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

they intended to SO under their construction
of the law, and it furnished an occasion not
for converting the Legislature into a Judi
ciary. but for sending them before consti-
tutional judiciary, where the ''mere honest
difference Of opinion between them and
Mr.. Stuart could be settled. Nor can we
recognize those transcendant notions Of ma.
triotism which MIR. Stuart seems to think
should compel military officer to forego
the full measure of compensation for ser
vice which the laws of his country give him
why he who risks his life's blood in the
cause of the State should be put to the al
tentative of surrendering his legal rights or
repudiating his claim to patriotism while
the sleek and we'll fed legislator can pocket
with impunity and honor every farthing that
the broadcast construction of his rights will
allow. The fact is, that Mr. stuart has been
driven by the stress Of party alliances into
an cgregrious blunder, and it is very man
ifest, both from his letter of PLANTATION and
his Legislative course, that his feelings to-
wards that Harper's Ferry expedition are
no. what we could wish them to be. He
belongs to school whose teachers think
there was no occasion in the John Brown
raid ''for SO much excitement"
We regret Mr.. Stuart's i'll timed fling
at Gen. Taliaferro, whom we personally
know and greatly esteem. We doubt not
he is gallant officer, and did his whole du-
ty in the high and responsible position he
held at Harpcr's Ferry. Where Mr.. Stuart
gained the information of his unnecessary
number Of Aids at Charlcstown, we know not
but will venture to affirm, in advance, that
Gen. Taliafsrro will vindicate the propriety
and wisdom and gallantry of his conduct
there, before any proper and impartial tri-
bunal that the Legislature in their wisdom
may assign to him.
n B.-Since writing the above, we have
received the following in the report of the
Senate's proceedings Of Wednesday.
We again reiterate our conviction that
the construction which we placed upon Mr..
Stuart's remarks was the only legitimate one
which the language admitted of; and we
have to see the first man with the excep-
ton, perhaps, of the editors of the Specta-
tor, who without the key Of Mr.. Stuarts ex-
PLANTATION, could draw any other conclusion
than the one embodied in our editorial.
SENATE CHAMBER, Jan Oath, 1860
lg'. CosMaa, Reporter IN Senate:
Sir: beg to call your attention to the
editorial article in the Stanton Vndicator,
which imputes to me, Gas the editor says, on
the authority ofyour report Of my retuarks,)
hostility to the bill for the payment Of the
volunteers from Augusta county. | do not
believe that your report warrants any such
imputations; but to remove all doubts as to
your purpose, desire you to state whether
my remarks did not show that I was in favor
OF paying the volunteers. and objected only
to the payment of constructive charges; also,
whether instead of assaulting the Augusta
| did not avail myself of the oc-
casion to pay them handsome compliment
for their zeal, patriotism and galantry.
Yours, &C.,
ALEX. H. Fl STUART.
In reply to Mr.. Stuart, have to saw.
that | made but {. synopsis of his remarks in
the Senate on the 18th inst and in this
did by him exactly as do by every mem
Der of the Senate, except where the remarks
are very brief, or are written out and hand
ed me for publication That synopsis clo-
ses with the following words He (Mr.
Stuart) was not. at the same time, opposed
to the payment of legitimate and legal
claims BY these Words intended to con-
vey that Mr.. Stuart was in favor of paying
the volunteers all such claims as were, in
his view, just-that is, such as were not
for constructive service" or, in other words
Gas understood him to explain it), such as
were not made for servants and horses not
in the actual employment of the State.
10 Mr.. Stuart's second query have to
reply, that, in addition to what my report
contains as said by him concerning the
prompt mastering of the Augusta volunteers
and their departure for Harper's Ferry, he
took occasion to pay, during the course of
his speech, very high compliment to that
body Of men.
PC. COGHLAN.
"ExAM1NER" OFFICE; Jan. 26