Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-01-13

Washington Post contained the follow
ing dispatch:
"R1cHMoND, Va, Jan. 5.-The re-
publican managers of Virginia are max
ing very complete arrangements for Sc
curing testimony in the contested cases
from this State before the next Con-
oress. In order to have notarles OF
their political faith in each of the dis.
tricts before whom they can take testi-
mony, Gov. O'Ferrail has been asked
to appoint these officials upon their
recommendations The Governor to-
day appointed Capt. Asa Rogers, of Pc
tersburg, a notary. This is done, proml'
nent republican managers say, in order
that Rogers can take dispositions in the
contested election case in the Peters
burg district. Capt. Rogers is the sec
retary of the republican State cculhit
tee, and for years pasf LOO oeen closely
identified with .ue managers OF that
part.
The Baltimore Sun of the same morn
ing contained a dispatch from Rich
mond to the same effect, concluding as
follows:
1.-THE most prominent republican
managers in the State admit tonight
that Rogers's appointment was to take
dispositions in the contested election
case in the Fourth (Petersburg) dis.
trict. Application, they say, will be
made to the Governor for the appoint
ment OF republican notaries in the fifth
and other districts in which the seats
of the democrats are to be contested by
their candidates. This is the first time
that political party ever adopted this
course. The republican leaders say 1t
is difficult to get notaries who are WILL
ing 10 give the time required. in these
contested cases"
On the evening of that day, the GA
zETrE, commenting on the above, said :
'For the first time in the history OF
the State Governor O'Ferrall has ap.
pointed notaries public on account ct
their partisanship and on the appllca-
ton of political parties. AT the request
of the republican managers he has ap-
pointed republican partisans to take
dispositions in contested election cases.
Such thing was never done, even by
any of his few republican predecessors.
The democrats of Virginia drew prize
when they got Colonel O'Ferrall for
their Governor.
The Richmond State of the Sth inst.
copied the above comment. In the
Richmond Times, the only newspaper
in Richmond with which he is on friend
ly relations, the Governor, on the 9th
inst, denies the GAzErTE's comment,
and says that it, like everything else in
reference to him that appears in the
GAZETTE, is fabrication out of the
whole CLOTH"
1t will be seen, however, that the
comment referred to was made out OF
full cloth, the best of all, especially for
cold weather. But the Governor has
been politically, if not otherwise,
wrong for long time, notably
when he vainly tried to turn a
fairly and legally elected democratic
member of Congress out OF his seat IN
order to give it to republican who
was not. elected and who had been the
commander of negro regiment during
the war between the States, and also
when he entertained Boston and
Richmond negro at public function in
the executive mansion; and since he
bolted the action of both his State and
national party's conventions it is ap.
parent that there is no help in him
from, according to his oft repeated quo
tation, "shivering crown to trembling
toe." However, he can do his party
little harm hereafter, for, as ex-Cor-
gresham Lester says, the Virginia
democrats would not elect him now
"to mind geese"