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Staunton Spectator: December 10, 1861 Go To Page : 1 | 2 |

Senatorial Election
(Column 1)

Summary: Item announces senatorial candidates for the Rockbridge, Highland, and Bath district.

Ladies of Staunton
(Column 1)

Summary: Item thanks the ladies of Staunton for making gloves for the troops.

Fatal Accident
(Column 1)

Summary: Reports the death of a Georgia soldier after he was run over by a train.

[No Title]
(Column 1)

Summary: Item asserts that the Federal government is sinking old ships in the channels of Southern ports to prevent passage.

Amendments to the Constitution
(Column 2)

Summary: Reports amendments made to the State Constitution by the State Convention.

Contributions
(Column 2)

Summary: Letter thanks those who have contributed items to the Baltimore company stationed in Staunton.
(Names in announcement: Mrs. M.J. Harris, Mrs. J. Gilkeson, Mrs. D.V. Gilkeson, Mrs. H.G. Guthrie, Miss Marshall, R.R. Phillips)

Trailer: R.R. Phillips

[No Title]
(Column 2)

Summary: Virginia property value estimate from the First Auditor of Virginia.

Correspondence
(Column 3)

Summary: Presents two letters, the first a call from Rockbridge for William Frazier to stand for election to the State Senate, the second an affirmative reply from Mr. Frazier.

For the Spectator
(Column 3)

Summary: Criticizes war profiteers and speculators who take advantage of the supply needs of the army as an excuse to raise prices.

Full Text of Article:

MR. EDITOR: Allow me, if you please, to set before your readers a few thoughts which have occupied my mind for some time. When the call was made for volunteers to drive from our soil the invader, and sustain our rights as a free people, it was responded to by thousands of our best men, who left their homes and all that was dear to them and marched to the scene of action, where they have been exposed to privation and dangers of almost every kind, and on taking leave of home they were consoled by the confidence they had in those who did not enter the army, that all would be taken care of and their wants supplied while they were in the army. In this respect the ladies have done nobly, and are worthy of the highest regard of all. But, to the astonishment of the soldiers, many who were left at home, in whom they had the utmost confidence, have to a great extent, proved to them that they intend to make a fortune at the soldiers' expense, and if we are allowed to judge men by their actions, we are brought to the conclusion that a large number of those who are not in the army feel as though they have no part nor lot in the defence of their own homes and rights; they do not seem to be willing to make any sacrifice of time and money, and look upon the soldier as having no higher object in view than the small sum he receives as wages, which, it is well known to all, that it should barely support a small family at the prices of breadstuff and merchandize before the war began. Well, as a matter of course, we could expect nothing else than that the prices of almost everything to advance some; but the present prices are out of all reason and are unjust, and the cause for it is in the speculators, and many of them are men who managed to dodge the active service of their country and have turned their whole attention to speculation--some upon a large and others upon a very small scale. Now, at the very smallest estimate, many of them clear from two to three hundred per cent., which cannot be considered anything else than extortion. Now, as they profess to be serving their country in a way of accommodation by many of those speculations, I think that fifty per cent would be a fair profit, and the balance, I consider, is robbed from the families of the poor soldiers. Now the question arises, is it right? and how can a man who professes to live with an eye single to God, feel justified in His sight while engaged in such speculations? Now, I am a soldier, and have but little of this world's goods, but I have left in good old Augusta a wife and four lovely little children which have, so far, been well taken care of, but as a matter of course, they are depending on me for a support, and if things continue as they are during the war, they must suffer with others in like circumstances.

And now, my humble prayer is, that God may unite the hearts of all men in one common cause to save the Confederacy, through Divine Power, that peace may be restored to our distracted land.

MONTEREY

Trailer: Monterey

Expedition to Start Down Mississippi
(Column 3)

Summary: Item reports Federal troops preparing to advance down the Mississippi.

Federal Army
(Column 3)

Summary: Table shows the number of soldiers in the Federal army.

Gov. Letcher's Message
(Column 4)

Summary: Selected extracts from the message of Governor Letcher. Majority of the address concentrates on justifying Virginia's presence in the war.

Lincoln's Message
(Column 5)

Summary: Summary of Lincoln's address to both houses of Congress.

Origin of Article: Baltimore Sun

Tribute of Respect
(Column 5)

Summary: Resolutions adopted by the Augusta Fire Association on the death of John B. Snider.
(Names in announcement: John Snider, Col. R. Turk, Lieut. John Hardy, P.H. Trout)

Camp Allegheny
(Column 6)

Summary: Letter from a soldier camped at Greenbrier River thanking the ladies of Augusta for donations.
(Names in announcement: Mrs. Dr. Stribling)

Trailer: Barbour Grey

Religious Notice
(Column 6)

Summary: Rev. Harris will preach at the Hebron Church next Sunday.
(Names in announcement: Rev. John Harris)

Married
(Column 6)

Summary: Sarah Howard married Alexander Wallace on November 21. Mr. Wallace is from Rockbridge.
(Names in announcement: Rev. William Baird, Alexander Wallace, Sarah Howard)

[No Title]
(Column 7)

Summary: Notices to appear in court.
(Names in announcement: Jacob Keller, S.M. Shaffer, Janetta Shaffer, James Peace, N.K. Trout, A.F. Kinney, R. Summerson, George Nicholson, Hugh Sheffey, John Harman)

Col. Wiley Indicted
(Column 1)

Summary: Item reports that Col. Wiley has been indicted for treason by the Unionist government in Wheeling for burning the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bridge.

Official Instructions to the Federal General at Beaufort
(Column 1)

Summary: Orders of Adjutant General Thomas to Gen. Sherman in South Carolina to take possession of crops and use slaves for labor in erecting federal defenses at Beaufort.

To Tax-Payers
(Column 2)

Summary: Instructions to tax-payers regarding payment of taxes.
(Names in announcement: John Grills, Samuel Harper)