Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-10-19
A Remarkable Manifesto.


The readers attention is invited to the
consideration Of the letter of James FL. Skin
ner, Esq contained in this weeks impress
sion of our paper.
1t is certainly very remarkable effusion,
supplying desideraum in the political dis
QUESTIONS Of the Secession party. essentially
important in this the dark crisis of its ex-
lstence, when its rash impetuosity has sep
arated the hitherto invincible Democracy
into two distinct columns, through which
Abolition fanatcism threatens to stalk IN
imperial and defiant triumph to the Federal
Capital. 1t is not only remarkable for the
future programme it foreshadows IN indls-
tlnct and almost subtle insinuation, but the
GROWING point of the wonder is, that the
present should have been chosen as the time
OF Its conception and publication, when the
great heart of the country is craving for u
mon against common enemy.
w. l.. Yancey had flooded the surface OF
Southern Society with the fiery lava of his
own volcanic nature; Rhctt had fumed
and fretted in advocacy Of his favorlte
scheme of disunion and disruption Brock
nrdge had drawn his slow length along
through the labyrinth of Squattcr Sovcr-
eighty, No-partysm and Congressional In
Prevention, to justify his rccreancy to civil
and political liberty and Buchanan, with
the decrepitude Of age upon his frame and
the devilish passions of malignant hate in
his heart, had crawled to the steps Of the
Presidents House to harangue his syco-
plants and placement in the imbecility Of
fustian, against that statesman to whom he
was indebted for the very power he was
prostituting in such an unholy and corrupt
manner: But the end was not yet. JAS.
II. Skinner, Esq, with an lnperous man
nersm Of style not quite so lofty as that Of
Toodles in the play, steps forward in the
breach which divides the Virginia Democ-
racy, and in the soft persuasive eloquence
of Anthony over the corpse of Caesar, and
the nicely balanced and arranged verbiage
and rounded brevities of Chesterfield in his
tutoric epistles, pleads the cause Of seces-
sion, disunion and strife
This letter coming, with startling effect to
political friend and foe, at time when true
hearted Democrats were trying to close up
the divided columns of the party to meet the
charge Of boastful and elated life long en-
envy, was savory morsel to the appetites
of Secessionists, and had hardly passed the
criticism Of its recipient, ere it was paraded
with all the pride and pomp and circum-
stance Of partzan warfare through almost ev-
cry Breckinridge journal Of the State, ac-
co'npanied by PREDATORY appeals swelling
with pathos and affection to the deludea De-
mocracy of "West Augusta" where free
dom would have made her expiring strug-
gle, to heorken and obey the voice and pen
of James Fl Skinner It was a curiosity
even in that arena where novel ideas and
transcendentalism abound. The stately
marching of its periods; the solemn gran
deur of its tone; the ambiguity Of its nten-
ton, and the hesitating tlmidty Of its posi-
tons, constitute State paper without its
superior in the whole range Of political pol
emics; and if equalled, equalled alone by
that pathetic farewell wherein pious Ar
kansas, embarkirg in the Secession boat,
announced to the Charleston Convention
that being incapable Of serving two masters,
she was determined to serve the Lord her
God, and no longer to linger under the
shade of the Upas tree this day planted GER
taiuly."
Passing, for this time, the remarks Of
Mr. Skinner on the point Of the inexpedi
ency of adopting the proposition submitted
by Jacob Baylor, Esq, warm supporter
of Mr. Breckenridge, with no further com
ment than to say, the Breckenridge Democ.
racy Of Augusta as represented by L. J
Niche. W. y. Abney. w. Fl. Watts, ant
A. 3 Cochran, recommended its adoption
we proceed to brief examination Of his in
terrogatorles contained in the following ex
tract:
B,tt next, is there no vital difference between u
and Judge Douglas, which should prevent eur aid
ing and giving him any portion Of the elecJo;a
vote Of the State? / cannot elaborate-but upon
the fundamental doctrine OF State Rights he de
MES the right OF peaeeabe secession and advocate
coercion should it be exercised. Do wee Upor
the question Of the rights Of the States in the Ter
ritorles he maintains the doctrine Of squatter O.
popular sovereignty. Do we? Upon the tariff
question he thinks the mineral resources of Penn
sylvania ''require the fostering hand If Govern
ment.'' OF course he means to greater extent
, than at present. Do We? Upon the question o
the disposition Of the public lands he tavors the
/ homestead policy? Do we? Upon the question
Of internal improvements he fayors the Pacific
railroad. Do we? IN fine, is there any living
question Of public policy or constitutional right,
except the acquisition OF Cuba.on which he squares
, with our ideas? know Of none. Do his supper
ters coincide with him III opinion If SO do ant
they any longer constitute one party? 1t they
do not coincide with him, why can they not, and
why do they not unite with Us. or at the very least
give their assent to unit vote upon the majority
principle "
He first arraigns Judge Douglas on his
Norfolk speech We submit that there is
little propriety and less consistency in ma
king test upon Judge Douglas appertain
ing to his views On the question here in
: volved-which are not clearly and correctly
conveyed in his Norfolk speech when Mr.
Brcckinridge's opinions on the same point
are not only not made patent, but there has
been manifested pertinacious, stubborn re-
fusal on his part to answer the same inter
rogatores propounded by one OF his own
Electors in Virginia.