Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-11-18
Address from Mr.. Massey.


Jirginia:
Fellow itizens,-The political campaign
which closed on the eth of November, 1882,
will be long remembered as one of the most
important, both rs to its character aud its
consequences, which was ever made in this
Commonwealth, aud congratulate you up
OH the gallant fight you made, and the
great benefits which must result from your
patriotic devotion to those principles upon
which free representative government must
rest.
You may be denied the privilege of reap
ing the just reward of your labors for brief
period. The State canvasscrS, or Return
ing Board" will | suppose, give Captain
John S. Wise ii certificate of election rs Con-
gresham at Large from Virginia If |
could believe him fairly ana honestly enti-
tied 10 t-that he was elected by a major-
ty Of those who were legally entitled to vote
I should bow to the popular will without
a nur!nur, This, however, no intelligent
man can believe after calmly and impartial
ly examining the evidences of fraud and il
legality which are being furnished from al
most every county and city in the State.
These frauds were not the results of
thoughtlesness, indiscretion. or hasty, i'm.
pulsive action, but of mature thought and
determined purpose.
Shall we tamely submit to them and al
low their perpetrators to enjoy the benefits
Of their own wrongs?
Ianswer, No !'-emphatically, NO and
believe you will endorse the answer.
There is heroism in submitting quietly
and meekly to Affections and even wrongs,
which we are unable to avoid or redress,
but we forfeit all claim to sympathy or re-
spect when we tamely surrender to them
without using legitimate means to relieve
ourselves Of them when those means are
readily available. # submission under such
circumstances might be excusable when its
consequences only affected us iadieiduullu
it cannot be so when it damages others as
we'll as ourselves and imperils liberty itself
The frauds which had been planned before
and were consummated on the day Of election
were wrongs not only against each OF us in
| dividually but against the whole State. 1t
therefore becomes our imperative duty to
ourselves to our families and to the whole
State, to expose these frauds and to save
ourselves and our country from their evil
consequences; and appeal to every good
citizen Of Virginia to aid in this patriotic
work.
Not having the shadow OF doubt that |
have been elected congressman at largo by
large majority of the legal votes cast on
the Ith Instant [ shall certainly contest the
right Of Captain John S. Wise to seat in
the next Congress ofthe United States if he
receives certificate of election as such.
1t will be impossible for any one man to
perform the labor which a contest in the
whole State imposes in the limited time al
lowed for conducting it, | must therefore
rely largely upon the voluntary assistance
OF friends throughout the State | have
ample assurances that this will be checrfully
rendered. This assistance, to be valuable,
must be intelligent, active, systematic, and
prompt. therefore suggest that
| l. The Democratic chairman of each
county and city secure the appointment of
Il ludciuus committee in his county or city,
one of which committee shall bc compe-
tent lawyer.
.. That this committee appoint some ac-
tive and competent person in each township
of its county or ward of its city to obtain
and furnish to it full information of every
case OF fraud or illcgality committed in The
election.
! 8. That This committee put the informa-
! ZION thus obtained in proper form, conttpn-
sing it as far as practicable, and forward it
and the name ofsome competent lawyer who
will assist in taking dispositions in his couli-
| ty or city TO Hon. A. NJ. Kelley, Richmond.
| Va.
By the adoption OF this or some similar
plan VIC shall be able TO act systematically.
And hy thus dividing tho labor ii will be
comparatively light upon all, and can be
quickly performed
Other States have sci us noble examples.
Their eyes are now upon us. Shall we dis
appoint their just expectations, or show our
selves worthy descendants of our illustrious
| sirrs?
Your obcdicnt servant.
JOHN L. MASSEY
| Ash LtlrR, November II. 1882,