Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-06-04

secretary OF State.
For the Standard.
To Major AUGUSTUS MiItiades Lewis, Paymas-
ter Of NOrth.CarOlina Troops.
Ny DEAR MAORI trust you will neither blame
or thank Inc for setting forth your name and title in
full, so far as can for when a mans name and
titles are the best and most important part him.
it becomes his friends to use such name and titles,
without consulting the principal, in order to give
importance to an individual who might not other
wise be considered of any importance at all. As
my motives are very good in thus giving you prom
nence hope to escape your censure; and | trust
shall not shock your proverbia urodesty by thus,
unauthorized BY you, giving you the full benefit of
name and title, ridculously elongated and grandilo
quent as they may appear to the vulgar, the unin-
formed, and the uneducated, who seen, probably
like yoursef) not to understand appreciate titles,
and who evidently have little no respect for the
Kings English, or any body else's English.
| have read your Gard my dear Major, and it
greves me to tell you that the fear of cards" and
the dread of their consequences upon me, in which
| was brought up, have been materially lessened.-
think, Major, with all due difference to your great
name and long title, you should make "cards" more
Objectionable to the rising generation. Did time
and space permit l could read you quite homily
upon the subject as know might presume upon
our strong friendship to speak freely with you but
l must at present content myself with whispering,
confidentially in yonr ear, that whatever else you
may have learned, the tricks of cards" are evil
IDENTIFY mystery to you, and you subject yourself
to the modification of being called nincompoop
q have the authority of Brigadier General Larry
O'Brlen Branch for using the classic word "nincom-
poop" tor attempting game you are incapable of
playing. 1t has been suggested, and as friend l
recommend suggestion to your consideration that
pair of cotton cards would become you better, and
give you far more profitable and suitable employ
ment. Remember do not urge this personally,
but only second the suggestions of mutual friends,
with recommendation that you direct your CON-
handing talents to the mastery and mystery of the
cards named
"card" appeared, by meddesome individuals who
contended that you had made an ass of yourself l
was determined that you should not be so sandered
and luckily struck upon an argument which ;nva-
rably senced such SANDER and convinced the in
dividual that he was mistaken This l did by ia
king the ground that Dame Nature had executed
her work so we'll as to leave room for you to i'm
prove upon what she had done for you in that res
pect am fully convinced Major, and the whole
community is convinced that you hare not made an
, ass of yourself
You state, Major, that you are "charged with
gross misconduct the Paymaster of North Caro-
lima Troops" Your own guilty conscience must
have preferred the charge, and also convicted YOU
made no such charge. Had you improved the op-
portunties afforded YOU you would have been able,
in this time to have comprehended something of
the king IS English, and would have known made
no such charge. | cannot join with those who ex-
cuse you for not understanding the English Ian
guage; but only blame you for not improving your
| opportunities. Had you done So would have said
you uttered a falsehood, knowingly and wilfully ;
as it is can only say you have uttered fasehood
without any Of the honors of posterty," (uide
| your speech in accepting the nomination for the
Legislature, some years ago. and spreading your
! wings like those of green bay trse,') eide your
! speech before the Democratic Club) you have mis-
taken, l fear, the witches of conscience for my
| pinching
In your "card" you intimate that my name was
reluctantly dragged out Of Mr.. Holden. You know,
and you publish it if you choose, that I wrote
you note informing you that was the author of
the article headed, Are These Things so?" and
SAID to you, in that note: II embodied and gave
expression to rumor-rumor so universal that 1
thought it ought to be either substantiated or re.
futed." 1t is true, my dear Major, that thought
saw you, "varment" of prey, up a tree. fred
into the boughs OF that tree and am surprised to
hear that not only you came down, but that my
shots scattered so as to wound several Others For
this am emphatcally irresponsible" for did not
know they were there. If others have made you a
"catspaw," to drag Ii per cent chestnuts out Of
the fire, am irresponsible" for unintentionally
bringing the fact to light did not wish to believe
you capable Of 'gross misconduct" and therefore
did not charge it; but your extreme sensitveness-
your wrath and haste-your great desire to have me
considered an irresponsible man" all tend to shake
my confidence in your integrity.
am regarded, you say, "as an irresponsible man.
By whom, dear Major? Was it not by some on.
or ones that had made you his or their catspaw fol
pulling out Is per cent chestnuts? Was the whole
affair to be stifed, and all investigation prevented
by stigmatlzlng me "as an irresponsible man -
Ny dear Major, you cannot play that game. Wher
we are both known am willing to compare respon
sibility with you-where not known, I object
for there you are most appreciated Irresponsible
Major Lewis, it is the plea of culprit. 1t is tn
plea put in for rogues, malefactors and murderers
for II the witnesses be irresponsible" the crimna
escapes the justice that should be melted out to him
irresponsible" Major Lewis, I hurl back tn
word emanating on your part either from g vile an
corrupt heart-the offspring, believe, Of wicked
vicious and guilty mind-the rotten and offensiy
dregs of polluted soul; or else it comes from
base cowardice that it were honor too much to cal
pusillunimous.
The whole matter, my dear Major, is in nutshell
You receive Treasury notes and pay out Confeder
ate notes. Perhaps "Mago Del Maoe," or tn
Eakir Ava" or some one else skilled in the art
hocus.pecu has been giving you lessons for the un
Outstanding of which you have shown greater apt
tude than for those nstructing you in the rudiment
OF common English. A Treasury note is taken II
the LETT hand-yon say "presto change! ana 10!
Confederate note slides out Of the right hand to
soldier. If 15 per cent drops between your hands
either into your lap some one else what Is tina
to your It only shows your pronc'ency IN legerde
main, and that, ~ pupil you are ~ honor to you
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