Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-10-04
The STATE nenaiOrsilip.

To tie e,}itor d tie -Alecauariu Gu=ete:
FAIRFAX {. h., VA, Sept. ~, 1876 "A
COMMUNICATION 10 your paper OF yesterday over
the sign.turc Of "Fai!Isx" requires Of me a
word Of x;J!aoatiJD. ha4 been c,.quired of
by several citizens Of Alcya1iria (among them
the retiring Senator himseIf) to kaow what
Fairfax county was goiug to do and whom
would she support for the seat 10 the Senate,
to be made vacant by The resignation OF Mr..
Caughtoo While disciamlng auy authority
to speak for the county, my uniform reply was,
that as far SIS | was personally concerned and
as far a. bad heard sn opinion expressed, 1t
was to the eft ct that the nigh; to bill the resi-.
due of hc tcrm should be conceded to Alexan-
dria, provided she naclc1 some good man. and
| presumed she would present none other.
On the day OF the meeting of the Congress
siouaI Convention was approached by Mr.. j.
B. Smoot upon this subject, and while be was
not then decided as 10 whether he would be
candidate Tor IA nomination or GOT. but then had
the matter under considcrar ioU, | assured him
that should h. yield to the solicitations OF his
friends aud become candidate, | could, at
least, PROMISE him my individual support, aod,
as believed, he would be acceptable to the
people Of Fairfax. for then, | supposed, that
there would be out little, II any, oppo 'llon to
the man whom Alexandria. either city or 0unty,
might present tor the uncyplrcd tern.
Ga the 3lSt day of August received a let
ter from Mr. Smoot 90 business, to which was
added, 81 have given up all idea Of being a
caodilate for the State Senate if Claughton
resigns; much obliged FIR your favorable con-
siderati,n Of ms claim The contents Of this
letter made public here as far as iuq1iry was
made Of me. Having business 10 Alexandria
on the 18th inst, made it point as | was
requested and advised 10 do. to enquire if Al.
ex4ndra had another or any one Tor whom she
would ak the votes ot her sister c)un'les IN
the district, and the unanimous reply was, We
shall have 90 candidate, and while they thank
cd NE for bling cOnsilcrate Of the claims and
rights Of Alexandria, said Fairfax Was at llbcr-
ty, if she so desired, to present her man and to
take chances FIR bis nomination by the conven-
tion and many of them expressed a preference
for promneut cltizan IT talrtax, even over
and 10 preference to an Alexandrlau. These
facts 100, gave to the people mere as guide
for their action. | vas then called on 10 knoW
if would support Gen. ". II. L Lee. lgave
the unhcSitarirg reply that | would most cor
dia'ly; that Alexandria out of the way; that
SIC H1l lldu dupiJ slluC W CoooidSl etiS SuO'
Jet; that many Of her most prominent meu
had assured NE she would not contend for
the nomination; that Mr.. Smoot had by let
ter to me declined nomination; | knew OF
40 man for whom | would nore chccrfu!!y vote; |
20 one who was better purified; 10 one who
was doing more efficient party service; no one
who would exercise more influence in the Sen |
ate CT Virginia; more popular; adj more
strength To the conservative ticket, or better |
able to give his time and snrvic to his coun-
try. his State, and his party.
But to my surprise, on Tuesday. the Doth |
lust, received another letter from Mr. Smoot,
10 which he writes, After severe Contest
with myself have yielded to the solicitations
of friends, aud am willing to be candidate for
the State Senate.
| have no reason to complain Of Mr.. Smoot,
for no one will deny his right to change his
mind and become candidate, yet ii is due to
me and my friends as well as to the friends of
Gen. Lee 10 give the foregoing explanations
why II is that We cannot now give to Alexan-
dria and her man a first support. To invite
man to the front, to solicit the use OF his name
as candidate, 10 put him up to be 6i.ipped
dowo BY such iodeclson, vacation aud CO.
lucttry, would BE- doing him the gro.sest n-
Justice, and more than this, it is more than
naj 'rity Of the good pcople Of Alexandra will
ASK Excuse tie lensth OF this letter. | ask its
public ton 10 justice TO myself aud 10 cxpiana
,lon OF my Conduct referred 10 by your CORES
oondent Fairfax THOMAS MOORE.
Careful astronomical observations made dur
ug the last few days at the Naval Observa
DRY, Washington, have failed to discover the
presence Of the planet Vulcan, and scientific
men there seem disposed to doubt It's exist
nee, and to treat its reported discovery as
n0crvnhal |