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Staunton Spectator: May 08, 1866 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

The Radicals
(Column 04)

Summary: Assesses the current political climate and the conflicts between "the Democracy and the Radicals," concluding that the Presidential election of 1868 will be "brimful of danger to the public repose."

Origin of Article: New York News

Honor Fallen Heroes
(Column 01)

Summary: The local Ladies Cemetery Committee will join in a statewide day dedicated to honoring the Confederate dead.

A Suggestion to Our Farmers
(Column 01)

Summary: Recommends that farmers plant buckwheat to supplement the wheat crop, which has been greatly reduced due to excessively cold temperatures.

"That Petition"
(Column 02)

Summary: A petition from "146 loyal citizens of Staunton" was recently presented in Congress. It is suspected to be the work of W. J. Dews, who has been rumored to be circulating petitions of a suspicious character. The petition claims that "loyal" citizens of Staunton have been "persecuted by rebels" and calls for the return of federal troops. The editor expresses outrage at this "slandering of the citizens of Augusta."
(Names in announcement: W. J. Dews)

Full Text of Article:

It will be remembered that, shortly after the Federal troops were withdrawn from this place we announced that we had been informed that W. J. Dews was engaged in getting signers to a secret petition praying that the troops be sent back to this place, and charging that "Union men were, otherwise , not safe. When asked by us if it were true, Dews denied it, and asserted that it was a petition to Congress for an entirely different purpose. The citizens of Staunton were justly indignant, and though they were anxious to see the petition, it was never made public, and they heard nothing more of it till Wednesday evening last, when the papers, containing the telegraphic notice of the proceedings of Congress of the day before, were received, when they found that Senator Trumbull had presented to the Senate of the United States a petition purporting to be a petition of "146 loyal citizens of Staunton" never signed it.--Clarity compels us to believe that the large majority of those who were inveigled into signing it were ignorant, simple-minded denizens of the brush who did not know the purport of the paper they were signing. We can forgive them for they knew not what they were doing. They were too ignorant to know that they were disgracing themselves, whilst slandering the citizens of Staunton, and the people of the county generally. We warned unsuspecting Union men at the same time against the nefarious designs of the author of the petition, and told them that he would make a catspaw of them to subserve his own selfish purposes. We stated that he wished to gain notoriety that he might be the recipient of a better office than the one he then held and disgraced. He has since been appointed Notary Public, and is now an applicant for still more important one, to wit: --Commissioner under the Civil Rights Bill.

Those who perpetrate such an abominable slander against any people as that contained in this petition against the citizens of Staunton, have an object to attain. Othello would say:

"I will be hanged if some eternal villain,

Some busy and insinuating rogue,

Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office,

Have not devised this slander."

No greater evidence of the patience, forbearance an long suffering of the citizens of this community could be furnished than the fact that they have allowed a man to remain unmolested in their midst who has been engaged in secretly slandering them to the authorities who only need a pretext to increase the burden of oppression now unjustly heaped upon them. The last ounce of weight broke the camel's back.

There is a point beyond which forbearance ceases to be a virtue. that point has been nearly reached, and it is time for some to heed the admonition. Justice will finally be done, old scores will be settled, and the "devil will get his Dews."

Representation in Congress
(Column 03)

Summary: Argues that "it is just as well for the Southern States to be kept out of the Union forever" as to "be governed by a bitter, malignant, despotical party, maintained in power by the aid of negro votes."

Origin of Article: Richmond Whig

Editorial Comment: "The South should not surrender a single Constitutional right for the sake of securing representation in Congress. We concur in the sentiment expressed by the Richmond Whig, that:"

Local News--Reprieved
(Column 01)

Summary: Isaac Chaney, who had been held in jail in Staunton before being transported to Richmond to be executed, was reprieved by order of the War Department.
(Names in announcement: Isaac Chaney)

Local News--Police Court
(Column 02)

Summary: Sketches recent arrests and proceedings at the Mayor's Court.
(Names in announcement: Jas. Trayer, Jas. Robinson, Parent, Kurtz, J. B. Evans, Elijah Strother, W.T. Horring, Henry Brown, D. C. McGuffin, Robert Lewis, Fanny Hawkins, John Clarke, Floyd Smith)

Local News--Sketch of the Proceedings of the Council for the Town of Staunton
(Column 02)

Summary: Outlines the recent proceedings of the Town Council.
(Names in announcement: J. W. Crawford, R. J. Hope, R. G. Bickle, B. F. Bagby, George Price, J. R. Kurtz, M. Doom, John Collins, William Kayser, James Patterson)

Marriages
(Column 02)

Summary: Sallie Conrad and Dr. A. M. Fauntleroy were married on April 26 by Rev. J. R. Graham.
(Names in announcement: Rev. J. R. Graham, Dr. A. M. Fauntleroy, Sallie Conrad, R. Y. Conrad)

Lovers and Husbands
(Column 02)

Summary: Asks husbands why many of them do not "pay the same little attentions to your wives as before" marriage, noting that praise "goes a great way with women."