Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1864-09-23
RIcHMoND July Is, 1854. :
TIE IForshipfu1 Justices Of tie County
Court of Augusta.

Court Of augusta.
GENTLEMEN :-The accompanying Circular
VIII explain the prominent object, for which this
ONCE vas established Another duty has been COM
mitted to it. and 10 that l askvour attention
For some time past The newspapers of the county
have been filled with accounts from every rart Of
the ConfedeIacy penetrated by the invader and
especially FROM the different sections of the State
Of Virginia, charging that the enemy's soldiery.
and particularly their raiding parties. are MAKING
war upon the unarmed and defenceless of this con-,
munity ravaging the country, and mlietinp unon
the people every species of insult ard injury
Among the offences thus charged are, so deyasta
ting the country as to render it unfit for the hab
tation sustenance OF its resident population
abducting negro slaves, and arming them
against US burning dwellings, mills, factories.
records. seminaries. printing Offices libraries and
works OF art; breaking up fences, roads and brdg-
es; desecrating churches taking such private prOp
erty as be carried off and destrcyino what
cannot be; stripping families of the neeessaries of
lEfe; imprisonlng and inhicting personal injury
upon unarned citizens-and worse than ALI offer
ing insult outrage aud violence to deiencelass wo
men.
These accounts have recently become so numer-
ous, come from so.many different quar- ters and the
offences charged are so Hagrant that the Governor
OF Virginia, considering it necessary to have them
fully investigated, has instructed this Office to care
folly ascertain what wrongs and injuries contrary
to the rules of war, have been committed unon tha
people of Virginia, prepare properly verified
narrative thereof, and preserve it among the rec
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 ee-d 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
iat0 such shae thatit can be readily referred to-
The county authorities should that this record
is promptly and properly made, end the people
generally should ascer!.;; ~ facts and obtain
all the evidence within their reach.
The county court is the custodian of the business
welfare Of the cOuIty-the of
It's rights, and the yindieator of the wrongs done
to its people. It's members, usually the best Bust
ness men Of the county, come from lts every Sec
tion--are Familiarity acquainted with all the pea
pie the friends and advisers OF most OF thens
in-lnatters OF business and periods of trouble and
. distress, and a2gregatea greater influence and
more general knowledge OF all, whether of good sr
4 evil, which concerns the county people, than any
other equal number OF its citizens. The county
cdurt, then, is clearly the source from which this
\ action should spring.
4 These views and the plan herein after set out
ere approved by Ills Excellency Gov. SMITH, AMI
under his instructions lay them before ycu. Wi h
the request that you will make such orders and
take such action as will Instruct the prompt prcpar-
alton of such a record in your county.
Should no better plan occur 20 YOU, permit me
TO suggest the following by The proper order Of
court assign to the magistrates of each district tGe
duty of preparing the record, ara taking The ct,=
euce OF all outFages committed hY Tie enemy
within that district. Let them notify he people
Of the district when and here 10 come tibre Item
what is 10 be pelpetUated, and by what testimony,
50 Shat before the time appointed facts may BE-
collected, ciJ!z ms can write out what they know
and can prove, and what IS kaown to and can BIZ
proved DY their neigEb0rs. At each term OF the
cart lat each district send in what mas been pre-
pared aad directly after each term let al sent
in be 50 copied to admit Of being made ihte u
hoax here, be certified by the clerk under the seal
If Tie court, and forwarded to this ollie. fynt
will pursue This course, the work be rapidly
md surely done with lstt}s labor to any person
and all that ceia.eS 70 vaur county win b.. psd.
ata4 1utY ,t. rIt han,