Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19
NEW SERIES, VOL. 16, NO. 80.

lous and contemplate, which l hereby chal
lenge General Stuart to lay before tho
public; and if it be any oficnse against the
peace and dignity of General Stuart, or OF
the Confederate government that | should
have entertained federal officers at my table
which would justify my arrest, then Major.
General Stuart has signally failed IN the
discharge of his duty to the peace and dig.
nifty Of his government and to the peace and
dignity of the aforesaid Major General Stu
art, by not bringing me to trial for this high
crimc''and misdGmeanOr; for although it is
not true that General Meade took his dinner
at my table. hereby make it known TO all
whom it may concern that ] invited him to
do So and deeply regretted that his con-
slant engagements prevented his acceptance
of the invitation. | moreover further pro-
claim that if he should return to this ,vicini-
ty (Which do not at all anticipatr) shall
in all probability subject myself to another
arrest by reception of the offence, without
consulting General Stuart's pleasure ON the
subject.
WHOM HE HAS ENTERTAINED.
"The truth is have entertained freely and
Hospitality the officers and gentlemen of
both armies whose acquaintance | have en-
ioyed, and shall continue to do so so long as
| am master of my own house, and so long
as they treat me with kindness and civiity.
let it offend whom it may provided the
means are left me with which to entertain
them, and unless in the mean time shall be
prohibited by law, or by some higher au-
thority than that If General Stuart. in fact.
| have met with no officer in the Contcdcr-
ate army, and with few privatcs with whom
| was acquainted, from General Robert f.
| - 81 Il
Stuart, that have not invited to my house
nearly all of whom have partakcn of my
ospitality-whilst hundreds of alt;famish-
ed soldiers have been furnished with meals,
for which | have never charged the first
dime, whilst they were in the habit of pay
ing, rs they said themselves. to brawlng
seccssionists from two to three dollars 1t
meal; but this furnished no ground of COM
plant with any gentleman OF the northern
army, manyof whom expressed their sur
prise and qualification on hearing that they
had visited me thus freely and tamiliarly.
ANOTHER ACCUSATION - tyrSED.
But no sooner was arrested than the
whole atmosphere was filled with rumurs to
my disadvantage and prejudice; among the
rest, that [ had been caught in the federal
lines ON the day of the fight, with arms in
my hands to be used against the Conlcdcr-
ate government
The circumstances which gave rise to
this rumor are as follows AS portion of
the federal cavalry passed ny house, about
two o'clock on Sunday, my neighbor, Alr.
Bradford, sent me u note, saying he had been
arrested. and was then in the custody of the
federal officers. and asked me to ride over TO
Brandy Station to meet him which did.
On my return passed Gen LonaX's brigade
and when half their column had passed me,
and was between me and the tCderalS, and
in the presence of the other half, | met
young Slaughter, the son Of DR.. Slaughter,
of Culpcnper Court llOus", who had 4 gun
and knapsaek in his hand; with which en-
Cuplhraucc he could not cdntrOl his horse,
and asked me to take it with the to my
house and keep it until he called f5r it, At
grcat inconvenience | took it, aud this act
of kindness and accommodation to Mr..
Slaughter was tortured into my bearingarm
against the South though General Stuart
himself knew what had carried me To Bran
dy, for he had sent letter from me to Mrs.
Bradford, telling of the arrest of her hus-
band and Of my having been sent for to meet
him at Brandy Station.
MS rnotyRTY DESTROYED DY THE REBELS.
"Howevcr, these rumors, publications and
arrests have had their desired effects, rs they
have led 10 the most vahton, wicked ami
savage destruction of my property, such aS |
have already mentioned, and excited the
prejudice of the army, and possibly of mis-.
led citizens. against me. But l hope to
outliye it all, while the authors Of such van
ia sun will ho 4 10 . just accountability It,
the hands If military commander whose
high moral, intellectual and military quail
ties are justly esteemed 10y the whole coun-
try, and by none more highly than myself;
and if not by him, then 10y still higher
military authority, 10 wit: the War Depart
ment; and, if not there, then 10y the civil
tribunals of the country; aud, ii not there,
then by a Just, discriminating and indignant
public Judgment.
DAVIS AND STUART DENOUNCED
"And now let me inquire has martial law
been declared again and if not, when,
where how and from whom did Gen. Stuart
derive the authority 10 arrest me, or any
other citizen, for any offence whatever. and
retain me as prisoner of state II any
charge was to be preferred against me for IA
civil offence, where were the civil authOri-
ties and why was not complaint lodged
with them upon affidavit, as the law re-
quircs How came /, u private, peaceable
citizen, subject 10 the military authority OF
General Stuart aud Why was | not 10 be
allowed, if thought proper, to appeal to
his superior in command-Gencral Lee
against this ilagrant usurpation OF power
and most ineXcusable instance of false im-
prisonment
III mistake not, Congress, 10y an express
vote, refused 10 grant these high preroga-
tlVcs of dictatoral power TO Mr., Davis
How is IL, then, that General stuart. under
takes, first, 10 establish a martial law Tor
himself, aud then virtually 10 suspend the
writ of A,ie.Is corpus by denial of my right
% appeal 10 his superior in command
III such power can he exercised by Gen.
Stuart with impunity, with whom and
where Goes the power stop; 10 how low
grade OF military authority does il descend
And fmay further ask, why, OF all the gen
tlemrn In and around the eOurt'house who
entertained federal officers, Was alone
10 be selected for the exercise OF this mill
iary power Tor this lndlgnlly and outrage
These are all questions of gave Interest ~
the liberty OF eyvFy citizen, that cannot, and
shall not, be sluTfed over, " there u any jus.
tlce la the nlIltaFy depart neni NJ this go
ycrnmtnt, 90 indVpendrnee ~ be !ound ln
the judiciary of thla state
Nm noTTs pkflFs IuE REBELLION
"ilihsn0 ! have bsea silent a. 10 the
wTongs, injufef and lndignitio, which have
been heapsd upnn me, hut | ana not =
spaniel % llu doAh tnd egn1ch Al the bat