Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-08-16

said Greeley was choice of evils, and there
were good men who said they had no choice
and wouldn't vote at all. Some again were
merely counting the chances of success; for
them there were no arguments available. The
choice was between despotisln and liberty; be-
| tween honesty and corruption. Whatever
| kind feeling Grant may have, he cant change
his course now Would any man who ever
| plays game of chance, refuse one in which he
| might win and couldn't lose? That was the
game offered to us. An old Methodist brother
had ouce said to him, rather protancIy per
haps, that If he was lying in hell, he d try to
turn over to sec if it wouldnt be cooler on the
other side Were there any neutrals present?
| Greeley must owe his election to the South,
and could not but feel grateful to her SOUS
There were among us, however, some "unco
guide" mcn-too good for this world. He hun
self had been called a Bourbon. and he con-
fessed to have felt, until recently, great re-
uctance to voting for Horace Greeley. But
certain considerations of profit influenced the
men of whom he spoke some Office or favor
| or the hope of one. TO these he made no APP
peal he would say to his audience, don't
trust them" At camp meeting in the pine
woods of North Carolina, man OF outre APP
pearance was seen on a certain occasion, ac-
companied by small boy, who went everywhere
with him, to take care of him, because he was
subject to fits. He went up to the mourner's
bcuch aud was converted and proposing to
join the church, was requested to give in his
experience. While he was doing this in most
orthodox way aud describing his ascent into
heaven in vision, and what he saw there he
suddenly leaped up and began to caper about
in most amazing manner, The boy told the
bystanders he had fit, but unable to control
himself he yelled ont with an oath, that
warn the matter at all, there was lizard in
the leg of his brceches 80 said the speaker,
it is not fit of patriotism jnto which these
gentlemen have fallen; they have, each one Of
them, lizard in the leg Of his breeches
The signs were all good for brilliant victory
in November We had a real victory in North
Carolina, though the means used by the ad
miuiStratoD were Infamous. In Il nclghborlng
county in Virginia, on the day OF election,
there were TO voters from one county in North
Carolina, refugees from pocket warrants, and
three thousand men in Texas had been accused
OF some violations of the revenue laws and
bailcd for the day after election to appear at
such a distance from their homes that they
must either forfeit their bail-bcndS or lose their
votes These means can be used, as efficient
", at the Presidential election, because ali the
States Vote on the same day.
There was once vcly lazy preacher named
Crawford, whom it was desired to dismiss, but
who Thought he had nothing to do but sit still
and take his ease At last, however, he got
his dismissal, and in telling the tale afterwards,
he said that as he walked down the church
aisle, the crcaking Of his boots said, 'Farwcll,
brother Crawford, when he got out the wind
whisled, "Farwc brother Crawiord!" He
mounted his horse, aud the pattcr of his hools
said plainly, "furwcll, brother Crawford. a
big hog started off, and scarccd his horse,
throwing him off into mud holc as he rubbed
the mirc from his face, he heard the retrcatng
gaop of his horse, saying, "Farwcll, brother
Crawford" So it would be with Grant The
upgratcfu Bowen had already charged him
with cheating him out of SO 900; it was Far
well, brother Crawford. and the people, at the
polls in November, would rc-ccho 'Farwcll,
brother Crawford
At 9:23, Col. Withers concluded, amid hearty
applause and whizzng of rockets, bazlug Of
Roman candles, and firing OF guns The IN
voluntary lodging of the County Supcrlntcn-
dent, as a rocket whizZcd over him, afforded
great amusement to those about the stand.
Gen. James II. Williams the District Flee
tor was then introduced, and made very
effective speech. He said he was but u cleaner
after the able speech OF Col. Withers, but his
part must be done also. That a party true to
principle, fond of office, and so long entrusted
with power as the Democratic party had been
should have nominated lifelong opponent,
was a wonderful occurrence only to be ac-
counted for by the most exalted patriotism. 1t
could not succeed by itself; a quarrel had arisen
in the Republican party; some of the members
of that party had begun to be alarmed at the
lengths to which they were being forced and
had revultcd Il was remarkable that almost
all the original aboliShtioulsts were among
them, as well as every living member of Lin
coins cabinet but one. This was the most cor
rupt administration we had ever had; cabinet
officers had to have investigating committees
about their doings and the President would
take any gift down to pointer dog. Southern
men called upon the Democratic party to save
them but it was powercss to rescue them from
the carpet baggers Bad governments make bad
Subjects and we must be part OF the govern
ment: so unless we wished to be bad with 1t,
we must help to reform it, We all remember
the days of the iron clad OATH when carpet
baggers were imported cash on delivery from
Massachusetts,, to order; one sheriff, one clerk.
one constable, &c. While that process was
going on, had Union man stepped forward and
said, II take the oath, and appoint as my
deputies the old officers, while u carpet bagger
proposed to take the place and appoint as his,
Sergeant B., because he was good at charging
upon household furniture, stealing rebel prop
crty, aud burning barns, and colored citizen.
because ''the colored troops fought bravely, :"
and ought to share the spoils which, would they
have chosen. So we must act now. "Prlncl-
pies: not men, was the Democratic motto, and
did we not all approve the Cincinnati platform?
What were We doing, when Greeley was reVll-
ing US? Had the War Democrats stood by US,
the war would never have occurred or would
have had quite another issue, but they helped
to conquer US and we cannot expect to dictate
terms now. Grant said, LET us have Peace"
and didn't give it to us; Greeley says the same,
and means it. Unless Democrat wanted to
90 over, he didn't see how he could support
Grant. But there were some men W HON Prov
idence seemed to have sent into this world to
serve as mile posts on the road of progress; if
they were drowned, their bodies would be found
up stream, with others, how, what, and when