Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-01-31
LETTER FROM RICHMOND.

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LETTER FROM RICHMOND.
Especial Correspondence Of the Alexandria GAzErrE
RICHMOND Va, January 30.-Several
persons who arrived in this city to-
day from Washington, and who heard
Mahone's bloody shirt speech say that
it fell fiat and the defeated Boss labored
hard in reciting it, and failed to get up
any enthusiasm even among tho fire eating
republicans who delight so much in abusing
the Southern people. Leading democratic
members of the Legislature say that the
democratic Senators did right in not reply
ing to Malone. Copies of the speech of the
defunct Boss and political trickster have
been and are now being circulated all over
the State. TO do the square thing as Ma
hone claims he wants to do, he should circu.
late copies of the dispositions taken in Dan
Vile by the citizens committee relative to
the Danvile affair, along with his speech
The Norfolk contested election case Occu-
pied the House greater portion of the time
today. Mr.. Banks, one of the Mahoneite
members from that city, whose seat was
contested, was the only one on that side
that spoke.
The speech of Mr. Smith, ofFauquier, was
the most forcible one made OH the demo-
cratic side. He charged that the coalition
lists were guilty Of glaring, wholesale frauds
at the recent election in Norfolk, and cited
instances.
A very amusing thing occurred when the
vote on the adoption of the majority report
which remanded the election back to the
people was being taken. Mr.. Duff Green,
Mahoneitc, voted in the affirmative with
the view TO reconsideration. He failed to
call for a reconsideration and stands on re-
cord as having voted for the majority report
which WAS adopted by strict party vote
with the exception of Mr.. Green, who voted
with the democrats. 1t was remarked that
it was the first time Mr.. Green has voted
right since he became member of the Leg
islature.
The adoption of the resolution by the
Senate to-day relative to S. Brown Allen
will have the effect Of making ex-Auditor
Allen come forward within sixty days and
settle up the balance found due by the re-
port of the Committee for Courts of Justice
amounting to over five thousand dollars.
This money was paid to John E. Hamilton
Ia brother in law as commissions for col
Letting railroad taxes. This work was done
in one day and the Senate is strongly of the
opinion that five thousand dollars is too
much to pay any State official for one days
service.
Mr.. Evans, OF Mddlesex, who obtained
a three days leave of absence, returned tc
the city to-day and was in his seat in the
House. He brought with him two large
oyster shells. which were covered with
young shells, some of which were no bigger
than three-cent piece. AS the question
relative to protecting the oyster beds Of
| Virginia is to be discussed and some meas
ure adopted looking to the better protec.
ton of the Virginia bivalves, Mr.. Evans
will, with the aid of his Samples" give the
delegates from the interior counties q full
description as to how the oysters breed and
thrive.
When the General Assembly first assem-
bled the Mahoneite members fresh from their
homes and fresides and conscious Of the
overwhelming defeat their party sustained
at the recent election, announced here and
there and everywhere, that it was their in.
tention to let the democrats commit plumbers
which would rebound to democratic de-
| feat at the next State election; that if the
democrats were let alone they would fur
nish material which the Mahoneites could
use as first class political capital and enable
| them to ride to victory. Now since the ses-
sion Of the General Assembly is rapidly
drawing to close, and the Mahonetes find
themselves minus of the political capital
they expected to reap, the leaders Of that
fallen faction are turning their attention to-
wards securing issues for the next State
election. Said a Mahoneite to-day: "Sinceso
many petitions asking for the passage of
local option law are pouring in upon the
Legislature, our party ought to take the thing
up and make it plank in ourplatform."
1t is fact that the petitionsare numerous,
but for the Mahoneites to raise this issue
would be in keeping with their noted incon-
sstency, since Mr.. Gibson, democratic mem
Der from Culpeper, openly declared in a
speech on the floor Of the House yesterday
that Malone had Havanna-cig Lynn
haven bay-oystered- turkey hashed-gin slim
ged-whiskey cocktailed and lager-beered a
certain railroad bill through the last Legis-
lature.
The proposed plank, however would not suit
certain sections, particularly the black belt, where
Malone henchmen found it absolutely necessary |
to have good supply OF John Barley Corn on
hand in order to arouse the patriotism of the COL |
ored brother to such pitch as to cause him to |
swallow the coalition ticket without Analysing it. |
The bottom seems more than ever now 10 have |
dropped out of Mahoneism. Mahones speech yes !
terday has disappointed his few friends here. A |
rising statesman said in the House that he was |
going to see the speaker and ask him to see that
his speeches were published in the papers.
There is much disagreement upon the subject
of disappointment. Many members are fighting
against having the black counties sandwiched in
what are known rs the white districts.