Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-05-14
For the Standard.

Mr. HOLDEN Be so kind as to allow me to say
in your next issue of the Standard that, to-day,
Henry w. Miller, ESQ., (whom had not before seen
since his return from RichmoudD informed me that
my article in your last paper, If unexplained by the
facts of the case WAS calculated to do injustice to
the Court that tried Mr.. Respess-however unin-
territorial in me and he therefore requested me to
give TO the public the necessary explanations that
not knowing all the facts at the time wrote said
article, 1t was natural l should arrive at the infer
ences did-and supposed, that, because there
no witness summoned for him, III attendance on the
trial where his all was in peril, that he had been
ruled TO trial without the benefit Of any testimony
OF his own. And again: because his counsel made
no argument in his behalf on the trial. that he bad
been deprived of that benefit Whereas, the truth
was, that, although no witness had been summoned
for him, QOr he had not the tut Of the government
to summon any, nor did he ask for 1t, because he
felt confident he might safely risk his cause upon
the testimony of the witnesses summoned against
him. although he had not seen any of them since
his arrest, was he permitted to or have any
intercourse with them by letter or otherwise) and
well did they merit his confidence; for they fully
and clearly established his loyalty to the Southern
cause, and his innocence of the charges preferred
against him, ard gave him the character of an hon
orabe man, and deservcdly respected in his
own and the neghboring counties; that he had
done more to advance the Confederate cause, than
any other man in that section Of count"y-having
equipped and sent into the Southern army nine of
his nephewS, (wardS) and continued to supply them
with money when the government PaymaSter failed
to pay them their dues and had given more to sup
port the wives and children Of the absent soldiers
than any other person in that community, and was
actively engaged in fitting out steam PrirGteer at
cost of some $40 900, to cruise against the enemy
at the time Hatteras fell, which event defeated the
enterprise that his election last winter as attendant
of Police of the town of Washington, by large ma
Jority of the votes cast made for HIM bitter enemies
of some of the defeated party, who had gotten up
his arrest and the present prosecutions that he had
minded his own business for several years past, and
left partisan politics to others; that, when the
my came first TO Washington, he, as was his duty,
met them cvilly at the wharf and beSouGh them to
spare the town, and not inure the property of its
unarmed and unresisting nhabltants-and succeed
ed in his appeal that some days after they left be-
Ing uneasy about the safety of several negro men
which he had hired out at Newbern for the year,
he openly and freely spoke of going there and ad-
viSed with of his friends about the matter, to
secure said negroes if he could and also his pur-
pose go Carolina City, if he could get there, to
deliver vessel which he had some time before sold
to a citizen of OnSow county, who was to pay him
$4,000 for her, on her delivery at Carolina City
and get his money for her that he believed the
enemy was in possession of Washington, and he,
thereby, already within their lines he should do no
wrong Ia go To those places, and save his property,
if he could that he had no other chance of reaching
Carolina City than by accepting of Burnside'S offer
Of passage in of his vessels about starting to
Beaufort, from New bern that he found on his pas
sage down. that his vessel in the power of the
enemy but Burnside offered to give her up to him
If he wOulI take the oath Of allegiance 10 the Uni
ted StateS-or, il he would pledge his honor to he
neutral in the war, and give no assistance to the
rebel cause, as he termed it; but, as Mr.. ReSpeSs
refused to do either, he returned home without his
vessel payment for her, his ne. roes-and open
lv md fraplV ka N Of is
was quickly thereafter arrested and carried to Rich
mOad for trial on charge of treason and that
and besides that testimony, some fifty citizens of
his county Of the highest reSpeCtabty voluntarily
and Of their own accord, transmitted to the Court
their testimony in writing, in his behalf of the
most honorable character, fuly cnrroboratng the
testimony of the witnesses aforesaid. on the trial
and il came out the witnesses of every pOti-
cal Tarty-oidIne "nlsS and democrats secession
lists and cNnScrya tiyeS and SOme al them, too who
had opposed Mr.. RcspeSS' election as lntcnCant Of
Washington, nevertheless, oil of rhcm ateSted his
innocence of the charges preferred against him
And To the argument ~ the cGsS, il evil
dent that Mr.. ReSpeSS was entitled to an honorable
acquittal upon the testimony, that 10y mutual con-
sent, the case was submitted to the Court without
argument. And Mr.. Miller added, that Mr.. Res
peSs's counsel were allowed by the Court every
privilege they entitled to; and the Court itself
was composed of eminenty intelligent high. minded
any one he was ever engaged in, and the decision
was dS credi,abe 10 the Court IS it was just to Mr.
RcspeSS lie hOnorably acquitted on all the
charges, and the finding of the Court was approved
by Tie revising power, the Secretary at War, and
Gen. Winder.
1t gives me the greatest pleasure to make this
correction, and | thank Mr. Miller for the cxpana-
ton 10 enable me to do it; and | thank your own
good self for allowing to make it in your paper.
certainly did not wish nor intend to do any IN
Justice, or cause others to do it. to the C0ur: in
question: and indeed it was not the Court, but the
military powers at Richmond, that | supposed had
deprived Mr.. ReSpeSS Of part of his inst rights,
when his character, liberty and life were IN the
greatest danger. And 1t may be proper that |
should here, also say, to prevent msapprehenSion
of my remark in my article in your last paper that
although the Judgment of the Court did not, in ex
press terms say that the prosecution against Mr..
ReSpess was false and malicious yet his honorable
acqutta on all the charges, and discharge, and the
testimony show that it was so.
As this is the last time, in all probability, that |
shall trouble you or the public with anything from
me upon this dlsagreeable subject, or any other,
perhaps I ought to add, in conclusion, that have
much reason to believe that the story circulation
here about Mr. Respess's son John having joined
the Yankees, and made Lieutenant Colonel of is
utterly untrue. He is a mere boy, and very rash
and unsteady one of scarcely eighteen years of age;
but is probably true, that about the time of his
fathers trial. he had drunken folic with some of
his youthful associates at Washington and while
under the influence of liquor, and resentment for
his fathers wrongs dId say, lie would, or had a
good mind to join the Yankees, to avenge him on
his enemies; hut intelligent man who lives in
Mr. Respess's family, who lett Washington on Sun
day last has informed me- that after said frolc,
John went home to his wife, on the farm where his
father had settled them, some twenty miles distant
from Washington, ard he hah not seen him since
JOSEPH B. HINTON.
SUGGESTIONS FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS