Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-08-05
A LAY MEMBER.

~
July July 1859. ALAY MEMBER
- ~ ------------- sse
n. [BY REQUEST.
+. 81 esxs: From the Richmond Bsaniaor.
K ID ). ss-aF a Card.
.sss Since the origin Of the recent difficulties
between Mr. %. j. Wise aud myself, have
received, for the FIRST time, reliable informa-
a tion Of. the existence and wide circulation of
. iunofe injurious to my character. The fol
lowing extract from an editorial ia the New
York Daily Ne,cs (to which asy attention
! has recently been calied), is alone sufficient
to admeaish ne that the duty of self-vindi-
estion forbids me allowing the rumors and
charges which this article cmbodies from
passing unnoticed, especially as the ,Nescs is
espaper Of large circulation, and the article
In question has probably been copied into
other journals. s.
ssss sWhen Gov. Wise Fss candidate for
stse nomination to his present Office in 1854
mr. a. lett ISho vas then as now, the chief
saanagcr of the Eaaminer,) MAS charged
with writing series of editorials exceeding
ly,disparaging to Mr.. Wise, though be Mr..
siylefty had pro6ered support and yas hol-
ding, privately, and exceedingly friendly
c0rrespopdence With Coy. Wise at the time.
This conduct was considered not only decep-
4ive, but ungentie manly. and was adenoHn-
lccd BIZ Coy Wise. Alter the nomination,
Gov. Wise demanded Of Mr.. Aylett an ex-
change Of the correspondence which had Ia
ken place between them. Mr.. Aylett repli-
ed that he had not the original then in town
{Richmond). It was subsequently however
produced and sent to the Governor through
afriend, with an abject apology, begging
that the Governor would not expose his du-
plicity BY publication Of the letters. as he
threatened to do. \ y
Subsequently, after the election Of Cover
nor Wise. Aylett protested great friendship.
aud solicited and received official favors from
the Governor; but the latter, having refused
toiaid him IN gettinga Federal Office, was
once more The object Of abuse and anony-
NOUS assaults in the Examiner. 81
sa"These attacks upon the Governor became
so.frequent and SO personal that young Mr..
Wise threatened to expose their author and
the motive II they were persisted In. A cor
respondence took place at that time between
the two gentlemen, in which Mr.. O. j. Wise
warmed him that II he continued his course,
his previous conduct would be exposed. not
only, 80 far as related to his treachery to-
ward The Governor, but also in having
through the columns of the Enquirer before
assailed Senator Hnrse., in whose behalf be
was now assailing Governor Wise. The at
tacks Ia the E1dna,ner were, however, con-
tinued under the cognomen Of Augustus
~ - he
ten BY Mr.. Aylett himself. Young Wise,
charged the authorship upon him, and in
dulged in structures not very complimentary.
On the 9th Of this month Mr.. Aylett asked
whether this reference was to him., Mr..
Wise promptly replied in the affirmative,
upon which Mr., A. gave the challenge
which was accepted. .s +. ~
aeThe result is known. It is to be presu-
med, therefore. that Mr.. Wise, refusing to
be reconciled to Mr.. Aylett,. was influenced
BY resentment toward the calumniator of his
father, and Of contempt for ., person whom
he believed to have been guilty Of political
treachery, the responsibility for which had
been avoided and skulked from"
The articles in the Ezaminer TO which re-
fercnce is made in the FIRST part of the above
extract, were. not written at the time, but
nearly four months after The date Of por-
ton Of my correspondence to which the NciOs
refers. Instead of pledging my support to
Gov. Wise for the Gubernatorial nomination
in 1854, frankly informed him that / did
not wish to be understood as pledging my
self to the support Of any of the prominent
candidates--that he was by no means my "a
yorite over several Democrats in Eastern
Virginia but that, in q certain oontingen-
cy.slwhich never occurred, he would have
my support; nor did Gov. Wise regard my
letter as pledgeor conmittal to his sup
port. rsSssrIx tS-ff ita ss
The articles which were subsequently
written in tile Erapsiner, by me- opposing
Gov. Wiss's nomination, reviewed por-
ton Of that gentleman's political career, 10
which no reference or allusiOn was made in
my correspondence with him. No informa-
ton was solicited. nor was any furnished me
by Gov. Wise, relative to that portion Of biz
political career upon which l subsequently
commented. No material or references fur.
nisAed to me by Gov. Wise were ever, in
any manner, used to his disadvantage by
me. Having taken up the impression from
Gov. Wise's desire to get possession Of bis
letter. that he designed to publish our cor
rcspondcpco, T desired him not to do SO, fol
reason which viii be duly appreciated by
those who have seen or may see the CORES.
pondence. 3o fl., sa sisix g.4a. ssa
When the. Exchange Of correspondence, =
roSersed to- BY the Nesos, took place, it il
untrue that either, through friend, or in
any other way, I sent Gov Wise, IAN alb
jcct apology, begging that he would not ex-
pose my d9plciAE. hy publication of the let
tiers, ae be threatened to d." No such hui
initiating language accompanied the ex-
change Of correspondence, end ] made no
apologies Whatever. On the contrary, in
stead Of the cringing dnplicity falsely inpu-
ted tome, By tie Ncps, / frankly Informed
Gov; Wise, whilst desiring that publication
should noA be given to private eerrespea-
dence. that / vished to be understood as re-
racting not one ipt OF title Of my opposi-
ton to his nomination .@ aas i.
The correspondence insqnestion was never
the subject Of single nsaasiag or depsn-
ciatory word, message. or lsster from GOV.
Wise to myself, and our suhseqaena person.
81 intercourse would never have iaduced me