Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-04-07
FOR THE SPECTATOR.
SrAusroN, April, I'd 1868.

Mr.. EDITOR = was gratihed to see in you
last issue the announcement Of Mr.. Howe Y
PeytOn as candidate to represent the peOpie O
Augusta in the next HUuse of Representatives
Mr.. sPeyton is q young gentleman eminently quail
ited to ill the position to which he aspires Il
fine natural talents, improved by much study anC
| q thorough COLLEGIATE education, he adds mine
well stored with that political knowledge so nee
essary to the representatives of great country
His moral character and stern integrity of pur
pose are above reproach, aud he possesses abili
ties as debator singularly striking in one SC
young and which bid fair to place him ere lone
among the first speakers of our State. Beyond
and aside from the decided fitness of Mr.. Peytol
to be one of the rel preventative men from Angus.
ia, there is another view of the question which
/ think equally important Since the mighty
revolution which has swept over our country en-
failing war, bloodshed, and rapine on our land,
once so peaceful, prosperous and happy, the
great masses of the people seem to have consen-
ted to forget all old party feuds and stand united
against the common foe as Virginians and South
erners. The people of Virginia, forgetting party,
remembered their bleeding country, and they
sternly demanded of their leaders that party
strife and party scramble after the spoils should
cease until Virginia and the South should stand
free from the pollutiBg foot of the invader and
independent before the nations of the world
We see this exempllfied in our Confederate Sem
ate. where, although the Democracy still hold
their old ascendency, one Whig and one Demo
crat was chosen to represent the State in that
august body. In the Congressional representa-
tion are many Wings where, before the war, none
but Democrats could be found. Even in our
own District-the renowned Tenth Legion of
Democracy where none but Democrats were wont
to rule, Whig is sent to Congress and is likely
to be again returned in the ensuing election and
in the Gubernatorial election the probabilities
are that Whg will be returned either for Gov
ernOr or Lieutenant Governor.
do not cite these install ces In any party spirit
for believe ne would be toe last to invoke the
Tell spirit OF party among people who seem so
strangely united in the holy cause of liberty and
free government; but dc so to remind the pco.
pie OF Augusta that their country and the cause
in which we are all SO earnestly engaged expects
them to do what has been SO nebly done by other
portions of the State and the State at large. Ii
expects them to tender the same compromise
no, not compromise, that word is not admissible
among brothers fighting for the same holy cause
the same liberty the same freSideS, the same
honor out the same friendly and brotherly con-
sideratlon which has been rendered to them when
they were the weaker party.
In the next canvass for the Legislature, pre-
sumo there will be four candidates from the old
Wing party, one for the Senate, who, I suppose
will have no opposition, and three for the Legis
lature. Mr.. Peyton formerly belonged to the
Democratic party, and is young man Of brilliant
ability and fine promise. Now / ask the candid
and fair spirited readers of the Spectator if it
is any more than the RIGHT of the Democratic
party, or rather what WAS the Democratic party,
who have acted with SO much forbearance when
ever they were in power, that they should have
ONE of the four representatives from Augusta =
Have they not right to ask that justice which
they have uniformly shown to others during this
war?
But have already exceeded the limits which
l had intended. Hoping this will find place in
your columns l subscribe myself,
1t Respectfully Yours,
SOLDIER.