Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-08-01
Twenty. five years ago, when ayoung mau,

! Twenty five years ago, when ayoung mau,
he had brilliant prospect before him, but
the voice nf Virginia reached his ears. de
| mandiDg ,hat Ire should renouuce that bril-
| liant prospect offered him; that he should
| lay down rank. and depart from the path
that wa4 leading him to honor, glory, and
fame that he should lay aside all the emol-
umen;s that aHached 10 his position.
He rrnnuuc:d everything. Hc did his
work uauiuliy. and when thai work was
done, h. went Imcs 10 the county Of Stafford
and fastening uaIo tho plow his own hands
did guide the tirrow lrom whi"i M wrcsled
his livelihood.
What are lh. requirements 10 ;iis posi-
tion? WctI-mand il man Of unflinuhing in
tegrity and an nniinching degree OF intell-
gence to discharge The duties uf this office
with honor and credit. We do not proffer
him as an orator or skillful detatcr, but as
one the peerless purity Of whose personal
character is suf1icien, TO confront everything
of argument or dcnuuciution that may be
hurled at him.
We are told that General FitZ Lee will be
incompetent TO cope upon TIE hustIngs with
General Mahone's man.
All, gentlemen, we should renlem Der that
it is not combat of the intellect alone.
Let man Of personal purity stand up III
the presence Of one who has bartered all
this for office. You need not fear the result.
Cheers.
In personal courage this man has no su
perior, nor in purity OF character. Possessing
good, vigorous sense and conspicuous for
having the necessary requisites iar hc dis.
charge of the duties of the office render him
more competent than one of boasted learn
ing. An gentlemen, there are soEe thiDgs
we must consider. Look at this true old
mother of US all. Let Us consider what she
may be made.
When we recall the civilization and purity
of her politics of three decades ago; when
we recall the class of men called to this high
station, cannot hold forth to you no more
brilliant, inviting prospect than the history
of Virginia in the past, We staud to day
and look to that as the pilgrim in The i'm
mortal allegory looking over into the land
called Beautiful.
1t has been urged on behalf cf General
Mahone's candidate that by reason OF bis
personal connection with the North he will
be able to overwhelm us with his floods Of
money-purchase votes and organization
that will insure our defeat. l may say to
you, and l know what | say, for ! speak
from d positive knowledge upon the sub
iect, that there is no instrument General
Mahone's man can employ--power, money,
or anything else from abroad-agaipst the
democratic party, that Filz Lee has not
equal guarantee shall be furnished in equal
measure to him.
I am told that General Lee is not man
to succeed among the people. Pray let me
mention to you in plain way my own ex-
perience with FitZ Lee. In 1861, when
private in the cavalry service of the Con.
federate army, I made his acquaintance,
then lieutenant, colonel of the regiment.
Wbatarrested my attention was that rank
or power did not make him forget for
moment that he was man. offer you,
gentlemen, as candidate of the people of
Virginia, candidate who has been sug.
gested to you by the great democratic party
of the North, suggestion that has met with
hearty response from the limits of the
Comm onwealth, suggest to you, in the
name of the democratic party, for Governor
of this Commonwealth, Ftz Lee, of Virginia.