Washington telegraph., 1863-07-01

Hon. G. D. RoYsroS-A Correetion.-For
some time past we have heard upon the streets
some very ungenerous charges against our re-
preventative, with regard to the exemption Of
his SON from military service. We have de-.
clined to notice then, partly because we did
not imagine they would ever take serious shape
or form, but principally because the defence
of Gen. Royston would involve discussion Of
the private affairs of his family, about which
the public had no concern, snd which were en-
titled to that delicate forbearance which cour.
tesy always demands of gentlemen, although
political opponents, towards each other. II is
with extreme regret that we feel obIYped ,o
notice them publicly. We would be falss M,
only to private friendship, but to our d,,v q.
a Journalist, in being longer silent. The n.onle
look to us for information. We must h. ,rr.
to them, and give it.
The last number of the Arkan,a. patr;o, n
commenting upon the remarks Of tho Truo
Democrat in favor of Gen. Royston, saws.
"koyston, they think, can obtain mora xot.s
tnan all the gentlemen mentioned. Tbev for.
got, perhaps, that he was for allowing a man
OF twenty slaves exemption from military ser.
vice In tne ranks. But, when he was compelled
70 vote ior repeating that clause, he first went
TO the secretary Of War; or Adjt Gen. Cooper.
anu oolalneo exemption for his opn son-a SON,
oy the way VINO had been set to oversee twenty
saves unuer tne conscript law-but who, before
Tie war; would have scorned the task"
The Patriot has been misinformed. We can.
not think the editor of that journal would ever
have penned the paragraph with full know
ledge OF the facts. We will state them plainly
as they are. A large portion of the facts are
within our personal knowledge, and all of them
may be easily verified or contradicted.
Inc Exemption Act Of Oct l1th was a com
promise Dill returned into the House by com
mittee OF Conference. 1t was n final attempt
TO TO reconcile differences between the two Houses
Ihey were obliged to pass that act or none.
No changes in it could be made. 1t was a
critical state of the country The bill was
passed as 1t was. Gen. Royston voted for it.
lt was proper TO do so, whatever hi. own
opinions may have been about the twenty ne
gro clause.
That clause, however, was found to give
great dissatisfaction to the PEOPLE. The repre-
sentatives met after mingling with their con-
stituents, satisfied that the good o. the public
service required its repeal Like wise men
and faithful representatives, they repealed it.
Gen. Royston voted for its repeal. and sus-
tanned the movement throughout, from its COM
mencement, giving his cooperation at the
earliest moment He was NOT under any com
pulslon to do SO. We have no right to attri-
butte to him other than patriotic motives in his
vote Fair and candid men, willing to exer-
IL,
out just grounds, will see from what follows
that the case of his son could not affect his
action as representative. either in agreeing to
the original compromise bill of the conference.
or IN Its change at the next session.
We now reluctantly take up the facts of the
OF his son, and lay them before the
people. We are forced to intr;:de upon the
privacy OF an excellent young man, and drag
him before the public. Ii it is painful to him.
t is no less the dsagreeable office of friend.
AT the beginning of the war, he was n school
n this place, and soon after entered the store
II Messrs. D. V. Block as d clerk. He re-
named but short time there, in delicate
health, and was compelled to give up that oc-
upation as unsuitable for his physical condi-
ION. Long before the passage Of the first
onscript law, in the month of December 1861
he was examined by DR.. J. A. L. Purdom. at
A.
md obtained a certificate OF exemption from
he militia service on account of ply steal dis
'bility, upon which he was, by Col. Griffin,
released from the ordinary duty of mastering
Meantime. In the month of August previous.
ais fathers overseer having left for North Caro-
ina business. he assumed control of the
plantation, upon which there were from 16 to
so slaves, and, most Of the time alone, has
since remained upon it to this day. After the
ofr 81. O.t r
June, 1862, he was exempted from Confederate
ervice by the enrolling officer of this county.
lpon another sworn certificate of DR.. Purdom,
l physician of high standing and undoubted
integrity, that he was physically disabled to
'erform military duty. Again, on the 18th of
une. 1862, he was examined by DR.. J. r Con-
way, q Confederate surgeon, and another ex-
,mption granted him for the same cause
Again, on the 22d day of july 1862, he was
by DR.. Charles P. Hart, Confederate
urgeon and medical examiner at Little Rock,
md again discharged on account Of physical
disability All this was before the passage Of
he exemption act of October lltb, containing
he twenty negro clause, and Gen. Royston's
motive in sustaining that clause could not have
been the exemption of his son, thus time and
again already discharged.
After the passage of the law young Royston
applied to us, as an attorney. to obtain his dis
charge as an overseer. Other examinations
would otherwise be still necessary. They were
and be had undergone them time
md again until he was tired, and preferred to
,vail himself of the law. We made the appii-
cation to Capt. Ferguson here, and it was
granted without hesitation. At that time his
ather had already left for Richmond. But q
,on struetion was soon after placed upon the
law which caused his exemption as overseer
to be annulled, and at the time of the repea'
IF the law, he could not claim its privileges
He had before that resorted again of necessity
10 his claim for exemption on account of ina
bility. On the 7th November, 1862, he had
been examined again by DR.. A. B. Hoy, Con-
federate surgeon and medical examiner at Lit
lie Rock, and again exempted on account Of
physical disability. This exemption was ap-
proved by Gen. Holmes on the goth Feb, 1863,
and on the 26th another discharge was granted
5y the enrolling officer here. In order 20 have
A final decision, this last certificate was sent to
by one of his friends, and presented
by another, neither Of them being his father)
to the Surgeon General of the Confederate
States, who pronounced it valid, and a perma-
nent discharge was ordered by the Secretary
Of War.
This is the plain, unvarnished statement of
he whole affair. Gen. Royston's son was fully
discharged from service before the passage of
The twenty negro law, and was never, in truth,
exempted by it. Its repeal could not affect
1im e. ALL
Meanwhile be has remained upon the plan
-.