Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-10-29
Political Discussion.

utmost CaptCliI ny itSiAShAS "a 'AiN wy 1890
country, many OF whom were
colored, drawn together by the political discus
sion that took place there, between Gen. Eppa
Hunton, the regular candidate of the Conser-
yative party for Congress- and his independent
opponent, MIR. James Barbour. The allotment
of time was as usual-eacb gentleman to have
an hour for his speech and half OF all hour
for his reioiuder. ;.
The General led off, aud commenced his
speach by announcing hlmsclt as the regular
nominee Of the Conservative party, aud CON
s,uuantlv the candidate Of all who desired the
integrity aud well being OF that party, IN coun-
~. State, aud National attalrs-uuW more thar
ever before, since its organization, necessary,
in view of the great, and apparently successful!
effort in progress to restore the control vi the
government to those who will mauugc 1t hon
estly, economically, and in the Interests OF the
whole people, and not az il has been managed
10 the past few years by the Radicals-inr the
purpose OF retaining possession and or with,
drawing all the money from the people anc
concentrating it in the hands OF the bankers and
railroad monopoIists of the North. For months
preyions TO the Alexandria Convenion,he sad,
il was the general opinion that he was to be
the Conservative, aud Col. MOsby the lndcpcG-
daut candidate, aud he had been urged by his
friends to follow the custom OF lucumbcnts III
the good old times before the War,and aanoutct
himself candidate without the Intervention OF
Convention; but wishing his constituents TO
pass upon his fitness tor the position, he nau
chccriully acqulesccd III the cali Tor ConVcn-
lion. COL Mosby suddenly withdrew from the
contest, and Mr.. Barbour, who had supported
him US the independent canddae, took his
place, aud submitted his claims 10 the Cou' cn.
ton. The Convention met. 1t vas composed
of as honest and Intelligent gentlemen as
could be found in the Dslrict-men whose
honor was above rcproach-who would as soon
think of robbDg their ucighbJrS as OF COMMIT.
ting an election fraud. OF that Convention
committee OF eleven, representing all the coun'
ties 10 the district, was appointed TO Consider
the question Of admission OF the Scott IoWu-
shin delegation In committee meeting ten OF
that committee favored the admission oi the
Hutton delegation, but when the reports We're
presented 10 the Convention that report lavor-
Ing the admission of the Hunton delegation
was sigucu by eight members, aud the pilnorl-
ty report by three The MAJ Jrlty report was
adopted by more than Il twothirdS vote OF the
whole Convention aud that vote being consld-
cred test vote, and Mr. Barbour's friends
learning from it that he had 10 earthly chance
of a nomination, the Culpeper delegation and
two others withdrew, aud that the Convention
then nominated bin unanimously. Had Mr..
Barbour been the choice Of that Convention no
one would have been more Jealous in his sup
port than the speaker. As it Was, however, no
one was more surprised than he was at the
course of Mr. Barbour, who for the last twen
ty years, had been the most ardent OF caucus
men twice the candidate Of caucuses, once for
the Confederate aud once for the u. 5. Senate,
and whose strict adherence to party commands
had even led him to vote for Horace Greeley.
The course Of the gentlemen, he said, remind.
ed him of an old colored mau who had Deen the
victim of a practical joke iD having puppy IN
his basket substituted by a pig and the pig
afterwards substituted by the puppy, and whose
surprise was 50 great 10 consequence that he
exclaimed, fore God, Marssa, ne pig or pup
by, jcs as he chose" He went toto the Con
veutlon as Conservative, but fudirg out that
be could not be nominated there, he comes out
and announces himself as anludcpcndent, and
is in fact the candidate Of the odds and ends of
the District.
The general then reviewed his Congressou-
al course; stating that the salary grab bill had
been passed before he became member, that
amendment compelling him to return what
money he had drawn previous TO the passage
of the repeal on the same principle that a clerk
whose salary at the 1St OF January 1878
was reduced from $500 to S4U0, would not re-
turn $lUU Of the sun he had drawn for the
year 1874 He had voted also against the bank.
rupt bill because that bill had been pronounced
by the Chief Justice Of the United States, un-
constitutional, aud because by it all the money
of the poor baDkrupts went Into the hands OF
the Federal Courts and its agents and lawyers.
He had made no tactiouS opposition 10 President
Grant; had voted for appropriations for the
navy when it was thought foreign war was
imminent, but had certainly voted against the
Civil Rights bill, the provisions OF which would
be disastrous to both white and colored people,
and had voted for Fernando Wood and gen.
tleman from Alexandria as the caucus uoml-
nees of the Democratic party for Speaker and
Clerk Of the House. There We're but two par
ties in the House Radicals and Democrats.
Was it strange that he voted with those who
had been and were our friends in preference to
those whose legislation had been detrimental
to all our interests? or should he have stood
aoof from both and voted with neither. How
would Mr.. Barbour have voted uudcr the same
circumstances? 1t was also complained OF him
entirely new issue 10 Virginia politics, but
would Mr.. Barbour have auy more than he
had? Ii MIR. Barbour were elected and were
to 70 to the President and say, Mr.. President,
| want an office for my friend; | was elected
by abusing Hunton for lis course on the Salary
grab. the President would reply you arc not
IN accord with me, for am the biggest grab
Der Of them all. | got $4,000 by 1t, and am
now drawing S5O,OOU year by that same bill.
You cant have any patronage. COL MoSby
must continue to have that at his disposal
Suppose he were to say, Il beat Huntou be-
cause [ condemned his course 90 the Bankrupt
law" The President would reply, Then you
are again not 10 accord with the administration,
and Col. MoSby will have to continue to dis
peuse the Federal patronage in your district. y
But suppose he should say, Mr. President,
beat Hunton because denounced the third
term project" the President would respond,
Then sir, you shall certainly have no coupte-
nance here, not enough even to yet one of your