Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-04-27
The seyenth congressional District.
, the Ed;tor of the Alexandria Gazette

The articles signed Alexandra and an
fax" in the Gazette of the Oath, before DIS.
cussing the questions at issue. seem TO begin
under a wrong impression as 70 the status OF
the Con- 7rvative candidate for Congress from
this Dis let They seem surprised that nc
should continue canvass begun by hum under
the orders Of our party. How could our can
Gida' do otherwise than to continue to carry
the flag placed in his hands until requested to
lay it down by the party who nominated him?
No such intimaton has been given, nor can we
suppose for moment that such Is the wish OF
the people of the District but surely, it Is tor
them to say whether this canvass shall 90 on.
For Mr. Shackelford to abandon the field DOW
would be deserton of his flag when battle
is imminent, and would render him justly CEN
surabe by those who nominated hin.
But why this desire to change front? Why
change candidates? Is tho principle OF last
summer not the principle Of this spring Are
we not the same people, acting tor the same
purpose and striving for common end! We
are afraid that division and dissonSlon are
creeping in upon US, and that wo are not as
fully prepared for the combat OF prDclpie as
We we're last summer and tall.
We seem to have lost the clear ring OF the
voice of race and nationality, struggling tor
honor and lite, and arc sinking into the humble
tones of time serving supplication. Instead OF
tho representative principle. based on choice,
regard and coincidence Of opinion and interest,
we are called on to adopt the misrepresentation
principle based on hostility, aversion and antag-
onism OF opinion and interest. We are ex-
pected, not merely to submit and acquiesce 10
the exercise of arbitrary and debasing power,
but to come forward and select it, TO embrace
and vote for it OF our own free will and accord,
and in doing this, to brand our dead heroes
and fallen comrades with iufamy and disgrace.
We must take men selected and chosen by us,
who can slcedr that they either fought against
us, or gave no countenance to our cause, or
had no sympathy for cur gallant soldiers
and their weeping mothers and sisters. linus
in proportion to the meanness OF the represeh'
tatlve will DO his recomme ndations for election.
Now is this last act of elf-degradatlon either
necessary or polite? All must agree that 1t Is
Infamous Is it either necessary or poltlc
We contend that it is neither. 1t is not neces'
sary to do it, and We will gain nothing by 1t
when done As to the Constitution and the
State-ticket, what will be the state OF affairs
The Constitution as amended by voting out
certain Objectionable features may be advocated
and adopted with negro suffrage IN 1t, by the
Conservative party. If this be done, II we
take the negro in the Constitution as an clec
;or, and set free the white man as on elector
and representative, why not select and vote tor
our own representative men to administer the
government under the Constitution thus
adopted IT the work is to be done by us,
why not reap the fruits Of it Ii we are to
make the government BY compromise OF
cherished principle, why not administer It,
instead of benevolently turning 1t over to our
enemies? There can te no answer to these
questions We contend, therefore, that there
is m necessity for the adoption OF the Walk
er.Tcaet' to administer the government mado
by ourselves Ii this be so, then all must ad-
throw away, without 4 consideration, the fruits
of victory, and hand over the control of the
State TO our adversaries. We would be sur
rendering what we had gained, and for which
we had made such great sacrifices. 10 sur
render, the cfore, the State government under
such circumstances would be not only folly, but
the insanity of humiliation.
Do not these remarks apply with equal force
to our representation in Congress-
If the State is thus reconstructed and the
Underwood Constitution thus amended is
adopted the delegation to Congress will have
the Constitutional right (if there be such
thiug) to take their seats, unless they are under
some Constitutional disability" The re-
ourements OF The Federal Government being
complied with as to the State, and she rehab'
itated and re admitted into the Union, is 1t
within the bounds Of reason to suppose that
the delegate who was under no disability
but who was simply one Of the people Of the
State thus restored. would be rejected for the
reason that lie acas one of the people? The
very basis of reconstruction is Upen submis-
sion. receive restoration, State and Federal
1t the State submits and is restored, does not
the individual follow the State?
If this be not so, pray let me ask When sha'i
we get rid OF the test OATH by which the
Southern people are to be excluded from rep
resentation in Congress? If not now, and by
virtue ct reconstruction, then when I-the
merit SESSION. or the merit thereafter
Let u not deceive ourselves; the same ar
gumentS and reasons OF policy which have IN
duced the radicals to adopt and thus far to in
sst upon it, will be felt and used by them with
increased force as the sessions pass by, and
they will say, with some reason, If we now
adopt this test oath" policy ourselves, why
the State of Virginia has gracefully submitted
to and accepted the test oath policy" and
We may still recruit our radical ranks by South
ern representatives; there is no necessity for
change since the people do not complain, and
there is much good to be done to our party by
continuing it indefinitely"
Let nc beg and entrcat that VIC do not thus
hastily and unwisely adapt ourselves to the
letters and adjust the heavy iron harness to
willing limbs, to the end that we may be more
easily and comfortably driven 10 the future
Let us at least CLAIM, our rights If disre'
Hlrded by despotic power, we can be no worse
eff. than if distegarded by ourselves. In the
one case we preserve our honor; in the other,
We lose it and gain nothing by it.
1t We have representative whose sole tit
ness arises from his former hostility to us, and
lis present willingness to advance himself aHd
the party that brings him into power. then let
him be put upon us by the Federal power, not
as the man who was elected, but as the man
who was dqeatea and rejected by tho people OF
the district.
But we cannot sec that such would DO the
result Looking into the ever changing and
experimental future, in view of the increased
strength of the Democratic party in the House,
by whose consent alone can the faithful even
have their disabilities removed. we see moro
moderate counsels prevailing in the Radical
party, and gradual but certain movement
towards the removal Of all disabilities, -