Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-05-29
The ELECTION YESTERDAY resulted in

The ELECTION YESTERDAY resulted in
victory for the democratic candidates with
but single exception, John Sweeney, indie.
pedent, in the 4th ward, defeating VIM. F.
Vincent, the democratic nominee for the
Common Council. There was no opposition
10 the regularly nominated democratic can
ddates for the various city Offices save for
Mayor, 4. 7. Lucas, dependent-repubii-
can, making desperate fight to defeat Jno.
B. Smoot, the democratic nominee The con-
test for this position was lively on both
sides, the opposition to Mr.. Smoot being
conducted hercely and untiringly by indie
pendents, holters, few republicans and the
bu K of the negroes, aided in no little meas
ure by apathetic democrats who either kept
themselves from the polls, or assumed the
neutral position of the old woman during
the combat between her husband and the
bear. But notwithstanding the opposition
and lethargy displayed-in many instances
by those from whom was expected bet
ter things-Mr. Smoot was elected by ma
index OF the fact that the major portion Of
the community still possess their heads and
are incapable of coalescing with the mad
deuing dupes Of delusion and thougbtless-
ness Of course, any serious comments on
the Intellectual attempt of yesterday to de-
feat the democratic candidate for the May
orally will be decricd by the vauquished;
but, come what may, the fact should be
noted that III many cases parties who had
voted in the primary election Wed with the
heterogeneous mass in the attempt, futile
though it proved 10 prevent the election OF
Mr. Smoot and fost upon the city MIR. Lu-
cas-. 1t should not be understood that any
remarks here made are intended in any way
to question the right of man to vote for
whom he desires-that is his prerogative
mud privilege he is entitled to exercise.
1t is those who swarm around primary cleo
ton polls, become. pigued when their can
didates are unsuccessful aud then secretly
or openly work against the candidates they
pledged themselves to support, that deserve
the censure of right thinking people. The
assiduity displayed by the SO. called indie
pendent movement yesterday was stubborn.
Every inducement that could be offered
the wavering and vacllating was resorted
to n order To weaken the democratic ranks,
and that the wouldbe Mayor was but
the figure head of some more or inter.
ested element was a fact patent to all re-
necting people. Money, not only during
Yesterday, but throughout the canvass, was
disbursed lavishly, and every species Of
hypocrisy and fraud used to deceive the ig-
norant, careless or unwary. A notable in
stance of the practice of base deception was
the distribution of facsimiles of democratic
tickets after midnight of Wednesday. The
tickets in question were gotten up to re-
sembe in every respect those issued by the
democrats with but a single exception-Mr.
Lucas's name taking the place of Mr..
Shoots. This was intended to deceive per-
sons who proposed voting for the latter, his
opponents being silly enough to suppose
numbers of democrats would vote such tick
cts without reading anything but the head
ings. The other tickets distributed by the
independents, intended for the negroes and
other openly-avowed antagonists of MIR.
Smoot, had spread eagles for their captions
and were not intended to deceive. Now
that the conflict is over, it is hoped all
classes and conditions will eventually see
the wisdom of the choice made yesterday.
That gentleman in every way qualified to
preside over our city's affairs has been Sc
iected must be conceded by all, and that his
administration will prove satisfactory IS
beyond doubt. The official vote was as fol-
lows: