters to the polls
who would not otherwise come, and that the
Conservatives in this section of the State will
not vote for either of the aspirants for the
Office which many OF my old political opponents
desire to confer on me. do not feel justified
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