Exhibit 23 (b)

                         Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP


        The Board of Directors
        Southern Financial Bancorp, Inc.

        As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the use of our
        report dated February 4, 1997, included in Southern Financial Bancorp,
        Inc.'s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998, and to all
        references to our Firm included in this Form 10-K. It should be noted
        that we have not audited any financial statements of Southern Financial
        Bancorp, Inc. subsequent to December 31, 1996, or performed any audit
        procedures subsequent to the date of our report.




        Arthur Andersen LLP
        Washington, D. C.
        March 30, 1999








                    Report of Independent Public Accountants


        To the Board of Directors of
        Southern Financial Bancorp, Inc.

        We have audited the consolidated statements of income, changes in
        stockholders'equity and cash flows of Southern Financial Bancorp, Inc.
        (a Virginia corporation) for the year ended December 31, 1996. These
        financial statements are the responsibility of the Bancorp's management.
        Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial
        statements based on our audits.

        We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
        standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform an audit to
        obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are
        free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test
        basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
        statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles
        used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating
        the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits
        provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

        In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present
        fairly, in all material respects, the results of operations and cash
        flows of Southern Financial Bancorp, Inc for the year ended December 31,
        1996 in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.


        Arthur Andersen LLP
        Washington, D. C.
        February 4, 1997