Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-05-12
QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
SrAUNroN. Nav 9th. 1868.


GA VOTER" in the Vsasdac0tor of to-
day, asks me number of questions, to
which reply as follows:
FSrst.-Di1 yow cote for the Oa6ts-
nance of Secession as member Of tie
Coaeveaataon
Answer did not.
Seoond.-Did you cote for the Ords'
nance of Secession at the pollsg
Answer did, at Richmond, in
presence of the Governor and Council,
| and I, also, signed the Ordinance in to-
| ken of my willingness to follow the for
tunes of Virginia wherever they might
lead.
-7hird.-Ia votiaag against the eppuz-
SION Of the traitor Carlyle, singly. and
|azone, did you doubt his zoyazfyg Or
aoas your cote based upon other grounds !?
THIS objection to yoas IS alleged to haze a
peculiar significance. from Me fact that
you and Carlyle 6oere made the special
objects Of public homors By the disJoyal
of HschuaoasGs.
Answer did vote singly and alone
against the expulsion of Carlyle from
the Convention. From my knowledge
of the nan, and from the rumors which
prevailed, believed him to be disloyal,
but was called upon as a sworn Judge
to condemn an absent man without CIV
ling him notice of the trial, or any OPP
|portunity to make defence; and was
asked to da.this without any testimony
Of record to which / con!d appeal i: i.
LusrncaIlon of my action. This, | re-
fused to do, because regarded such a
proceeding as not merely affecting Car
lyle, but as involving the rights Of = 20
people he represanrAtsc.a,l and az tand;no
! !, =. establish, in the midst of all the wild
excitement OF revolution, precedent
dangerous to individual right and to
representative liberty. CARLYLE was al
ready a fugitive in disguise, and it would
have been easy to give him kick as he
went down hill. Many a rogue has
passed for. an honest man by merely
crying, "stop- thief
The statement that | was "made the
special object of public honors by the
disloyal of Richmond" is untrue. Some
Union ladies OF Virginia presented me
with a wreath of flowers at Richmond,
and the Union ladies of Staunton sent
me silver goblet. Who. questions the
loyalty Of these ladies
| Foatrth.-Do you 5asoao, or hare yo2 a,
any time since yoa1r election to Congress,
looked to, or spoken Of. compromise on
reconstruction as the 1naazity Of on
struggle against the anaquitous assaeap-
tons OF Our enemies !?
Answer do not, and have not.
was among the last to give up the old
Union !, but when did so, | gave it up
forever.
/ Fsfth.-Did goa, about the time ct
taking command Of the Fi;tty-seeond
Regiment eight companies Of: whtcA
are from the County Of Augusto, an a
/ public speech ait the Court House express
yoatr solemn sense Of the responsibility Of
your position, as the guardian Of the
soezfare and Rges Of the sons and qela-
tees Of yoaer friends and aaeagA6ors, and
did gou abandon that Regiment after a
ffeac brief mouths az the field s@2Atss as
ffeelaagzy spoken OF against yoat, BY pa
rents and friends.
Answer.-I did make such speech.
The Fifty-second Regiment was enlisted
for one year, and when the command
was offered to me, gave up position
in Richmond of higher rank, greater
comfort, and better pay, to accept it
When | became a candidate for Con-
gress, stated that it was my purpose to
serve with my Regiment to the end of
the year When Congress met, the
House of Representatives decided that
the two positions were incompatible !;
but, at my earnest solicitation, they gave
me leave OF absence to be with my Reg
iment to the end of the year, and | re-
turned to it for that purpose. After my
return to the Regiment, the Conscript
/ law was passed which vacated my com
mission, and an order was made for the
entire reorganization Of the Regiment.
The army had Just fallen back from
shenandoah mountain under orders
from General Jackson, and finding that
the law allowed a postponement of the
elections in the Regiment for about a
month longer, made an earnest effort
to obtain such a postponement upon the
express ground that the officers then III
commission desired to take part in the
approaching campaign in the Valley
/ Failing in this, | was compelled to leave
the service. | was elected to Congress
in November, but continued in com
mand of my Regiment until the May
following. My only furlough was spent
in the publee service in Congress, and
my only other absence was when sent
home i'll with camp fever.
Ssuth.-D5dyou, since yoau. election
to Congress, declare positively IN the
to,oqe Of .Stauaaton, IN tie hearing Of SOL
soiers and others, after the disasters at
! Roanoke and Donezsoaa, that 1t ecas use
1ess to disguise. the fact that zoe ecere
achsa5peo- VIC acere q conquered peo-
|pze?
Answer never thought so, or said
30, in Staunton or elsewhere, in public
or private, to soldier or citizen. On the
CONTRARY, | have always thought, and
still think, that the success of our cause
is as certain as anything in the future.
! And Seventh.-As the result Of this
belief, did you, By deed, daUest yourseIf
of q0e1r 11r0Dertq for the benefit of female