Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-09-12
letter from ClRsseuT.
Correspondent of tho Alexandria G.zs

GooCHLAND COUNTY, VA, Sept. 9, 1885,
|: was Napo!aon's favoEitc maxim, a1a ono
10 a?gays Impressed o1 bis field narshsls, and
generals. II. is not wise to uGdcrsto az Ell.
eng aad tho c,lhio! that is c,1vu!sing Viz
sinio to aa2 shows the sru!h Of that saying.
We laughed Ct the pzetepsioss cf tho rcadjns.
teFs, AID aoH we ayo fighting them With our
whole lice # battle. with al the .rssives co.
gagged.
lis s!asys BIS: 10 Jock iao:s iqusEe ia lie
face. and Il sur7cyiog tic pEesoo5 dep!oEa5Is
politics! situation in our Stale uo csn trace tbs
Cause but too pial9y, ard We ti.d tee time has
coma when tie cegpised republican pa:!y Of
Virginia nay bold tho balance Ct power, and
may absolutely dictate terms 10 either side.
This may sncm wild assertion, bet think |
can prove it before | set through. This oou-
diGon of affairs is tho result of that wild CRY of
"Roirenchment and Reform" that csptivotcs
tho minds CT uD:hlpkiIg palsons, and sounds
as swse. to tho Dss:cs as ever tie uSiody cf
AroTs vGca 10 the car ct tho shipwreaxed
msruers. Retreuch AID Rsf3rm-laS Us cut
COVE tho expenses OF the State government 10
the very last living cent les u strip our ola
mother naked, leaving her great p3v5EtV Etrick
en- form revealed to tho gaze ct coEtenptuous
pity or Of ieo,ing laughter. Retrcnch and Re-
| form Aed what did cur noble Legislature de-
| out down from the tisEest to the lowest, noe
| much they left the ma Jrity Of the high Stale
| C1hclss salary as it was. or reduced then so
lslightly that il practically amounts to uothiog,
but the reel workers, tho CLERKS, the librarians,
| tho very Law makers themselves have had their
/ pay go reduced that they have no Incentive to
eX3rtion in behalt Of their party. But few
men Taot to c2mo to the Legislature Low, with
! its snail salary. OF course there arc plenty Of
| candidates uGdcr The new order ct things, but
| most OF them CDiy want oao term, and 70 to
tic Legislature like they would 20 ca 90 OK
cursiOD. just tor the novelty OF the thug, or 70
grind some private NC. No business OF pro-
iess!ou1l man can atfard 10 90 10 the Legislature
With The present meagre rate Of salary i; is
very we'll to talk ct patriotism ; it is pretty
ETord, but 1t does cot mean anything except in
| tro1b!5u5 or stormy times. The laborcr ought
TO be worthy CT his hire. bu. il Virginia i: is
not g.. What Ordinary msn can come to Rich.
| moud AID remain all the Water fir $500, and
DOT loss ~ The operation. L. will BIZ said tha!
tbey do so il other States Yes, but nat in
! hire Scared, hocf roddaD, poverty stricken
! Virginia, Whero it Is 2 slr1gglc to mako buckle
| and tongue meet have net many of the old
members CT tho Legislature lately. Members
| who have boa returned again ADD again 10 he
| House, md who Gsye ripe judgnens and train
| Cd 10 parliamentary lore aid State c;aft. aEd
| .hey tc,i TIC Ih.t they will &c. be c.atlatcs
| again because they CAIRO. aIf,sd il. SAID e
| Distinguished gentleman to nc .he other day
"YCu Esk my words. the nexi Legislature,
| with some toT lxccp!i2ns, vii! be composed OF
| representatives CT corD1raiocs, protested poli
tlCa1s, old party hacks, men VITO have their
oTn private schemes 10 further, and tramps
'iho csn live 90 Eoihiag. TIE people will be
less represented By !hia Ginning assembly then
10 aaY other si1co tic Old c9Cp!al days"
y CT !:C1 ;0tcld TO rio aSaiG ?" | asked.
mo, sir, uasss | CO get aorrissi11 to 1--we
| il TIC pa0i house.
! "Wcl!, GeScgsl, what IS tbs remedy ~
10 wfe cu5 HAT oIioas redistrio,inx, Tt
| sRportlonm:at BILL Dad tbs bill passed by the
last Legislature Ter tho reduction Ct salaries.
u % sou tblak Legislator can I've in Rich.
| noud comfortably on his ppy %
lie can if BIO will bring hi5 lunch Ia his
saddle bags, like the member lrem -, aud
| liyo upon his friends"
Politics, lika cveIythiug c's,, has ca 10.
side and on outside. The i1ncc,1t people who
imsgiao ihs: candidate hos 4 p.m rose path
to travel arc very much Distgkeu. Lot US see
Thasi5 coucs 10. There is not one candidate
q score who, otter paying al the necessary
| cimpGigl expenses. don't Con himself $500
| cot OF pocket. TEe maj aritg Of candidates
| speDd tive, three aad -Four tim:s that amour.
| Ter their election. Then icr clothes, g., ior
o winter 10 Richmond will amount 20 another
! hu1drcd. Bard lex three months still auoiher
Euodrcd thea he has his oorstiluGo.s caliiGg
| on hltn throughout tho winter. AID he must
show them sone little c.urcsy, sraat, carry
| them 10 tie theatre, and il ruus up heavy in
| thu aggregate. Wien the House a0lurps ct
to cDd OF the sessic1, if the mem5er finds
himself cut q d.bt, without dclle- in bis
pocket, ho ls vary lucky mag. All these
ncnlhs Gre wasted and taken from his leg;li-
mato basl1oss, ard when be strikes his balance
sheet 20 will fad himself heavily the Loser.
| Few men there ere who osu staud it, and Only
thcso classes which have been spoken Of, With
| exceptions OF course.
Speaking Of the possibility Of radicals hsy,
| log the control 10 the lezt Assembly. 1t arises
rem that NEST marvellous b!u5Gcriug bill! ever
enso:4d ~ rleG calling themselves s,atesmcr.
l ai!uae to the resppcrtloBmcnt bill passed 10
1876 Ii cuts down the representatives ia tho
House from 1872 TO 80, and eumps tcscther tho
| most radical counties With conservative ooun-
feat Of the democratic candidates. | will give
few illustrations to show up the beauties of
this new system.
In tho first I lsco by deprisnp our own Alex.
| andr!a oounIy of It's delegate, it will require
greater exorlions to elect cur ticket Chester
field, Manchester and Powhatsn are ccnsoli
dated; instead OF having q member each, they
hnvo two between thou, aud it is feared that
o radical will be returned. Cumberland and
Buckingham will have ono delegate instead of
two, ard he will b. radicsl; loss to U.s.
Elizabeth City, Werrick, James City, York
and Williamsburg, will have only enc, loss of
t.o to us, for negro will DO sent FROM these
counties. NeH Kent snd Charles CITY are
combined and sand one delegate Instead OF two,
aud be will DO q radical; less of Two. L3uiss
county, which sect two conservatives last year,
Will return radical Dcgro this year. North.
amDton and hcoomao vii! combined have Bat
one delegate instead of TWO ca last year, and be
will probably DO radical. Westmorclapd and
Northampton have one. 1t will be doubtful
light with chances against us.
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