Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-08-04
SANDY SPRING, MD, August ., 1876.
the Editor of the Alerlndrla Gazette

Sir A friend has enclosed to me your edi-
torals 90 the subject ofthe republican meeting
of the night OF the 18th ut. lu one OF ihcm.
you refer to my speech as diSinQenunus aud
totally unexpected attack upon the State and
her institutions and people" The other uses
the following courteous aud chivulric language
Some tt the statements of some OF the
speakers at the radical meeting last night were
made with 40 evident purpose to deceive. OF
else exhibited an amount of ignorance remark
able even in the ordinary scalawag Hnw, for
instance. can Mr. Francis Miller reconcile his
statement that, before the war the State OF
Virginia paid with great difficulty the Interest
on the debt with either truth or Information
when it is we'll known that up TO the war Fir
GINA bonds were above par, being worth from
lO5 to ITO, and that the payment OF interest on
them was always promptly provided for, and
that additions were made annually TO her sur
plus fund.
| have noticed that in the conduct OF your
paper since it came under your control you
have almed TO apply to your opponents the
cplthets that you thought would be most OF.
fcnsive TO them, and | congratulate you on
your successful choice OF that which you apply
to me. OF all characters that | dcsp!se the
"dcmagoeue' receives my most hearty COO
tempt.
He is one who eudcavn.s by appealing to the
lowest and bascsi passions OF our common hu-
MAD nature to lead men astray 10 order to Az
vance his own selfish, personal interests. lie
do this he will not hesitate TO rcvile anu abuse
his opponeuts, or mlsrrprcSent and mlStatc
their uttcrancp. or to CHI; rye them, with IAN
evident purpose to dcceiv",' or with 'au
amount of ignorance remarkable even IN the
ordinary scalawqg.' | will leave it to the
conservatives who attended the meeting and
| heard my speech TO say whether | did not TAR
~ and manulIy present the republican, view u:
| he Issues now before the people, and TO de
eide whether said anything that could hurt
| the feelings Or wound the senslblllties Of any
who heard me- ''Scalawag" though br, |
have confidence that there is enough OF Old
| Virginia fairness and honesty lett to believe
that their decision will be in my favor.
| My object, however, IN wiring this letter Is
| Ia, u dwell upon any remarks OF yours ptrson
al TO myself In Alexandria. where am known,
| | eau well ford 10 leave what you nave sad
without further notice Where | AN moi
known | can only hope that your r.ad~rs
have learned how tIt confidence can b2 placed
in your attacks on your political OF personal
opponents. Do desire to dcuy rmrhatl
caliy hat | made any attack on the STATE Of
| Virginia, or her people. or her lhstltu
tious, unless slavery BIZ in your view still. ore
of those institutions. did attack the leaders
of the democratic party; | showed that they
received Virginia eighty gears ag1, the largest,
richest and Most papuIous State u The u"l'h
that they ami your ideas have controlled the
| State from that tim" 10 tins. ard that they
now hold the State, overwhelmed by 10 Of
debt: with poverty aud JS.rssS IN the aouSca
of nearly all her people &c" pr those OF these
leaders. And | said hat when tie people Of
Virginia return to knowledge Of their own
| true Interests they will cast these Improbable
servants that have so neglected to improve the
salcots committed to their charge Into outer
darkress,' and they will do so
Do you mean seriously TO deny that hr
State of Virginia with great difficulty paid
the Interest Oh her debt before the var? "
d. you mean TO say as Il TRUTH hat up to the
1Uar Virginia bonds were above par. beng
worth from los to Hop You arc teucltcr
Of the people, and should not make statclnenls
| tn.t canuui ''bc reconcllcd with either truth or
Information for if the blind lead h blad
sla they no: both fall lnio TIL, diIch?
| n W, in the "C0nsHuton," Il democratic
paper publish d in he city Of Washington, |
fnd under the dates following the accompany
Ing quotations of Virginia per cent. boLd- ::
July 10, 1860, 9l4
September Is. 1860, "
October . 1860. 9ls
| October 10 1860 9O4
You speak Of the efforts Of Virginia to SC.
cure emigration. You have yet to learn, il
seems, that neD are not eager to 90 among
people whose newspapers drnouncc all native.
| born citizens who dare to express themselves
Ii favor Of the principles Of Washington or
| Jefcsoa on the !jcct OF human rights as
| "scaawags," and ali those who have come
from abroad to become citizens Of Virginia
vino do not unite with the Democratic parry as
carpet haggcrs.' The American peop!2 ARE
essentially free people, and will not go where
they have to fight a battle Tor free speech
We who arc here, however. propose to stay,
and we have no fear but that the victory will
ultimately be with US, and when we secure per-
feet freedom of speech to all of our citizens,
and put stop to social ostraclsm Oh acc"un'
Of political opinions, VIC will see cmigrants
crowdiBg to avail Themselves Of he great al
vantagcs OF our Southern Statcs, and 10 help
US make the waste places blossom as the rose.
Respectfully.
Lp