Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-05-18
MARRENTON, May u, 1859.

To .HeSSr. II'm II, Du'anv, 4. A. BrelrN
.hltcs ~ Stewart, Committee dc:
GENT EMEN-I received by last evening
| mail copy of the preamble and resolutions
adopted by the Conservative Committee OF ths
city and county of Alexandria, requesting me
for the reasons therein stated, to withdraw frou
the canvass, as the candidate for Congress O
the Conservative party OF this district
Permit me to return you my thanks Tor IN;
fattering terms in which you refer to me per
sonally, and to assure you that the kind rcgarc
always existing between us, is not at oil dimln
ished by the policy which You think it best td
| the motives of the committee are as pure as
those claim for myself and for those who con
cur with me- believe that On both sides We
are seeking the common good, if possible to be
obtained, of CUR PROSTATE and bleeding OLD
mother Commonwealth.
You must pardon me, however, for re as
sorting my conviction, that the policy adopted
by the recent Convention at Richmond, was
hasty, unwise and inexpedent. Thought
then, and think now, that we ought to have
waited until the Constitution, with the amend
ments, was submitted to us, and an election or
dered and that then we should meet again in
general convention, with delegates fresh from
the people, and to act then as the emergency
might require in adopting line of policy, in
which the unity of the Conservative party
would be an essential element, and representa-
ton by our own people an essential principle
Having the power Of numbers, we could, with
unity, have carried any plan We might then
have adopted. But we were required to go
it blind" on the expected Constitution, and 1t
is vet by no means certain that we may not
suffer the fate OF the blind, by moving IN the
dark, and without selected leaders. Present
indications show that the Constitution 'ds al
,caS connected to lie" will not be the Constitution
actually submitted to the people, so that the
first step OF the Richmond policy is met by
disappointment, and the people are lett with
out any definite or united principle OF action.
This Richmond policy, so dangerous to our
safety and success has peIvaded this district,
and we find ourselves undergoing the process
of disintegration from radical sources, tor the
purpose OF obtaining radical representation IN
Congress, and the exclusion OF the native,
Southern, conservative sentiment OF the State,
even on the basis of the adoption OF the amend
ed Constitution and the Walker ticket. de-
plore this result, not for myself, but tor the
people OF this State and district. frankly ad-
NIT that it was my proud ambition to labor tor
this down ,rodden people, and to plead their
cause, and that OF the South, as their repre-
sentative in Congress, within the Federal Con-
stitution, and in good faith to the government,
so that their voice of lamentation, of wrong,
and OF suffering, might be heard by the honest
conservative men OF the North, and by good
men everywhere
But 7 have never been eager or aspiring Tor
this position, nor-confdent of being able to ill
the Just measure OF so elevated and patriotic a
duty. Far from it. have been all humble
laborer in the ranks Of the people, and held
the position as candidate OF the Conservative
party by their selection. | have never believed
till now that any serious dissension existed
among us.
Mysole object has been the performance OF duty,
the unity OF the white people, and the success of
the Conservative party. You and other friends
differ with me as to the best means OF attaining
these common objects. have received letters
and communications from other portions OF the
district, concurring with you in advising my
withdrawal from the canvass. These expires.
sions of opinions from organized portions OF