Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-07-11
Political Discussion.


between Mr. s. G. Nealc and Gen. Eppa
nunton, rival candidates for the conservative
Congressional nomination.
The thunder storm nterfered very consider
ably with the assembling of The people, ADD il
twas not until S25 o'clock that the meeting
was called to order by Mr.. Hugh Lathsm: City
Superintendent.
10 calling it to order Mr.. Llthaal SAID there
was much feeling 10 this contcsr, AID he asked
that patience and courtesy b. shown to b9th
candidates. lie then Introduced Gen. Enpa
HuntOn.
Gen. Huntop, after regrctting the bad
weather, &c., said that he came as the repre-.
sentative of tho people 10 give al account OF
his stewardship. He WAS sorry that the time
between the call aud the rnectlIgs was 80 short
as to prevent his giving the subject the time 1t
demanded. lie Was surprised ut hearing that
the mcetugs we're called so sooc. %nG had asked
for postponement. lie fou2d upon cJallng
to Alexandria that the call Tor the ward meet
ings had been published by CONSENT OF the Su,
perintendcnt and part OF the c)hmlticc,
although the Superintendent had sad the umc
was too short. lie detailed the circumstances
OF the committee meeting as already published,
ADD said he was surprised at tho refusal OF the
tie thought there was lack OF courtesy aGd
Justice to him By the c1n,mittcr. lie appealed
ffom the committee to tho people, and hoped
that by their votes to- eht they w0ad right the
ioiustioe done him.
He then proceeded TO attack the rours, OF
the Gsz,tte, which hc claimed had rGrsistcn.ly
misrepresentea him. That tho editor had pre-.
lerred Mr. Neale to him, he was not surprised,
but did not see why he aud the whole Virginia
delegation we're SO pcrsistcnty attacked He
alluded to the article repubilsbcd from the
Washington Sentinel Jew days siuce, and dc
cIared that ne had laborad diligently Tor the
people of the District OF Couu5la. and nad
beeu hailed by them az liberal LEGISLATOR, Dis
tinguished citizens Lad called u,'0a bln there
even alter he went to b.9, 10 k;iow what the
publication meant H. cainlCd that thH asoya5
ineut bill was Tor the beucft Of the people vi
Washipgton lie then read u letter from Mr.
Springer, of Illinois. endorsing him and ex
pressing the desire thst he. Huu!9s, hight be
returncd to Congress. Al ct tic papers iu
WashioE.oG, s.vo the Capita! aGd oentlle!
were ia his favor. Same people III Washlaeton
we're so indignant ar this tn>rtp representation HAT
they offered 10 inrn rr1Ge7-lnD ani come
down here.
cen. Huutou said the Gazette had CHARGED
him with being inlmical to Southern claims
which he denied aud nstanced his advocacy Of
the Pioneer Mills claim. lie said that both
parties in Congress were pledged IN the late
canvass net ID pay Southern claims, and ne
considered their removal to tho Court Ut Claims
as the best thing thas could BE- donc lie had
lab0rGd hard to gaL tue Sii,ias CLAIM against
the United States paid by the last Congress
and would have succeeded hut for toe confusion
a. the close Of the session. Hafnrher claimed
.lnkb h. la ..t ornrS,l Eu| l,.3 fsuArn1
income tax, and had voted against the amend
ment 10 its favor to the tobacco tax bill, be-
cause it waa tackled on to kill that BILL
He denied that he had voted for the clean
INK out Of the Georgetown channe!, but did not
consider 40 attempt to dam up trade wise. The
appropriation Was in the River and Harhor bill
and he could not vote Tor II.
He alluded to charges against linn as to 2
certain bill relative TO appeals to thu Supreme
Court. The bill was sent him on the eve OF
his departure for the South aud he had hand
cd it over to Mr.. Tucker for introduction. lie
had not read the bill; but if lie understood it
Alright he did no:opprovc ii. Nevertheless lie
rccogniz,d tie !ieht OF any citizen to have it
presented.
lie also referred to the Capitals charge that
ho MAS Especial committeeman" and said that
he had cndnavGrcd to avoid such service when
pOsSiOle. 1le lau tFcu I"OcStttt ISa!GsI lie
a., Hointment on the Potter committee hut
thou, hit it unmauly to refuse to a.! when prop
erIv csh@d upon.
Gen. Ht,nton then recountcd rlcnmstaIces
or Tho Prnsn' anlial elcctioo and Of the subss-
n,ont EIcctoral Commission. lie defended
his cnursc IN the 'uattcr and rchcarsCd speech
made befor, the Joint comwi!t2c OF Congress-
and claimed tho Elec .'oral Commission was the
hest that could be done. Every boiy liked it
then. even the Gazette. The Gazette sat by
him then and held up his hands, now 1t vas
weighing them down. tic had received the
unanimous approval of all whom he then con-
suited on tho matter. This portion OF inc
Generals remarks was very tx'ci0ce Out
brought forth 90 new points.
The General then gave his vltWa or inc our
renov question. The interest on the bonds,
formerly payablc in grccnbacks had been made
by republican Congress payable in gold. This
was done by fraud and corruption For TINS
reason hc had favored and voted for tho re
mopitjzation Of silver that it might be used to
pay interest on bonds. lie further Believed
that the business interests OF the city would be
benefited by that action -,
He also opposed tho high protective tariff
and eulogised Mr.. j. Randolph Tucker for his
oourse in the matter. The Gazette had claimed
that no Virgiuian stood by MIR. Fernando w God
10 tho matter. When Nlr. Tucker had asked
for correction, it was postponed Tor several
days, while enquiries were made from MIR.
Wood.
Gen. Huntou said he had tied 10 do his
duty az o representative, and it he hsd made
errors they were Of head add not Of the heart.
He did not know 10 what Mr.. Ncale end hlm'
self differed aud il there was ~ diileteIca then
Why make a change. AT any tate hr. Neale
was young enough to wait. 1t had been SAID
that he had gotten money enough; he did not
have % much as Mr.. Neale. lie Thea read
from Tuesdays Washington Post IL conmt o,
da.iou of himself. lie SAID that h. had iauoIrd
hard for the people ct AlezaodtIa, snd Mr.
Neale could do no more lie had .otteD CHI.
! p!oymcnt for several nen since the yulGncnt
Of Congress. He uGmcd AMONG til, III MesSIs
Cogan aod Fleming. Ihtrc wcrc uu inl:..cnse
number Of applications fer office trora ii. over
the district, aud he could not set ali he wanted
He had always answered calls 10 III? deer OF