Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-01-27

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RICHMOND. Jan. 23rd 1860.

RICHMOND, Jan 23rd, 1860.
Messrs Editors,-I observed with pro-
found astonishment the criticism in your
last paper, on very imperfect report Of
some remarks which submitted few DAYS
ago, in the Senate /. do not impute to
you any purpose, wilfully to misrepresent
me, but assure you you have represented
my course as the very opposite of what it
really was; and therefore, trust you will
afford me the opportunity of putting myself
right before those, whose interests [ am
represented as having betrayed, and whose
feelings I am supposed to have wantonly
outraged.
The facts of the case were briefly these
The House of Delegates fassed a bill au-
;horizing board Of three Commissioners.
consisting of the LIST Auditor, the Adjutant
General, aud the Secretary of the Common
wealth. to audit and pay the expenses in
Cured in the military operations connected
with the Harper's Ferry affair. and appro-
priating 5000, 900 for that purpose.
The Senate amended the bill, by striking
out the clause authorizing the Commission
ers to puy the claims, that body conceiv-
ing it not to be proper to entrust the public
treasury, of which the representatives Of the
people are the appropriate guardians, to the
discretion of an irresponsible commission of
three individuals. They desired the Board
to audit and report the claims to the Legis-
lature, which could then allow such as they
deemed just, and appropriate the money to
satisfy them. This supervisory power by
the Legislature, was deemed necessary to
prevent extravaganza waste Of the public
money.
[ was in favor Of the Senate's amend
ment and made some remarks to show, that
the spirit of the Constitution would be vio-
lated if the Legislature should delegate their
appropriate functions to Commissioners.
Finding that some feeling had arisen be-
tween the two Houses, expressed my sur
prise a. it, stating that it was a mere honest
difference Of opinion, which should give no
cause of quarrel.
further urged the necessity Of the amend
ment because it was represented to be the
purpose Of so.ae Of the officers, to charge,
not only their regular pay bat to claim con-
gtructiue aNoseances for horses which they
did not have. and for servants who were not
in service. concluded that such charges
were unjust, and hence [ wished to retain
the supervisory power in the hands Of the
Legislature, to defeat them I stated |
wanted the accounts reported by items, for
that, as then advised, | would vote for no
constructive allowances. Butthat if | found
on investigation, that there was Legal au-
Mority to assert such claims, in opposition
to substantial justice, | might be obliged TO
vote for them. but if | did, must insist
that those who made such charges, should
r"pudiate their clair to patriotism That
| they could not be entitled to credit for both
i stated that those who were disposed to
put their arms elbow-deep into the treasury,
could not be regarded as governed by any
great devotion to the service OF their coun-
try, and that, |, for one. regarded such pa
triotism as a spurious article.
lnreply to a Senator who spoke Of the
soldiers as having been dragged into ser
vice, +" aud 'torn ,tro7a their families, y &c. ),
stated that did not know how it had
been elsewhere, but that [ could say that
that the gallant sous Of Augusta had not
been dragged into service Il was with
them labor of love They had sought
tho service eagerly, and went to it as to a
frolic | stated that they were Influenced
by no sordid considerations, but were ln-
PEELED by higher aud nobler motive-a de-
sire to serve their country | then des-
cribed the alacrity with which they antici-
pated the summons Of the Cove nor, IN the
first Instance, and the promptituJe with
which they obeyed it when it came
In reply to remark that the poor SOL
ders were ''sturUcag' for their pay, sta
ted that could not say how it was else
where, but that the people Of Augusta would
never allow her sons to suffer, and | then
paid q incrited tribute to the hberulity Of
our people, in raising, by voluntary contri-
buttons, 5000, for the benefit Of the troops
and their families.
stated explicitly my anxiety to have the
troops paid promptly and literally paid +;
but that [ was firmly opposed t, al..ronstruc-
! tue allowances.
1t is proper to remark that have been
informed that Gen Taliaterro had more
aids at Charlestown than Napoleon or Wei
liugton at Waterloo!
My great OBJECT throughout my remarks
was to protect the treasury from claims
which deemed unjust and extravagant, and
to pay compliment, which | thought was
richly deserved, to the zeal, promptpess and
patriotism of the volunteers Of Augusta =
My remarks were SO understood by every
Senator and auditor, and yet, by strange
perversion Of very imperfect report of my
remarks, my sincere commentator is rep
resented by you as sueer on those whom. !
sought to applaud
With this explanation. I leave it to your
sense of Justice to determine how far you
will repair the wrong which doubtless I'M
tiona!ly) you have done me. ....r,
ALEX. H H. STUART.
For the Tsndtcator.
10 James MI. LEsaey, john j. IA
! ROW Peck sasaai q,