Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-10-06
CsMERnN,S CApERS.

u
Placed Him in Power, and Pandering to Bour-
bon Aristocracy, sah-His Alarming Ignorance
of Intimidation of Republicans.
Especial to the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.l
RICHMOND, Va, October 1.-The Bour-
bons are struggling very hard to give an
appearance of Importance to letter from
Governor Cameron, which, by arrangement
with the Bourbons, has been furnished for
publication and is duly celebrated in all
democratic sheets. The statement by Cam
eron that the Virginia election last fall was
as q rule freely and fairly conducted" owes
! its Importance TO the accompanying state
ment that Cameron is the republican Gov
ernor of Virginia.
1t is time to say that, although Cameron
was elected as a republican, he is no longer
in good standing in the party, and the last
republican convention unanimously repu-
dated him in its dealings with the acts and
measures be approved. Governor Cameron
is able to understand lat timesl that the
republican party has lost all respect for or
confidence in him, and have not entertain
ed either of those feelings for him since he
began catering to the taste of the Bourbons,
approving their Ubiquitous relief acts for de-
fauting Bourbon officials and reconvening
their corrupt Legislature at vast expense to
tho taxpayers. This last performance is
but of sort with those that have preceded
it. all going to show that it is about time
for Cameron to flee up into the mountains
of Hepsdam and swear Off
Cameron's career has been full of vicssi
tudes and things that do not rebound to
great reputation for consistency, aud it is
easy, from the character Of the man, to read
bis motive in endeavorng to prevent North
ern sympathy or aid for the republicans.
for, of course, that is his object. The asser-
ton is made for influence and effect outside
the State, for Bourbons know as well as the
republicans that what Governor Cameron
says about anything would not influence
ybody or anything in Virginia. That
this letter Of Camerons was put up job"
with the Bourhons is very evident. First,
it is arranged with him in "happy mo-
mcnts'' and then the Richmond Dispatch
declares that elections in Virginia are as
free and fair as in any other State, and adds,
ASK Governor Cameron"
Very soon man is found to ask Cameron,
and the result is the correspondence" the
Bourbons are bowling over. In Virginia, Of
course, the whole matter is laughed at, and
it is meant for outside consumption. 1t is
to serve two objects for Cameron; he makes
himself solid with the Bourbons for per-
sonal object, and will explain aud does SO
by assisting in preventing aid or sympathy
from the Northern republicans. Cameron
knows, when he. knows anything, that the
only chance for him to keep up on the sur
face and from returning to the slough from
which he was pulled lies in the defeat of
the republicans, and the consequent collapse
and chaos in the party, and opportunity for
an adventurer to keep in the swim. In case
of such defeat he intends to go back to
Petersburg and run for Congress in the
Fourth district as on independent candi-
date, made stronger by good will of the
Bourbons, into whose hands he has been
playing to that end under circumstances
that suggest more than mere doubt of his
party honesty or loyalty. He knows that if
the republicans are triumphant his star is
set forever; that the party dislike and dis
trust him and will throw him over COM
pletely and forever. He knows victorious
party will have no use for him, but that he
may still be Of account in party disheart-
ened and demoraized and discouraged, as
the republicans will be if they are defeated
this fall Only in that event IS there any
outlook for such as Cameron, for if the re-
publicans are allowed to 60 down in this
struggle unaided by the North, the Ma
homes and Wses and Woods and Riddle
bergcrs and Mayos and Blairs and Pauls
and Greens and Morrises and Bradys
and Aliens and Lambs and Libbys and
Craigs and Berkeleys, and other gallant re-
publicans who have borne the heat and bur-
den of The day will sink back disheartened,
and the opportunity for the Cameron grade
will appear.
Governor Cameron says he knows nothing
about any frauds, and thinks the elections
in Virginia were fair and Free The Cover
nor of course knows that 400 negroes were
prevented from voting ct the polls in Rich
mond on the last election, by long lines OF
white men, who voted slowly, held their
places and gave way only to white men.
He knows that in Franklin, Southampton
county, the registry book of the black vo-
tiers was "lost," and 500 republican voters
were refused their vote in consequence. He
knows that in Charlotte double key busi-
ness was done, and tho ballot box manpu-
lated to any necessary extent. Heknows that
this was done at many other voting places.
He knows that in one precinct in Norfolk
500 republican votes were thrown out under
o ruling which was suspended in the case of
| as many democratic votes which were dis
qualified exactly as the republican votes
were, and the latter were counted. He
knows that ct several voting places the bal
lot box was put on an eight foot high coun-
ter, and so easily manipulated He knows
all these things and forty others of a sort.
They are matters of record and common
publication and talk, never denied specif.
cally and incapable of denial.
Yet the Governor says he does not know
anything about frauds, and thinks the cleo
| tons in Virginia were free and fair. As for
the last part of the Governors remarkable |
letter, the reader is asked to read it and |
mediate upon it with human kindness and |
indulgence:
"But being neither prophet nor the son |
of prophet, it is impossible for me to make |
prediction as to the election to be held in
November next even we're it proper that,
from an official standpoint, I should attempt
to PREJUDICE the event. Very respectfully,
civilian E. CAMERON, Governor"
Nobody asked the Governor to make
prediction; nobody asked for anything from