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Staunton Vindicator: July 8, 1870 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: Defends a past article written in the Vindicator attacking Senator John Lewis. Goes over all parts of the article and provides either direct or indirect evidence for each accusation. Accuses Lewis' press of malevolence and again calls for Lewis' resignation.

Full Text of Article:

The Richmond State Journal, that epitome of truth (?) ha! ha!! assails us because we complained of the course of John F. Lewis, U.S. Senator. He declares our article venomous and a spiteful misrepresentation, and, "on the authority of John F. Lewis," asserts there was not "one word of truth in it." Well, let us see.

We stated that he was elected by Conservatives, and was allied actively with the ultra Radicals, that he meddled with the elections in Washington, threatened the Republicans in the Legislature, opposed the nomination of Akerman of Georgia and had a Confederate contract during the war to make iron, with which the Confederates dealt death and destruction to his friends, and that he does not represent his people.

Does he deny that he was elected by Conservatives and has acted with the ultra Radicals? The first is well known and his votes in Congress attest the latter.

Does he deny that he meddled with the elections in Washington? His letter on the subject affirms this count.

Does he deny threatening the Republican members of the Legislature? The sample letter published in the Richmond papers, and the general assertions of this fact, place that beyond dispute.

Does he deny opposing the nomination of Akerman? The telegraphic dispatches from Washingeon stated it, and it was not denied by him until more than a week after its publication in the Vindicator and quite two weeks after it was telegraphed from Washington. This is strange--surpassingly strange.

Does he deny that he took a Confederate contract during the war to make the iron which was shaped into bolts to kill his Yankee friends? This is notoriously true. Indeed many assert, that, in order to get the contract and to retain it, he had to assure the Confederate authorities of his loyalty, and some even assert that to get a contract, an oath of fidelity to the Confederacy had to be taken, and that, at a time, when he was about to lose his contract, a friend had to go forward and vouch, at his instance, for his loyalty. But of this we do not know and draw no conclusions from it--which, if we were "spiteful" we certainly could.

Does he not know that he mis-represents his people? Surely the election of Walker, on whose ticket he ran, should conclusively exhibit the fact that the sentiments of his people are not in accord with his ultra course, and, we repeat, that knowing it, as he must, he should resign.

It would seem then, that, with the exception of the telegram concerning the opposition to Akerman, which was only denied after the lapse of two weeks, the Vindicator did not "spitefully mis-represent," but merely stated the truth, or that to which the failure to deny gave the semblance of truth. The State Journal and its authority are therefore, "venomously malevolent" and most "spitefully" at fault, not to use a stronger expression, and the Vindicator article, by their silence, on all save one point, is acknowledged by themselves to be true.

We have never been disposed wantonly to assail any one, but when the man who forged iron bolts for the Confederacy, and gave information and guides which came near enabling Gen. Early to bag the force of Custer, at the Cave, near his home, when elected to the Senate by Conservatives, not only pursued a course at variance with their sentiments, but turned round and leveled epithets at the men who had hoisted him into position, we thought it time to let him and others hear the sentiments of the people from whose midst he was so suddenly and astonishingly raised into place and power.

We therefore again assert that it would be exceedingly gratifying to the people of Virginia if he would resign, and we think it a duty he owes to himself to do so.

[No Title]
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Summary: An election will be held on August 6th to determine whether or not to subscribe $300,000 in stock of the Valley Railroad.

[No Title]
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Summary: The Rev. G. W. Sampson delivered a series of lectures in the Baptist Church. He spoke about Goshen and Mt. Sinai, Palestine, and Jerusalem.
(Names in announcement: Rev. G. W. Sampson)

I. O. O. F.
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Summary: Staunton Lodge No. 45, I. O. O. F., elected officers for the coming term.
(Names in announcement: Maj. J. W. Newton, Newton Argenbright, James F. Patterson, Rev. J. C. Wheat, Frank Prufer)

[No Title]
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Summary: Mt. Zion Lodge No. 12, F. A. M., elected officers for the coming year.
(Names in announcement: J. J. Christian, A. Shoveler, T. G. Gaskins, G. A. Jackson, O. D. Morris, R. T. Jefferson, Taylor Farrow, Andrew Patterson)

[No Title]
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Summary: Mr. M. A. Aderhold, Augusta Agent for the Bible Dictionary, is soliciting subscriptions for the book. "It contains more than a thousand pages, embracing a description of every name, place, animal, bird, reptile, insect, plant or mineral, alluded to or mentioned in the Bible."
(Names in announcement: M. A. Aderhold)

[No Title]
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Summary: Goes over Staunton's debts, the dates and amounts due or coming due, and payment of interest. Basically much of the debt is past due while interest is paid on time.

Full Text of Article:

As many inquiries have been made as to the debt of the Town of Staunton, we publish the following condensed statement of it, and when due:

$100 due January 1861. 3,000 " March 1863. 3,100 " Mar., Sept. & Dec. 1865. 1,600 " Jan., Jul. & Oct. 1866. 2,100 " January 1869. 14,900 " Apr. Sept. & Nov. 1870. 150 " March 1871. 900 " December 1876. 1,800 " July 1891. Total $27,650

From this it appears, that $12,500 is past due; $12,300 will be due next September and November making an aggregate of $24,800 due in November, and the remainder, $2,850, due in 1871, 1876 and 1891, respectively, as stated above.

The interest on the whole debt has been regularly paid, semi-annually, up to the present date.

Staunton Male Academy
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Summary: The Staunton Male Academy held closing sessions on June 22nd. C. E. Young, Principal, announced the students who achieved distinction in their studies.
(Names in announcement: C. E. Young, Arthur Harman, C. A. Marks, P. Summerson, A. Reese, C. Hudson, J. McChesney, Albert Harman, C. Stubbs, J. Weller, P. Woodward, C. Haile, J. Burke, H. Jackson, J. Matthews, R. Swink, A. Stuart, R. Atkinson, E. Stratton, A. Reese)

Proceedings of the Town Council
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Summary: Reports on the business conducted at the Town Council, mostly dealing with finances and the election of officers.
(Names in announcement: William A. Burke, William H. Gorman, D. Taylor)

Full Text of Article:

The members of the newly elected Town Council qualified on the 1st inst. and organized by the election of Wm. A. Burke, President, pro tem, and adjourned till Tuesday night, the 5th inst.

On Tuesday last the Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The election of officers was postponed until Wednesday night, the 13th inst.

Wm. H. Gorman was appointed Commissioner of Streets, pro tem.

Report of D. Taylor, Supt. of Water Works, was presented, showing amount of work done for citizens, during the month of June, to be $97.34--for the town, $5.

The usual monthly accounts were presented, allowed and ordered to be paid, including the semi-annual interest on the Town Debt.

On motion, the former Street Commissioners were requested to report at the adjourned meeting of the Council on Wednesday night next, the condition of the unfinished work in the Town, what amount of appropriations have been expended for same and what contracts have been made for work ordered by the Council.

On motion, a committee of five was appointed to consider and report upon the financial condition of the Town of Staunton, and recommend a plan for the liquidation of the debt now due.

The Council then adjourned until Wednesday night next, the 13th inst.

[No Title]
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Summary: Sicily Howard, an African American woman, fell from a cherry tree on Baxter Crawford's farm. She broke her leg and died from the effects.
(Names in announcement: Sicily Howard, Baxter Crawford)

Married
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Summary: Harvey Risk and Mrs. D. A. Hughes, formerly of Mobile, Alabama, were married in Staunton at the Wesleyan Institute on June 30th by the Rev. William A. Harris.
(Names in announcement: Harvey Risk, Mrs. D. A. Hughes, Rev. William A. Harris)

Died
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Summary: John M. Beard, son of James Beard, died near Parnassus on July 3rd. He was 27 years old. "The subject of this notice was a great sufferer. He bore his afflictions without a murmur, and expressed his resignation to the will of his Divine Master. He was the only earthly support of aged parents, whose wants he labored incessantly to supply, and the attention he received from all who knew him, was a living testimony of the esteem in which he was held."
(Names in announcement: John M. Beard, James Beard)