Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-09-25
The Seventh District.


10 the Editor of the Alexandria Gazette:
In your issue of the 18th instant you
seem to think that the services of Mr..
Basil Gordon rs chairman of the State
den ocratic commit in the last cam
paigrs ''entitle him ) political prefe.-
ment, aud as neither the national ad-
ministration nor Virginia has rendered
it, it devolves upon the democrats OF
his own district to do So" Shorld they
do so, you add, They will pay Doit-
ical debt and show that they at lrast,
like all other true-blue democrats,
think that political, like Other work,
is entitled to recompense."
Waving the question on what just
grounds it can be said to devolve upon
the democrats of the Seventh district to
pay for services rendered confessedlv to
the whole of which they are oniy a
part, we agree with you that political,
like other work, is entitled 10 recon-
pense and desire ID pay our political
debts" But, like so many others, we
suffer from "an insulliciency of cur.eu-
cy" Of the kind that our creditors want;
we have not enough to go around"
we have only one seat in Congress in
our gift. If we give it to Mr. Gordon
in ''pay" for his services as chairman
of the State committee in the last two
campaigns" what will we have LEI. for
Wood, and Moore, and Walton, who,
too, have rendered efficient and eff
fective services" and that for more
than two campaigns, and not only on
committees, but also on the stump?
And above all, what shall we do in
that event for Smith Turner? In this
auditing of our debts can we leave out
of the account his record Of 'efli-
cent and effective service" to his State
and his people; not for "the last two
campaigns" but for the pest thirty-two
Yeas? How he served them for four
years of war, let the gallant Co..e, the
chivalric Herbert. and every other sur
vivors of that band of heroes, the 18th
Virginia Infantry, testify: ct what cost
let his manned hands attest. How he
served them for twenty-eight years Of
so-ralled peace, let the people of his
own county, staunch Old Warren,
where the democratic colors have never
trailed in defeat; let the people al
through northern Virginia, who have
seen and heard him on the stump, cam
vass a.,er canvass, not only at their
courthouses and in their towns, but
also in the country school houses and
in the mountain fastnesscs, where adj
verse sentiment sometimes would scarce
allow him to speak; let the leaders of
the party. its committeeman, from
State to precinct, with whom, not in
two campaigns, but in many, he served,
and at whose call he went rom stump
to stump, leaving home and work, and
out of his own limited means paying
his expenses, let all these testif,. Add
to these considerations his qualifications
of head and heart, known as they are
ID all having general acquaintance
among the public men of Virginia: and
it seems to US we can hardly ignore his
claims to our consideration, even to
recompense Mr.. Gordon for political
work sin the last two campaigns"
This is written without the knowl-
edge of Capt. Turner and solely on the
individual responsibility of the writer.
A SEVENTH DISTRICT DEMOCRAT.
In the above l speak, | am sure, the
sentiments of many of the tried demo-
Gratis of the Seventh district, but writ
itS it, as do, without conference with
or knowledge of any one save myself,
shall depart from the usual custom
and sign my own name.
JNo. J. WILLIAMS.