Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-04-21
COMMUNICATED.


Please publish the following article from the
Loudoun Enterprise ia relation to this Congress
sional District. B.
THAT is sensible letter written by ex-Go7
ernor VIM. Smith, declining the use Of biz
name in connection with the nomination fo
Congress from this district. 1t is undoubtedly
true that the great influence which Virginia ex
ercised 10 the national council, before the late
civil war, was due to the Tact that she selected
her very best men to send to Congress, and
kept them there. Her Representatives were
thus enabled to add ripe experience to Well
trained abilities, and hence they impressed them
selves in most marked and emphatic manner
upon the legislation of the country. twas no
unusual thing for Virginia representative to
keep bis seat in Congress for from twenty to
thirty years. This was the case when men
we're selected for their fitness to serve the pco-
pie 10 the different political positions to which
they were elevated. Now, the idea seems to
be that public offices We're created for the graft
fcation of such individuals as choose to aspire
to them, and not solely for the public good
Selt-conceit and the windy fattery of foolish
toadies. often makes man an asplraut for the
high position of a member of Congress, who is
not really tit for country justice, and be thinks
1t wonderful that all the world does not see the
matter as he does
Gen Huuton was chosen after full and free
canvass, to represent this district 10 the Con-
gress OF the UDited States, by an overwhelming
majority of its voters Whilst he may have
felt proper ambition for the honor be did not
seek it IN any unbecoming manner. He was
never his own trumpeter and his friends urged
no claims that did not strictly belong to, and
spring from, his Individual merits He is hard.
ly warm in his seat, however before aspirauts
by the dozen are spriuging up all over the dis
trict, proclaiming that they are the men, and
that the country can no longer afford to do
without them. What pity it is that the dis
trlct has but one representative. No COM
plant is made of Gen. Hutton No one will
assert that he is not able, honest, aud faithful.
No one dare even to ultimate that he has done
aught to forfeit the confidence of his people.
No one will deny that he will go back to Con-
greSs with the added advantage of two years
service. No one will ever hint that he does
not scorn from the bottom of his patriotic heart
any uuhoy alliance with the enemies of his
State. and his section, and yet there are men
who would be guilty of the ungeuerous rude.
nesS, and the patent Injustice of turning him
out without giving his constituents the oppor-
tunty of endorsing his course in his first term
10 Congress- a course which We have DO doubt
meets with their hearty approval. We speak
OF the pronounced Conservatives. As for the
lndepeodents-the Grant Cancellation men
they are not worthy of a moments considera-
ton. Their position Is too ridiculous and non
senlcal to excite any other emotion than that
uf-pltyjor Their folly Let US have our con-
ventluu. Let US re- nominate Gen. Hunton,
and the Independents will be the worst whip.
ped set of restless aud iuSsy politicians that
the world ever saw. They will learn at heavy
cost of modification, that politics is not their
vocation"