Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-01-04
Letters from Richmond.


event cf the election Of Gen. johnson as Ad-
iutan, General be would be cut Of the field.
Joha w. Daniel ard John Goode are the next
mos! formidable candidates. The objection
has been made that Gen. johnson has not re.
sided in the State for the past three years, as
required by the constitution, and is therefore
ineligible for the position of Governor. lis
friends clsim, however, that he has resided in
the State to all iutents and purposes. They
a!lege that he has registered himself every
where as being from Virginia. The home Office
of the insurance company of which he Is presl.
dent is 10 North Carolina, and Of course his
duties have kept him in that State during the
winter mouths, but he has invariably spent bis
summers in Virginia Indeed he has led a
rather nomsdic lie since the war. These are
the grounds taken by his friends. Of course
if he has not, according to the spirit and letter
of the law, resid ed in the State for three years
he is Ineligible. There will be no acrimonious
contest between Gems. Malone and johnson.
Both are soldiers who served in the same cause
together, aud they have for each other that
regard aud esteem generally found existing
| between comrades alarms. At present the
friends of Daniel and Goode are keeping quiet
| They arc watiog for the termination OF the
| issue between johnson aud Mahoue.
His Exceeucy Gov. Kcmper is said 10 be
in favor OF Gen. johnson for Adjutaut Genc'
raj, but he prefers to leave the matter TO the
| Legislature.
The Senate had quorum today but moth
ing was done. | fear the members Of the
Legislature are not hurryDg i'll their work.
They are not 10 hurry to get away. Indeed
ope Senator said week before last that this
will be a long session, and there Is no ncces-
sity Tor hurrYing business" 1t seems as it this
idea is to be carried out. None Of the coul.
mittees arc really at work, and there Is DC
plorablc loosness about things 10 general. Near
| ~ thirty days Of the session of the Legislature
have expired, and yet | hear many charmen
complain that they have not yet been able to
get ther committees together
| The following bill, introduced by Cos. Smith,
w.S ordered to its engrossment to-day 10 the
House by decided vote:
That it shall not be lawful for any member
of the Council or Board OF Aldermen, or any
other officer or agent, including commission
ers appointed for the opening OF streets, oil any
city or other Incorporated town, TO be con-
tractor with the said corporation for any work
or labor ordered 70 be done, or goods, wares,
or merchandise or supplies of any kind or
derei by the said corporation to be purchased,
or iu any manrer, directly or Indirectly, "a
Interested 10 the profits OF any such COO
tract; ard every contract made 10 violation
of this act shall be utterly void, and the officer
or agcGt making it shall forfeit ADD pay to the
State the full amount OF money stipulated Tor
| ~, RI hn
the Circuit Court having jurisdiction over the
said corporation.
This will cut of number Of Councimcn III
this, as we'll as other cities-if rumor is right
who make something by their contracts with
the city. 1t will undoubtedly pass.
The City Council has not yet agreed upon
| the general reduction of salaries recommended
| by the Committee on Retrenchment and Re
| form. | think Mayor Darlington will veto any
| such action.
RICHMOND, Jan. 3.-The report Of James
Mcdonald, Adjutant General al. int, was to.
day submitted to The Governor. The report
shows that there are lG companies Infantry
white, three artillery white, one cavalry COM
pany white, and nine companies infantry color
cd. The total white military force is, accord
ing to the report, 1914. This is, however.
overestiuated The officers Of the various
companies handed in the number of men on
their rolls, and it is impossible Tor them 10 turn
out that number of men now. The organiza-
ton Of the volunteer military force of the State
is very defective. 1t needs some man of mill.
tary discipline to overlook it. And just here |
cannot forbear noticing the recent admirable
81 h. VT
and comparing the condition OF our military
with that of that State, where soldier is paid
living salary to overlook the whole. Under
the present system the military here vii! soon
lauguish. Col. Mcdonald says that the body
of military known as the reserve (ml!ltla) is at
present unorganized." The strength OF the
coored forces is 430.
Snow on the ground for over day is some
thing new in Richmond, and the consequence
is the improvisation Of seighs in all quarters.
One carpenter here has made small fortune
in the last few days by fitting wooden runners
to wheeled vehicles
Not being prepared for a snow the hardware
dealers have no sleigh bells on hand and there
fore the spirit ofimprovisation has come to the
aid Of our people and COW bells are substituted,
and indeed such has been the rush for them
that the hardware dealers stock has been ex-
haustcd. 10 man up trce or anywhere else
it would appear that immense herds OF COWS
were marching through the streets of Rich
mond.
The delay in the retrcnchmcnt aud reform
movement advised by the Governor causes
great anxiety among the clerks in some of the
offices which be wants abolished. This scheme
haunts these poor fellows like nightmare and
the sowness with which the Legislature moves
oaly iutcns6es their anguish. In one instance
oil clerk in the capitol who has a large family
the anxiety hes turned his hair white. y mum
Der of persons have noticed this.
Mr. Smith, of Nelson, who takes sensible
view of the matter, to-day offered bill 10 the
Senate amending the code so as to provide
that the legislature shall meet 10 January iu-
stead of December. This would leave the
members ample time 10 which to enjoy their
Christmas holidays, and the State would be
saver thereby.
In the House of Delegates, to-day, resolu.