Search the Newspapers Browse Newspapers by Date Articles Indexed by Topic About the Newspapers Valley of the Shadow Home

Staunton Vindicator: September 21, 1866 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

A Returned Confederate
(Column 05)

Summary: Tells the tale of a soldier named Simpson, who has been trying to make his way back to his home in Augusta since the end of the war. He was jailed for months in Indiana after shooting a Federal officer with his own gun after being shot three times himself.
(Names in announcement: Simpson)

Origin of Article: Lynchburg News

Full Text of Article:

The latest and perhaps the last to come, returned Confederate was in this city Saturday, direct from the late enemy's prisons.

His experiences since the surrender has been both eventful and tragic. Soon after the termination of the war he was, with other prisoners at Johnson's Island, liberated, but not furnished with transportation. Being without money, he was at a loss how to get to his home, which is in Augusta county in this State, nine miles from Staunton. He, however, made his way into Indians afoot, and in passing through a town of that State, went into hotel, thinking he might meet with some one who would him assistance. A number of men were at the bar drinking among them a Federal officer, who was talking about the war, and among other things, said that he had taken an oath to kill every one of Ashby's men he ever men with ... Without stopping to weigh the consequences our returned hero spoke up, on the impulse of the moment, and said he was one of Ashby's men. The officer at once drew a pistol and fired on him three times, each ball taking effect, but not in the vital points. Our Confederate, like a wounded lion, rushed on him, wrenched the weapon from his grasp, and shot the officer dead with a remaining ball. The Confederate was arrested, thrown into prison, where he suffered long months of confinement, and it was only very recently that he was brought on trial, which resulted in his final acquittal. He then started again for home, and reached here Saturday morning by the Tennessee train. He stopped at the Norvell House, where he was recognized by gentlemen who knew him and vouched for his respectability and reliability. He also had with him a copy of the records in the trial, properly authenticated, corroborating his statements. He was furnished with assistance and started for his home Sunday morning. His name is Simpson, and he was a member of Ashby's command, while that knightly chieftain rode his wondrous round, and was the first to reach his noble form when he fell. Thus has perhaps the last "rebel" in gray come back to his home, save the long, long list of those who sleep in the "bivouac of the dead," who will return never again to the homes for which they fought so well.--Lynchburg News.

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: Discounts recent Radical victories in elections in Vermont and Maine as evidence of changing national sentiment, arguing that results in "the middle and Western states" will provide a more accurate barometer. Includes President Johnson's speech upon returning to Washington.

[No Title]
(Column 02)

Summary: An account of the Grand Tournament that took place at Stribling Springs last Friday, where "gay lads and merry lasses had assembled." A. W. Harman Jr. won the first honor and crowned Belle Taylor Queen of Love and Beauty.
(Names in announcement: Trotter, French, Chesley Kinney, A. W. HarmanJr., Belle Taylor, E. B. Burke, Lizzie Kinney, Schreckhise, Capt. J. H. Carpenter, Cora Hefelfinger, W. F. Bell, Rudolph McClamary, Lou Cowger, Coleman)

A Remarkable Article from a Semi-official Paper--The Troubles in Prospect--General Grant May Be Made Dictator
(Column 03)

Summary: Suggests that two separate Congresses may convene in December, meaning that President Johnson may have to choose one of them as legitimate, a situation that the author argues could lead to armed conflict and ultimately for Grant to become a dictator.

Origin of Article: New York Times, Pittsburgh Chronicle

Editorial Comment: "The New York Times of Wednesday has the following remarks upon the troubles threatening the country, the course the President would likely pursue, and the possibility that General Grant will become supreme ruler:"

Full Text of Article:

The New York Times of Wednesday has the following remarks upon the troubles threatening the country., the course the President would likely pursue, and the possibility that General Grant will become supreme ruler:

By law, congress consists of 241 members, and by law, also a majority of the whole number, or 121 members constitute a quorum. Suppose that members elected from the Southern States should meet in December, 1867, and be enough, added to Northern members who believe in their right to representation, and who would meet with them to constitute a quorum; and suppose the Northern members who do not believe the South entitled to representation, and who would meet with them, should meet by themselves, constituting less than a quorum of the whole number. The Pittsburg Chronicle begins to see the possibility of such an occurrence; and it also sees that the President will be under the necessity of recognizing one or the other of these bodies as the valid, constitutional House of Representatives. He must send his message to one or the other. He must sign bills passed by the one or the other as a branch of Congress, and the other as having no such authority. And under the circumstances assumed there can be very little doubt in view of his known opinions on the subject, that President Johnson will recognize the numerical quorum -- the body which contains a majority of all the members -- as the only body authorised by the Constitution to make laws for the United States. He will probably send his message to that body; he will sing the bills they pass, if concurred in by the Senate, and he will not recognize the acts of the other as valid in any respect. The Senate, on the contrary, will recognize a majority from all the States, but ten, even if they are a minority of the whole, as the real Congress, and as clothed with all the powers of legislation.

Here, certainly, is danger of a collision of authority. We have foreseen it, and have warned the country of it. The Radicals have foreseen it, and have been preparing for it. They have not concealed their purpose, in such an event, to appeal to force and rouse the country to another conflict of arms.

General Grant maintained, and still maintains, his personal independence. He is reserved, by those singular and unmatched personal qualities which hold him aloof from all factious and seditious schemes, for the supreme hour of trial which may await our beloved Republic. And stranger things have happened in human history than would be the salvation of the nation from the perils of a new civil war, by a spontaneous committed of its destinies to his control.

[No Title]
(Column 03)

Summary: Reports that General Grant has expressed the opinion that the first shot of the recent riot at Indianapolis was a deliberate attempt to assassinate the President, passing within three feet of Grant's head.

Origin of Article: Indianapolis Herald

Local Items
(Column 01)

Summary: The U. S. Tax Collector will be in Staunton next week to collect taxes from local residents. There will be a 10% penalty for taxes not payed on those days.

Local Items
(Column 01)

Summary: Cushing & Co, Auctioneers, recently sold property belonging to the heirs of Abraham Brooks to G. C. Yeakle and Michael Kane.
(Names in announcement: Cushing, Abraham Brooks, G. C. Yeakle, Michael Kane)

Local Items
(Column 02)

Summary: Dr. T. W. Shelton has sold his 295-acre farm near Tinkling Spring Church to B. M. Jones of Rockingham for $35 an acre.
(Names in announcement: Dr. T. W. Shelton, B. M. Jones)

Married
(Column 02)

Summary: George Valentine and Loula Stouffer, both of Augusta, were married at "River Head" on September 12 by Rev. William Stringer.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Wm. R. Stringer, Geo. G. Valentine, Loula B. Stouffer)

Married
(Column 02)

Summary: Lizzie Apple, of Augusta, and Wyatt Thacker, of Nelson, were married on September 4 in Greenville by Rev. Hopkins.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Hopkins, Wyatt N. Thacker, Lizzie Apple)