Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1864-08-19

~
Court Of Augusta
= ~. - TN IhEMEN The accompanying circular
"sii explain the prominent object for which this
ounce was eStahlssed. Another duty has been con-
mitted to 1T. aud to that ask your attention.
Iot some l'n,e past he newspapers OF the county
nave oeen hIled with accounts from every rart Of
the 0oneded@cy penetrated by the invader, and
especially from the different SECTIONS of the State
OF Virginia, charging that the enouv,s sold;arv
ana Paracnarly tses', rafding parties, are making
war upon the unarmed and defeuceiess If this cam
munlty, raraging the country, and nflictino mon
the people every species of insult ard injury =
Among the offences thus CHARGED are so devasfa
IAN the country as to render it unit for the ha-
tation or sustenance of its resident population
aoducting our negro slaves, and armino them
against us burning dwellings, mills factories.
recoroS, seminaries, printing Offices libraries end
works ef art; breaking up fences roads aud bridg-
es oesecratIng Churches; taking such private prop
erty as can be carried of and destTcyino What
cannot be stripping families of the neecssaries of
lie; lmprlSonsng Snd inBicting personal injury
wpon unarmed citizens-and worse than all. offer
ing insult, outrage and violence to deenccIess vu
men.
These ascounts'haye recently become 60 nuroor-
Gus, come from sc. many different quarters md the
offences charged are so fragrant that th. Gorernor
Hf virginia, considering it necessary to have them
fully inFestlg has instructed this office to care
fully ascertain what wrongs and injuries contrary
to the rules of war, haze been committed upon the
people OF Virginia, prepare a properly verified
narrative thereof, and preserve it among the REG
ords of this Office. :,
This is work which can be properly performed
only by the people who are injured; and each coun
ty should make up and send to this office record
of the wrongs committed within its limits prepar-
ing its narrative carefully, sustaining each item
by proper and sufficient evidence and putting il
into such sbafc thatit can be readily referred to-
The county authorities should see that this record
is promptly and properly made, end the people
generally should ascertain all the facts and obtain
all the evidence within their reach.
Che county court is the custodian nf the business
interest and welfare of the county-he assertion OF
its rights, and the yindicatOr of the wrongs done
to its people. Its members, usually the best bust
ness men of the county, come from Its every
tion-are familiarity acquainted with all the peu-
pie, the friends and advisers OF most Of then
in matters Of business and periods of trouble and
distress, and aggregate greater influence and
more general knowledge Of all, whether of good or
evil which concerns the county people, than anv
other equal number OF IT'S citizens. The county
Court, then, is clearly the source from which this
action should spring.
These views and the plan herein after rot out.
are approved by His Exceilency Gov. SimirH. and
under his Instructions lay them before Won with
the request that you will make such ORDERS and
take such action willinstruct the prompt prcpal-
alton ofsuch a record in your county.
Should NO better plan occur to you, permit me
to suggest the following BY the proper order OF
court assign to the mag straes of each district the
duty of preparing the record, ana akipg the evil
dence OF all outrages committed by the enemy
within that district let them notify the people
ofthe district when and here to come before them
what is to be perpetuated, and by wha. ties tmony,
So that before the time appointed facts may be
collected, citizens can write ont what they knav
and can prove and what is known to and can be
proved By their neighbors. At each term of the
court let each district send in what has been PR
pared, and directly after each let all sent
in be copied rs to admit Of being made into y
BOOK here, be certified by the clerk under the seal
0f the court, and forwarded to this Office ifyou
WI lIlrs "a con. bn In ,Glr
and surely done with litlelabor to any per SON.
aud all that relates TO your county will be made
into separate book and pfeserv ed here, lille the
originals will remain among your county records.
Within your limits are many r-fugees from
ties now in possession'o of The enemy aud likely
remain so for a considerable time. Many CT these
are said TO be the victims OF wrong, aud n know Of
many other cases Let me request that these mar.
raiyes and their evidence be also taken aud ceri-
ned by you, and the orig inals forwarded to u.I5
oire
Az reclamation nav hereafter be made for rrcr-
erty taken or DESTROYED BY the enemy. IL VIII b.
for the interest of the that the taking rs drs-
tructinn should, when possible, be also proven bv
other persons than the owner.
in nahin-; up these statements. whercrtr 1t car
be done, ieAse state the company regiment or
force by which these wrongs hive been committed
and the officer commanding the force, 50 that t.cy
may be fixed upon their immcdia'o perpetrators.
In some Gases che enemy has been guided ajd.,i
or enconrag ed by persons who then OF nIeyiiu,,y
resided in the state in such cases please set oct
all the facts distinctly with such description Of The
person as will thoroughly identify him
In meeting these acts of the enemy many evi-
dences OF heroism, devotion and courage IN Y, b,"u
exhibited especially by disabled soldiers. cie pv-
men, old men, women aud childrcu--aud may
suci have in varions WAYS, durirg 1fi- Mar. often
at great personal hardship auA peril rendered sig
nal service to their country, and emitted thein-
sclve TO high niche in thu temple of fame heea
are jewels in the cor nal OF Yirgibias honor too
bright to be lost, and beg that YOU will carefully
ascertain and faithfully record all the details Of
these noble acts. Please send theI IT, ne ycrs,
from the history before desired, for such :, ir III
record should not be bound in the sano book with
any thing dlsgraeefol or unworthy.
shall be pleased to hear fIom Won that .his
work has been commenced, and will be happy To
see any interested in the suhic CT at Tx, ltecnrl
Office. anu furnish all the aid il the matter which
it can render.
Very respectfully.