Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-09-04
COM MUNE TIONs
A CARD.

A CARD.
An anonymous publication the signature ofs.A Snec
atto" appeared in the last Spectator pretending To inform
the public OF The chase means used to advance their cause
by the reform leaders OH the election day at Mt Solon
Being directly alluded TO in this article and haynp been
the representative The reform candidates. that precinct
feel due to the reform party of this district to notice the
charges as publicly they were made far as they re-
fer to the conduct Of the reformers on that day.
In brief, them The charges specified in this scurrlops
Gard, of base means" "drty work of sitting the voice Of
the people, by main brute force and s'vapue msrenra
sensations and fasehood," having been esored TO by
myself any other person active in behalf of The reform
party so far as my observation extended totally untrue
and unsupported by even the sembauce ofruh and while
proof substantate has been can be adduced the
testimony Of all honorable men present that day can be
had TO contradict them and prove the negative.
Indeed considering the character Of the men who were
known, in this community at least to have been prominent
at that precinct it would seem idle to undertake their de-
fence, against the aspersons of chagrned and perhaps
malignant anonymous scribber but this much is done be-
cause that paper circulating where these men are nm
known, yet whose Editors may be presumed to known our
characteristics by the ready publication of the letter offs
Mt Scion correspondents apparently endorsed the probable
y of the charges and thus given them importance not
otherwise attainable
II is then only against the presumption of its probability
afforded to the communication by its publication in the
Spectator, paper bytheway, assuming be the pink of
dignity and proprey that take this notice of the ptifu
article of"A Spectator" As 10 the mere personalities it
contains in reference to myself is unnecessary to trouble
the public more than to say, that the authors name has
been demanded and of action adopted by myself
which will settle the personal matters between ourselves
Individually JOHN H. McCUE.
Stanton, Sept. z, 1850.
g We cheerfully give place to the above Gard
of Mr.. J. H. McCUE. Certainly we yield as "realy
publications" as TO the communication from Nl So
Ion signed "A Spectator Both articles were furnish
ed in due time fornseriion in our paper and accord
ingly inserted. If any thing more is intended by
the terms quoted, it is graiuous and unfounded.
Some suspicious, however, connected with mis-
conception ofihe design and duties of free press in
free country, have led to piquancy of remark in
the card and in reference 20 ourselves not called for
by the circumstances Of the case What are the cir
cumstances A communications is sent to our paper
charging and complaining Of improper means en-.
poyed TO obtain votes at precinct election, and the
names of two persons are conided to lis as the au-
thors, whom we had not heard impeached in any
wav, bit on the contrary understood and considered
10 be respectable, aud gentlemen. Does the publ
cation carry with it the endorsement by the editors
of the truth of the charges If this be so, is les
not hitherto learned by from other quarters,
and we shall yield the palm sphinx of editorial pro-
prely" 10 another. Nevertheless, without assuming
unnecessary airs we shall not cease study propr
ETY., and 10 cultivate so much Of dignity as may be
implied in an elevation above mean things More
than this we have assumed.
We do not admit, however, the Interpretation Of
Mr. McCUE, that the "base charges" TO which lie re-
lers necessarily impicate him. We so informed him
days before his card presented al Office, and
gave the for that opinion deduced from
the terms Of the article. The first was, that the young
lawyer referred to is mentioned in single sentence
only second, that the charge o! huegiag out ovotes
and browb beating were incompatible referring to
the same person and Sd, and in accordance with this
view, that another is alluded TO, against whom the
harsher epithets are directed. We had supposed that
these views candidly presented on two occasions,
would have secured for us more liberalily than the
author OF The card has manifested. But granting his
construction to be the correc! one, and awarding to
him, which freely do, high character and sta
ton in society, we yet boldly deny the proposition
that this should close the press against charges made
by citizens deemed respectable and intelligent, and
in reference to the delicate question Of the elective
franchise. We deny utterly the proprie'y, that any
mans station and responsibility should be taken as
proof that public charges against him upon such a
subject should be set down as foul, slanterous and
malicious, and rejected by the press Let this doc
rne be established and the liberties OF the people
gone forever. 1t is at with republican nstitu- t
TONS republican equality and the policy Of society.
Fps. SPECTATOR.