Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-09-21
Granger Picnic.

Correspondence Ct the Al xandrla Gazette.
HAMILTON Va, Sepr. 20, lS76.-rhe great
Granger picnic came IF yes erday in Hatcher S
woods near this place 1t was rather SHINY
attended. The speakers were DIR. j. NJ. Blan
ton, Worthy Master Of the State Grange, aud
Col. Richard LIewelIyn, Deputy, from Norfolk,
Va They were introduced by County Deputy
II. \ Rector, AID their remarks were WILL re-
ceivcd by the Changers. but their CRITICISMS
upon middle men and merchants generally
were not so pleasant and mary lett that
neither the occasion or the cause demanded
such wholesale denuncIation of class 5 wa
are sometimes, at least, positive bcneht to
communities The Phiwont band cn!lvencd
the occasion with good music, and that. to-
gcther with til good dnucr and smiling faces
of the fair ones who hvnored the occasion WITH
their presence, went far towards harmon,zirg
the dscordant ecments. Yct as an outsider,
| nus. say thar unless The patrons Ut hushandry
can sccur: for themselves tn If rights aud bet
ter their condition as tllerS OF the sol 10 no
better way than arrayiDg themselves against
the whol: community outside OF their rapks,
their cause is hopeless. We think they are
unfortunate 10 the selection OF speakers, AID
give il As our hoDest conviction that DOT one OF
the prominent officials OF the organization are
practical farmers, or if they are, then when
they get good way from home they utter
sentiments that they would be asham d OF at
home. We are greatly interested 10 the cause
Of The farmer, but We do not fe.l that every
her man 10 a community is his sworn foe,
aud can see no good TO grow out OF the pre-
sumption Let US have peace. MARTIN.
SOUTHERN MEN IN CONGRESS. "A Western
republican organ recouals the number oil menu
bcrs Of the present House of Representatives
who served in the rebel army, aud complains
that SO many Of them should now be sent to
Congress and that a number of them were made
chairmen Of committees. Ii speaks of Con
tcderate supremacy" and tries to alarm its
readers and to excite their hostility to South
cru mcn, not on the ground that these have
mlSc 1uductcd themselves 10 Congress, but on
the score that in the late war they served 10
the rebel army.
This is a very unworthy plea and is, besides,
more calculated to off cd deceut aud thought
tul republicans than TO win votes. The war is
over What the best interests of the country
demand is that all parts shall send their ab,st
men to Congress. 10 the Southern States, as
everybody koows, aud as General Sherman and
other Uoiou officers long ago recognized, the
brains and ability did 90 into the rebel army.
1t is very patura therefore, that men who
served 10 that army should now be chosen to
20 to Congress. Il is not only natural but
right. Braus, ability, Influence, character
must tell in every community, add ought to.
1t is the fault of the republicans themselves
that the brains Of the Southern States are now
so generally ranged on the democratic side.
With only fairly good management large part
of the most influential Southern politicians and
statesmen would to-day b. firm republicans.
But they have been rejected by the republican
leaders, aod this is one of the plumbers which
the wiser republicans now openly recogpiz
To cast suspicion upon such men is not goou
poli,y.-N T. Herald.