Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-12-15
LETTER FROM RICHMOND.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.
RICHMOND. Va. Dec. IA, 1883.

Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.)
RICHMOND, Va. Dec. IA, 1898.
The following paragraph appeared
in the Charlottesville Progress few
days ago:
SIS it true that the settlement OF the
State debt, which was in such a large
measure due to Dir. Thomas 5. Martin,
stopped salary of about SIC, 0OO year
that was being paid gentleman who
now writes editorials for one OF the
Richmond dailies?"
1t was of course known that the arti-
Gle referred to Mr.. VIM. Royal, editor
of the Times. Your correspondent saw
the gentlemen referred to and asked
him what he had to say respecting the
insinuation that Mr.. Martins influence
in bringing about an adjustment for the
State debt affected his views concern
ing Mr.. Martins candidacy for the
United States Senate. Mr.. Royal re-
piled
81 am very glad you have asked me
for statement on this subject. After
the settlement was agreed on, Virginia
bond holders in England wrote me,
asking if / could be employed to rep
resent them to continue the light with
the State in the courts. l promptly
cabled them that l could not accept the
employment, and that they must agree
to the settlement that had been reached.
I may claim without vanity that |
could have kept the controversy opened
indefinitely if I had agreed to accept
this employment.
So much for the insinuation that my
views are influenced by anything Mr..
Martin may have done in connection
with the debt, but as this gratuitions
assault has been made upon me, by MIR.
Martins friends, l shall take the lib
erty of making this statement in con-
nection with the matter. Although l
have heard great deal from Mr.. Mar
tins friends-of that gentleman having
contributed very materially to the set
Element of the State debt, and although
I was in direct touch with the negotia-
tions all through them, / never be-
came cognizant that Mr.. Martin was a
factor in the case at all. Indeed, in
consequence of hearing these preten-
sions for Mr.. Martin, l have asked
other gentlemen, who had places OF
first Importance in the negotiations
about it, and l have been told by them
that Mr.. Martin had nothing whatever
to do with the negotiations of any i'm
portance or contributed in any way
whatever to the adjustment that was
reached.
Here in Richmond the burden of the
song of the Martin contingent was that
the Scottsvile gentleman was largely
instrumental in the settling of the State
bebt, and fact that he was great or
ganizer."
Mr.. Martin certainly proved that
the latter accusation was based On
most excellent foundation, for his forces
were perfectly organized and he proved
himself to be most excellent book
keeper. An ardent admirer of the gen.
tleman whom everybody now knows
1.-THE question was asked few days ago
"Wh0 is Tom Martin anyway?') said
to the GAzETTE's representative this
morning: "Mr. Martin told me he
would 60 into the caucus with So votes
and would gain ten. He went in with
Sc and gained ten."
Mr.. Withers is still walking about
with his resolution in his pocket. He
stated yesterday that he would offer it
if any proof was forthcoming that fraud
had been used to secure the nomination
of Mr.. Martin. No one has thus far
volunteered the information.
The air is as full of rumors rs the
Capitol square is of dead leaves, but
facts are about as difficult to get at as
the true situation at Hawaii. 1t has
been said that Delegate Binford, OF
Henrico, during the late campaign was
offered money to vote for Mr.. Martin.
When asked this morning if such was
true he replied that some time after his
nomination for the House he was APP
preached by friends of Mr.. Martin who
offered to contribute four or five hun
dred dollars to his campaign fund if he
would promise not to vote for Lee. He
declined to make any such agreement
and never heard any more from the
| Martin naoD1a