Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-03-07
"Ancient City reconstructed

Inc 1)llOWlng - lIOm TUG hicuu'Ocu
News-Leader, and in note received at
this Office concerning the article, friend
asks: "What has he Gazette to say IN
roy In the Richmond News Leader p?
DO the business people Of Alexandria
and the ladies really prefer northern
man to a native for its postmaster
Attention Of the Alexandria Gazette
is called to the thoroughness with which
its ancient city has been reconstructed.
A few days ago the newspapers an
nounced that the president had deter
mined 10 appoint as postmaster there
Mr.. Lawrence Washington, the nearest
living male relative of the late George
Washington. Not only is that gentle
man a Washington and closely connect
ed by blood with the Washingtons, but
he has further illustrated his patriotism
and perfected his claims on the consld-
Grafton of our anti-race suicide president
by being the father of thirteen children
ii most creditabe and significant feat
for one of the original Washingtons, as
his progeny corresponds in number ex-
actly with the original States which or
gained and developed the union. We
are not informed whether he called them
after the States, beginning alphabet
cally with Connecticut and ending with
Virginia. but the probabilities are that,
lacking foreknOwledge of the extent OF
the blessings to come to him, he failed
TO improve his opportunities to periec'
the coincidence.
ain any case, however, Mr.. Wash
ington's appointment was confidently pre-
dicted The thing seems so thoroughly
appropriaie--a Washington postmaster
at Alexandria under the caves OF Christ
church, where his great kinsmsn wor-
shipped. and almost next door TO Mount
Vernon, and furthermore, the parent OF
thirteen new Washingtons. Yet we read
now that the business people Of Alexan-
dria are delighted because the president
has turned down Mr.. Washington and
appointed instead Mr.. Thomas Bur-
rolghs. who came to Alexandra from
Vermont with the federal army in the
DAYS of reconstruction and has been
there ever since consistently repuDll-
can. we believe, and consistently in
Office. Even more curious and signll-
icant is the fact, also narrated in the
newspapers, that ladies of Alexandra
representing Mount Vernon Chapter OF
the Daughters of the Revolution mace a
personal call on the president requesting
that Mr.. Burroughs, an Englishman by
birth. a VermOuter by adoption, fed
eral soldier by choice and republican by
preference, be appointed over Mr.. Wash
ineton. relative of the man who over
threw the English, as postmaster at the
intensely American, 6ercely Southern
and rigidly democratic city OF Alex
andria.
"Verily, the time of miracles has not
oassed. the reconstruction of Alexandra
evidently is complete. Our ancient, and
esteemed contemporary, the Gazette,
is deferentially invited to salute the star
spaneled banner, scream like the eagle,
dotf its hat to the uniOn-jack, express It's
tender tolerance for republican principles
and emit into the atmosphere where
The Confederate flag hoated in sight.ot
Washington and Ellsworth and Jackson
died. screeching hurrah for Theodore
Roosevelt"
And this from Richmond, many OF
whose people were Reconstructed the
day after the war closed and not lew OF
whom. there has always been a lurking
suspicion. had reached that condition OF
eqoyaty'' even before hostiities ceased I!
Rut no: the Gazette will neither hur-
,ah for Roosevelt in the atmosphere
where the Confederate flag once hOated;
express its tolerance for republican prln-
cinles. nor scream like an eagle over the
appointment of republican postmaster
in Alexandria. Neither does the Ga-
zette. By reason of the manner in which
such appointment was received, ac-
knowledge "the thorOughness with
which its ancient city has been recon-
structed.
For the information OF our young, but
esteemed, contemporary and in reply to
our friends inquiry, it it stated that
the business men of Alexandria are not
tde,iehled because the President turned
down Mr.. Washington" They regarded
the race for the Office as between repub-
licans and as choice between the APP
plicants of that political persuasion, and
feeling confident that a republican only
would be appointed, many OF them en-
dorsed Mr.. Burroughs for the reason thai
he had lived in their midst for forty
years and had thoroughly identified him
selfwith this city. Mr.. Washington, who
has a host of friends in Alexandra who
would be glad to see him get any office t
which he might aspire, was, as matter
of fact, not in true sense an sppllcan
for the Alexandria pOstohice. 1t Is tru'
ne was receptive" candidate, through
"personsr' appointment by the Pres.
dent, for the place, but he did not asl
the endorsement of the citizens OF Alex
andria, nor did he ever file an applica
t;on for the Office or make an etiart L
secure il. Had he been appointed he
of course. would have accepted the place
AMI his many friends here would hay
re;oiced with him. 1t can be adde
that Mr.. Burroughs's appointment wa
through republican influence in genersl
and Col. Slemp, an ex.Conlederate otil
Ger, in particular; further, that the Us
zette is not responsible for the action
the ladies, though the ladies have cor
siderable influence over the Gazette.
Branch Line Railway.
The Washington, Arlington and RAJ