Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-03-06
Political HISTORY "A narrative has been
latal,t nnhlished hv the Richmond Whig from

in December, 1868, and the process Of her re-
admission, as it is termed, to the Union, at
fiat time. The SO called Underwood Constitu-
tion. containing some features most objection
able to the people OF Virginia, had been formed,
and Col. Withers was nominated tor Governor
upon ticket opposed to it. 1t was feared that
the triumph OF that ticket would have render
ed the election nugatory and opened to eir-
giuia further troubles. Congress had passed
bill for the admission of Virginia, which re-
quired the submission OF the Constitution as
whole, with all its offensive clauses to the peo-
ple Mr. Stuart states that at this juncture
he wrote an article, which was published stimuli
taneously in the Richmond Wing and Dis
patch, in which he implored the executive
committee of the Conservative party to lnaugu-
rate some means for a satisfactory adjustment.
AS the time was too short for action by that
committee, a conference of several gentlemen
was held in Staunton, at which it was determ-
iued to send out a brief circular to some forty
or fifty gentlemen 10 different parts of the State
inviting them to a conference 10 Richmond 90
the 3lst of December The conference was
held aud resulted 10 the adoption of resolutions,
proposed by Mr.. Stuart, expressing wiling
ness TO surrender their opposition to lDcorpo-
rating freedmen suffrage in the Constitution,
in the hope that union and harmony might be
restored on the basis of universal suffrage and
universal amnesty. A committee OF nlne was
also appointed to proceed to Washington
and make known the views and purposes
of the conference to Congress, and to take
such other measures as they might thlnk
proper to aid in obtaining from that body
such legislation concerning the organic law
of Virginia as Congress in its wisdom might
deem expedient aud best under all the
circumstances Mr. Stuart was made chair
man of this committee, which went to Wash
ircton and pressed upon the attention OF Con
yresslncu the Importance Of allowing the peo-
ole Of Virginia to vote separately Oh the obJec-
tionabe clauses 10 the Underwood constitution,
and explaining the features of those clauses.
They succeeded 10 arrestlug in the Senate the
bill for submitting the constitution as whole.
Mr.. Stuart states that he wrote an argument
against the iron clad oath which Gen. CANDY
had determined TO require of the members OF
the Legislature, and which was placed In Gen.
Grants hands by Jehn I. Lewis, of Virginia,
few days after which the purpose to require
the test oath was abandoned. President Grant
sent message to Congress recommending that
rately on the constitution and the Objectionable
clauses omi,tug the county organizations
The scope of Mr.. Stuart S letter is to show who
had the nerve to step forward in advance OF
public opinion in Virg gnia at the time and saw
ed the State.
With regard to the claim that General Lee
was the author OF the committee OF nine,
Mr. Stuart thinks that circumstance which
he explains had something to do with making
the impression that the movement was sug-
gested by the general. In August, 1868, Gen
cra Rosecrans came to the White Sulphur on
political mission In the interest or Governor
Seymour, of New York, and through his soilcl-
tatiou General Lee signed a letter addressed to
him. This letter was written by Mr. Stuart
at the request OF General Lee, and number
Of prominent gentlemen signed an appenoage
to this letter approving Oft Mr.. Stuart says
General Lee only struck out the word ''anultgn
in his draft of the letter. This letter appear
ing only short time before the action concern
lug the committee Of niue, and being so like
Mr. Stuart's views expressed III the resolutions
of the conference of January |, he supposes
the inference that General Lee had hand 10
it was natural al-BdH Sam.
DEATHS IN CLAkE COUNTY. MIR, Edward
W. Massey, died at his residence. near White
Post, 10 this county, on the 26lh ult.. 10 the
64th year of his age. In his death the whole
community, has met with severe loss For
many years be took leading part 10 the affairs
of the county, havlug at Que time represented
it in the General Assembly. Latterly, owing
to bad health, his Influence has been confined
to the narrower sphere Of home and bis imme
date peiehborbood, except SO far as ne was
carried from home by the affairs OF bis church.
He was Jealous and consistent member OF the
Methodist Church, and his loss will be heavily
iet by that COMMUNION. ~,
The large concourse assembled at the Old
Chapel, on Sunday afternoon, Testified the at
fectiouate regard 10 which MIR. Holmes Nc
CURE, was held by the community, and the
sympathy felt for his family in the sudden
death of one takeo away SO early 10 the very
prime of manhood. He was seen on the streets
on last Wednesday apparently in good health,
though we are told he was complaining OF feel,
ing uuwell. That nigh he went to bed, aud
never lett it alive dying ON Saturday morning
at 3 o'clock. of iuAamI alton of the bowels,
aged nearly 81 years. He projected, after the
close of the war, the Clarke Journal-now
Clarke Courier edited it for several years,
when he abandoned the newspaper business,
aud began the practice of law, which profession
he pursued, as we'll as the duties ofcommlSslon-
er in chaucery for the Circuit Court OF this
coupty, up to the time of his illness aud sudden
death. He was gallant soldier, aDd carried to
the grave with him honorable wounds rece.Vcd
10 battle for our common cause. Ctd'he Co".
OLDEST TIMBER IN THE World. Probably
the Oldest timber in the world which has been
subjected to the use of man is that which is
found In the ancient temples Of Egypt. 1t is
found iu connection with stone work which IS
known to be at least four thousand years old.
This wood, and the only wood used 10 the con-
struction of the temple, is in the form OF ties,
holding the eLd Of one stone to another IN Its
upper surface When two blocks were laid In
place, then it appears that an excavation about
an inch deep was made in each block, into
which an hour glass shaped tie was driven. 1t
is therefore very difficult to force any stone
from its position. The ties appear to have been
the tamarisk wood, of which the ark was con-
structed, u sacred tree 10 ancient Egypt, and
now very rarely found 10 the valley of the Nile.
Those dovetailed ties are just as sound now as
on the day of their insertion. Although fuel
lextremely scarce in that country, these bits