Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-11-19

Judge Pitts.

Sciar weeks ago We published sA article,
and 4 communication from a source Of the
highest responsibility on which the article
was based, touching the conduct and position
Of Judge Pitts, Of the Eastern Shore.
More recently, on the 18th inst, we publish
ed, in justice TO Judge Pitts, the points Of a
defence which he has had printed in the form
o: handbIlis, a copy Of which he sent to the
Enquirer"
The s.atouaents Of that haDdbill having
attracted attention, We have been furnished
with the following answer to some OF them
from the ssu,e source whence CAM our origi-
nal information
10 TIE Editors Of the Enquirer:
GeDtleneu-Mrs. Stralton, the lady whom
Judge Pits mentions in his card to the people
of Mr.. Carrigan, Of Philadelphia, and Dr..
Hodge, her physician in that city, a permit
from Mr. Cameron, the Secretary of War Of
Lincoin's government, for q steamer, the Will
liam Small, to take her trom Baltimore to Pun.
goteaguc in Accomac county, and under that
psrmit she was taken to the Eastern Shore
MIN. SlVAltOu 10 HI Ulu duu ll-uIlu tdu|, dUu
has been in bad health for many years. and
has spent much o(her time in Philadelphia, under
tho treatment Of DR.. Hodge; and upon the re-.
preSt ntatian to the Department that she was
so irfir,r as not to be able to stand the travel
down the Peninsula, which, up to that time, had
not been : . interrupted, Mr.. Cameron permitted
the steamer to take her from Baltimore to the
Eastern Shore in violation Of the blockade ca
e,lt;-L.I ~ tho snnpln o,onk 1,,1,,a
Pitts tells US that he went u Baltimore on the
same terms that Mrs. Stratton came from there
upon. If the statement just made in regard
10 that lady DO true, it would seem to fol-
low, from Judge Pitts own statement, that
he or Capt Smith or some other person
for MIN, must have obtained . permit to allow
City OF Baltimore, TO violate the blockade by
coming into Virginia, to take him, his family,
several slaves and other property to that city.
This steamer came to Accomac without the
knowledge Of most Of Judge Pitts immediate
%neishhors, and her advent was kepta profound
secret. bot when known, created much sStonish-
ment in the county. She refused to take any,
passengers. although there were sorne on board
who desired m 90 10 that county, but landed
tiIr,n IN th. E.s.ern Shore Of Maryland. This
NleslllleE, HDOul LIZ ullOulc vi July lOOk OuQnG
PITTS. his family, several Of MS slaves, L part
of his household furniture and his horses and
carriages to the city Of Baltimore, then under
martial law, declared by Lincoln's General,
a!:sr the Police Commissioners and Marshal
OF ,tat city had been arrested and imprisoned
Oh account OF their supposed sympathies with
the South. How . Virginia Judge could pass
through that city with his property to Ellicott's
Mills, would seem rather remarkable unless
the military authorities of the United States
Government believed he was loyal to the des-
potism ut Washington.
Judge Pitts remained in Maryland until a
feT days before the time fixed by law for hola.:
ing mis- Court, on the third Monday in October,
in Northampton county, when be returned
with a part or the whole of his carriages, and
n par; Of his slaves, in diroct contravcntion Of
tine act Of conAscation, passed at the July ses.
SION IF The Congress Of the United States, and
Of the Proclamation Of the President thereof,
and on his way was obliged to pass through
the lines of the cGcmy Of his State. The peo-
pie wore astounded at the departure Of Judge
Pits from his circuit in a time of war and
going to a country occupied by the enemies Of
his State, when it required the countenance
and support, by their presence, of all her loyal
citizens. Daring his absence his presence was
necessary to enable two individuals who had
been convicted blythe county court, to apply to
him for writs of error, and that the Governor
had refused to pardon them, because, if errone.
ously convicted, they had a remedy by appeal,
and that the term Of Imprisonment of one Of
them expired before his return to this circuit,
His presence Was also necessary to enable some
officers in the Confederate service to qualify to
their commissions as required by the Con
federate government they should do, in the alb
sence Of judicial officers of that government
Whilst no personal violence was offered to
Judge Pitts to prevent his holding bis court
in Northampton, tho bar OF bis court unani-
mousiy declined to 70 into il, or to attend any
court held by him until he should take the
oath 10 support the Confederate Constitution,
and satisfy the Convention or the General AS.
sembly OF Virginia OF his loyalty to tho South.
They communicated their resolutions to him,
and, in consequence thereof. there was no suit
or motion tried 81.
1t was very generally believed that Judge
Pitts used his influence against the ratification
Of the ordinance Of. secession and that the
only reason why be did not vote at all in the
election was the great unanimity among the
loyal people of his county in favor Of it. In the
recent election Of electors for President and