Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-11-30

aid TO effect their execution, according to
their letter and spirit-that if her property
shall escape and be found in the non-slave-
holding States, you will see that it is prompt
ly restored to the rightful owner. Surely
there is patriotism enough in Pennsylvania
and the other -slaveholding States to
grant what the law has declared to be our
due, especially when the preservation of the
Union depends upon it. In concluding this
branch of the subject permit me to add.
that if the North will respect and uphold
the rights of the States, the Union will be
perpetual, our country will continue to grow
in power and influence, the people of all Sec
tions will have secured to them the blessings
of peace, quiet and order, and prosperity.
| such as has never been known or appreciated
in our past history will be the necessary re-
suit.
1t will require prudence, wisdom and pa
triotism, to avert the evils now impending
over our country. elimination and infam
matory language, can have no other effect
than to exasperate and thus precipitate re-
suit that is already imminent In this hour
of danger to the Union, it is the duty of pa
triots in all sections of our country TO culti-
vate kind, generous and coneiliatlDg spirit
one towards another. Your letter, how
ever, breathes nothing of this kind: you
taunt the South with your superiority Of
numbers and threaten to crush them by your
fancicd power
You assure me that 'two hundred Virgil
Mans have agreed to place themselves un-
der your command, in the event of disu-
MON" and that you are at my ''service" and
await my ''orders." VirgiDians owe alle-
glance to this Commonwealth, and I have
too much respect for my fellow citizens of
all parties, to suppose that ''two hundred"
of them in any part of the State are willing
to go to Pennsylvania for commander,
even if they had determined TO aid in the
uugracious work of reducing Southern sis
ter State, to the abject condition of con-
quered province of the Federal Government.
Ali true Virginians, will, I am sure, recog-
niZe their obligations to the State and will
hold themselves 10 readiness to respond to
the call of her constituted authorities. We
now have in Virginia duly and legally or
ganlzed eighty light troops of cavalry,
twenty-six companies of artillery, one hun
dred and nine companies Of infantry and one
hundred and ten companies of rihemen. uni
formed and well prepared for service Think
you, my dear sir, under these circumstances
that any "tvo hundred men iu Virginia,
would seriously propose to import a COM
mander from Pennsylvania? No No! You
have been cruelty hoaxed by some wag, who
: desired to play off good joke at your ez-
peDse.
You have no right to come into Virginia
to raise troops for any purpose whatsoever;
and take the occasion to say to you in the
kipdess spirit imaginable, that such course.
will be taken at your peril. 1t is made my
duty to see that the laws are executed. and
in the contingency referred to, they will be
executed to the letter. IF you desire to
march against Southern State. for the pur-
pose mentioned in your letter, raise your
troops at home, and present them to the sons
of the South, as flood for gunpowder. =
We have other and better uses for Virgil
mans.
AS your letter is of public character,
and as the people of this State may feel some
interest iu your views, have though it ad-
visable to publish it, accompanied with my
reply. A number of the enquirer" con-
tanning The correspondence will be sent to
your address.
Respectfully.
JOHN LETCHER.
JAMES S. BR1sBIN, Esq, Bellefonte, Centre
County, Pa,