Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-08-16

matter, will state single fact Soon after the Gov
ohcal note, informing that he would not nv all him
sclf oil the permission resign and dem an,ng Court
riarua In that note he spoke Of the conduct Of the
Governor IN terms almost harsh those used i'm his
card.
In the regular of official business il might have
been considered my duty transmit that note TO the
Executive, as an explanation of my for not re-
porting vacancy and containing the Majors formal
demand ior Court Martial. l saw, however, as !
uougn'' mat tue Major, in a moment of excitement,
was ABOUT to involve himself in difficulty equally
serious WIN the first, and determined give him
opportunity TO AVOID it. l therefore addressed him a
no'e asking HIM he intended his note to be forward
Gu 10 tue Executve-hc replied that he did not, and il
magnity?
Another charge made by Mai. NIcCue in immediate
connection with that just noticed. and relied upon by
nn as furnishing '',he most conclusive evidence" Of
ny aghi'y Is the most singular OF ALL aud is the last
one will notice.
The charge is very covertly made. but when reduced
10 PLAIN English, follows That in order TO CRAFTY
my feelings Of magnty towards him. urged Capt. !
iarman 10 make personal assault upon him and imme
9a'ey alter that assault endcavorcd to impose upon
nun Dy publishing the order Of the Governor ccnsurng
ms conduchc being all the time under arrest or as
| he expresses it, "havng his hands tied"
natter that the mere statement of this charge
WIN DC suncent not only to satisfy all who know me,
OF ITS unruth but also TO show the recklcssncs
MAJ NcCue IN making serious charges against onc who
ms own ADMISSION has heretofore enjoyed reputa-
Die standing IN the community.
MAJOR McCue knows that when have thought my |
sen Injured by him, have waited for third person
10 resent the injury seek rcdrcss-he has himsel
furnished the evidence show il. Whct Their the scode
vi hohor TO which he refers, furnishes any authority
Preccuent Tor such charge under the circumstance
nc can perhaps inform
lie states that from the intimacy between Can't Har.
man and myself, and from frequent remarks made BY
me on the day OF the atray, it generally believed
una. knew OF Harmans intentions and tina, he had my
sanction for his course.
Now II happens that the only connection had with
that dificny other than what appears from the pub
Shed correspondence, TO advise Hartman not to at
TACK NcCue without first giving him opportunity for
explanation by writing him a civil note This was
several weeks before the atfray, and from that time
ttarman had no farther consultation with me- The mat
yer was delayed, us understood because McCue was
uhoer arrest but on the day Of the May court il be-
lS generally understood that the arrest had been dis
charged the note was sent, and the aray on as
Ln ' P9biIc already know ! did not the note nor
ana Know that II had been be sent until
was informed by Jno N. Hendren in the Court house.
mat he had been the bearer of the note, that re-
ply mad been refused. did leave the court house
nor did see Hartman until after the alfrav
IL is true that, knowing Hartman, fully expected
sn,' and so suppose did Maj McCuc. Ibid not see the
Sht' ana therefore cannot say whether Hartman acted
inc coward, Maj NlcCue doubt speaks from person
~ observation, and he may consider the evidence ON
'his point striking, if not ovcrw hclmng.
III my opinion TO the merits of that difficulty is Of
my consequence TO MAJOR NlcCue, or to the public,
nave no objection TO have it known that if had been
consulted would have advised the very course pur.
sued and that Harmans conduct in the affair, so far as
nave iearnedit meets with my most unqualified ap.
probation. ~
Maj. NIcCuc calls him bully = rowdv and , cow
ard and he may believe him TO be all these Upon no
othcr suppoon can his treatment of him be accounted
ior or paiiiaed For my own part, have known John
A. Hartman, imam and boy' for near twenty wears and
consider him an honorable high spirited chivalrous
man, one who would rather whip regiment than brb.
one vote, or be unjusty charged with it
III is true furnished him with the correspondence nc.
cessary to his vindication he had right to it, have
also furnished to Mai. McCuc copies of several nanrrs
which he desired have and have offered the usc Of
any IN my possession; but sorry to say that nv
, Is ior rccprocahon oil such courtesy has not been
As to the effort made by to publish the Governors
order' the MAJOR is again wide of the mark.
a,I n inc uay before the May Court, l returned from
Aioeihare and found copy of the Governors order
winch had been sent direct to me. Major McCue it
seems also received copy the original being sent to
This order, supposed, put an end to the whole of
r and as IT was publicly known that had caused the
Mayor to be arrested it occurred to me that dischargc
Oh ms arrest would, unexplained be construed into an
approval of his conduct by the Executive; therefore
, determined to publish the order.
took IT to the Spectator Office early on Monday
morning and handed it to Mr. John CoIhoun for publ
cation. lie took it without remark and left Office
AT that time did not know that Maj. McCue was in
town or that he was comng of course, did not know
that hcrc was any probability Of an aray that day
knew that the Major discharged from arrest ana
farther.
About dinner time of that day the ARRAY occurred and
there was great effort made to manufacture an excite
mcnt Tor the occasion. In the evening, Mr. George
harper came to my office and told me, that under the
circumstances nc thought prudent for him TO re-
lreped that thought so, too and that would prefer
that course; and taking the paper, marked it for sin
gle insertion
On Tuesday morning found note on nv office table
requesting me TO call at the Spectator Office. When |
went Mr. Harper informed me that Major McCue had
determined TO apply for Court Martial, and conse
qucnty, that the affair not yet ended, had
posed | at once told him that such being the fact /
had no desire 10 publish the ORDER and that thought it
: would be UNJUST TO McCuc TO do then withdrew
the order / am confident that Mr. Harper did not in
form me OF his determination publish the order
he most probably had determined but gave him no
occasion TO say so. did not know that Mai NcCue
was informed of what doing, did care whcth
, or he was or not. Meeting with Mr. Imbodcn in the
course OF the day, informed him fully of what had
done and gave him my reasons for it, / made no ga
mende, no "apology -; for had committed no offence
claimed no credit with Maj. McCuc any one else
or simple act OF justice nor did expect any
acted by the only "codc of honor" ever learned ap
plying alike to all matters, both civil and military
sought TO impose on no one under arrest for the Major
was not under arrest he well knows Ibid not think
OF Harman for Hartman had Concern in the subject of
the Governors order.
Throughout the whole of this controversy il has seem
ed impossible Tor Maj. McCue to understand truly our
relative positions, or to appreciate my motives III
treat him with orbearance he attributes il to awe =
IL seek 10 enforce my authority, he thinks malig
nant II diSclaim any such feeling, he thinks me in
sincere If PROPOSE in ignorance of his position to
publish an official paper, he says am trying impose
upon him. ii, upon being better informed hasten to
W'hdraw The publication, he says do by compuson
of the Editor
wish it to be distinctly understood that make no
profession OF kind feeling toward Maj McCuc. II he
can ask or expect at hands rigid Justice and that
ne Shai nave whether his hands tied or loose.
have thus noticed the card of McCue far as deem
~ necessary: There may be points which have over
looked, but suppose they hardly important. I'll
have been unnecessarily tedious. sorry for it
My absence from home, without nv PAPERS must ac-
count for any slight inaccuracies in the main am sure
my memory is correct. Here, far as am concerned
notice. JOHN II BALDWIN
SWEET SrRrses VA, July 20, 1913
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