Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-05-11
The seventh Congressional District

From many anonymous communicaGons 10
the papers, 7 observe TIA: some doubt IS sup
posed 20 be entertained 81 some OF the Con-
servatiye party of thi, district. as 70 whether
| am still candidate Tor Congress. deem 1t
but lust to the pasple o. this district, who
nominated me, and to myself, to settle this
matter definitely and at onc'.
am still Candidate tor Congress, aud
never had the slightest doubt ol my dHfs TO
continue such. or OF the decided improperly
of nv withdrawing. entered the field at the
call OF the Conservative party, to defeat the
Underwood Constitution and myself with 1t
The active duty performed is known to all
In concert with the body OF the wtIte people
Of the State. that enormlty has been defeated.
We uo,C have TO consider an amended or er-
| ,,,,0,teT Constitution for adoption, and not
Tor rejection.
IF the former has been defeated by our
united efforts, the latter can be adopted only
Inv the same activity aud union II adopted
and the Walker ticket elected, reconstruction
will lie complete, and the admission OF the rep
| resentatives to Congress liked TACT. MS i,
was the guarantee OF the IVY aiEer ticket,
and was declared to be the policy OF the adj
mnistration in regard 10 reconstruction, 10 inc
recent Convention. Were this otherwise we
should have a reconstructed State government,
and an uureconstruc!ed and unreprcsehteo
people. This is neither the intention OF tne
President nor the policy OF the administrator;
| If any solemn political pledges can oe iel'eu
IN. or any peace restored upon the adoption OF
| Congressional reconstruction, we can surely
and safely rely upon the waiver OF the test
oath as to members Of Congress-. ;.
For myselt | am under no Constitutional dis
ability" recurring a bill and q two.thirds vote
| IN remove it. am therefore eligible to Con
gress and it will be for the Hous, merely, by
| a majority vote, to waive that oath, as In the
case of Gen. Young, of Georgia, upon the
admission of the State upon her amended Con-
stiturion. and that such would be the case, |
have not the shadow of doubt The scntl
| mcnt of the members OF our recent Convcn'
| ton was, that our organization as party,
should be preserved and strengthened, and
that the District, Senatorial and County can
didates should renew the canvass With lncreas'
ed activity upon the new line. As 10 the
policy Of the adoption Of this new linc' every
| man must Judge for himself my own course
| in the Convention is we'll known. oeneVed
| that If the negro 3caS to be admitted into q
participation Of the powers OF the State gov
eminent by an amended Constitution upon
|
| fairs hv our own men; that the proposition
ought first to be submitted to us. and that the
| people in Convention ought to have an oppor-
| tunity of being heard for themselves. The
| Convention thought otherwise, and that I'M
| mediate action was necessary, and the new
policy adopted at once
| | submit to the ruling OF the Convention,
and will follow its line OF policy Considering
that the people of this State are compelled to
choose between evils, prefer TO take the east'
10 order to preserve the power OF the state
government in the hands of the white people
IF the State | shall, therefore, advocate the
election of the walker t!cket" and the
adoption of the amended or crpW0oted Con
sttut or as it Is expected 10 ue submitted
and | entrcat all Conservative men to lay
aside cherished opinions and preJudlceS ana
save US and our posterity from the evils o. the
| Wells Underwood Constitution which means
exclusive negro supremacy and white dlsiran
| chl,ement.
The position | hold as candidate was not
of my own seeking. Work was to te done
and was selected TO do it. | have done my
part of it, and the fruits OF partial success are
beore US. have no right to abandon the
field and lay down my commission when am
satisfied that nine .tentEs OF the white people
| of the district desire me to continue, and
would be dsheartened and disappointed at my
| una uthoIlzed wi hdrawa. Were L TO with
draw what would he the inevitable result =
Dissension in our own parry, the absence from
| the polls Of d large vote, division or the
white vote cast between contendlng Radicals
loss OF strength TO the Walker ticket, and
the amended Constitution and the certain cleo,
ton of Mr. Whitleaey by the consolidated
negro vote As to the merits or dement's OF
other gentlemen, whose names have been men
toned as having more Radical Influence,
have nothing to say. The public must Judge
them from the record.
| d. net mean to attempt TO advance my
| own cause by Gecryipg my advcrsarlcs Tor ;hc
Conservative vote.
can only put myself right and hope that
that vote will remain true and faithful to itself
and its chosen candidate.
Were it an original proposition | should not
be candidate, but being in the current pow
crlesS 10 retreat, and satisfied that to do so
would lie ruin to our cause, | shall stem it with
sanguinc hope OF success and confident reliance
upon the united sympathy and support OF the
Conservative party OF the district. Respect.
fully, your 0bedicnt servant,
e H. SUACKELFORp.