The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-20
EXTRA BILLY SMITH.
A Chat with The Noted Old-tinse "Oli-
tlclan-~HOw He Got His soubriauet,
IWashfngtOn FOst.I

/ Extra Billy" Smith. Virginia'4 noted war
Governor and one of the old-timc politicians.
was captured by Il Post reporter Saturday.
The Governor is now in his eghty-tirst year,
but were it not for his snow white hair he
could pass for sixty. He enjoys good health
and gets about as actively as he did twenty
years ago He is up by the peep Of day every
| morning. and by sunrise has everything going
| on his farm in Fauquier county, Virginia He
! was first elected Governor Of Virginia in 1916
| by the Legislature, the mode OF election then
prescribed by the constitution of the State,
| and tn 1868 he was called from the camp TO the
| Governors chair by the votes of the people
| ''Where were you born, Governor 7" asked
| the reporter.
I'm genuine son of Old Virginia. he RI
piled, with an air OF proud satisfaction. II
was born in King George county between the
| Rappahannock and Fredericksburg"
"When2"
"rherebv hangs tale. we old men are like
| The lady who said she WAS twenty teen be-
| WIS eighty on the sixth Of last September"
"How was it, Governor. that you got the
name Of tExtraI' Several versions have been
told"
educated lawyer, and when a young man
was practicing with success in CuIpeper.
We had only one mail 3 week, and that came
by horseback. [ became impatient at this
isolation, and having q good deal of energy ]
bid for mail contract Well, | got it, and
had on that bid II two-horse stage allowed
Thus we had a mail line in a two-horse
coach instead of horseback. But | soon
found that wouldn't do, and I applied for
an extension from Cupeper to Orange
Court-Houso, where we intercepted the regu-
lar stage line from Fredericksburg to Staun-
ton Well, ! went ON enlarging and extending
until got u mail line daily from Washington
City to MilledgeviIle, Ga, with numerous
branches Every extension of service secured
an extension Of pro rata compensation. These
extension were denominated in the Blue Book
as extras and marked with a star. They were
very numerous in the rapid expansion of the
mail service on my line, and one day our Sen
| ator at that time Benjamin Walker Lee i'm
commenting on these things, applied the
term to me, and it has stuck to me ever
since,
when was your mail line in operation,
Governor2'
THAT ranged from 1927 to 1893. Oh, had
II magnificent line till 1t was superseded by
railroads. AS railroads advanced | retired"
did you make much money out of it, Gov
ernor?"
NO, ! didn't make any. On routes with an
allowance for "a mail three times u week I car
ried it six times. went in for opening up the
| country more than to make money"
''You saw some active service during the
late war, didn't your
II went into the Confederate army when
was 81 years of age and proudly had a
brigade that never broke in BATTLE
"And during the war you were elected Gov
ernor the second timer
Yes. in 1868. ] never left camp to do any
| canvassing | was Governor when Lee sur
rendered"
"Did you remain In Richmond p
mo; went out with the others. ] didn't
know how much fight was still left In the peo-
pie, | went all over the State, many times
| right among the Federal soldiers, and there
was a reward OF $4,000 offered for my cap
ture.'
Were you captured at last p
"No, sir, | was not. When / saw the thing
was all over | wrote to Gen, Patrick, telling
him would surrender, but that | wanted
safe conduct to headquarters, He sent it and
| gave myself up.
"How were you treated Governor? p
"They treated me first rate. | was not i'm
| prisoned, but was paroled and went home,
| Though believed in vigorously prosecuting
| the war. ! always did what could to alleviate
| the suffering it caused. got many n man
out of Libby Prison Sam Cox or Sunset
the war to obtain some order for the relief Of
somebody, and it was refused. He went to
Mr.. Lincoln, and he refused him. Cox got in
dignant and said. Even that arbitrator,
requests that will alleviate the sufferings Of
| our people, while here, on our own side, such
petitions are refused. Lincoln asked: Did
Extra do that Z Yes, sir, he has, answered
| unity by him. replied Mr.. Lincoln, and Cox
got what he asked for Cox denies the arch
Part of the speech, but says he did say trail
tor, but I've no doubt he put both words to-
gether, for that was term frequently ap-
| piled to me"
On the subject Of politics Gov. Smith said
he was one OF the old style Democrats. NE
holds that there can be but two parties in the
country: one maintaining that the Federal
constitution shall be strictly construed, and
the other going in for a liberal construction;
the one conforms the constitution to the terms
in which it was formed the other by degrees
changes its whole character, as evinced by the
administration of the government for the last
| few years The Democratic party is the con-
| stitutional party, and must restore constitu-
tional government. In regard to his party in
| his State, Gov. Smith said:
| 1--WE must get rid Of that word conservative
and come back to our right name, Democrats.
I'm Democrat, and by G. I'll not allow
| them to call me conservative"
l ISEARIC