Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-10-24
LETTER OF HON. "A. H. H. STUART
STANTON, Va, October 10, 1866.
Hon. Henry j. Raymond,

IutGOfF " Utos t1fetOs a1OfE4 IlnleS-SIR -
My attention has been called to the following
extract from an editorial of the NY. Times,
which was re-published in the Richmond
Whig Of October 10th, with view to ope-
rate on the Congressional election then pend
ing in Va. @sS s.,
We are glad to note that in the Congressional
canvass OF Virginia there is general disposition
to leave the field exclusively to candidates who
can take the stringent Congressional oath that.
they have never participated in the rebellion Out
of the eight Congressional districts, FIVE have cam
didates running who can meet all the Congress
sional requirements. But in the Accomae district,
the Lynchburg district, and the Charlottesville
district there are candidates who avow that they
will not and cannot take the oath, and yet claim
that ii elected, Congress cannot and will not re-
fuse to admit them. In this last district A. H.
H. Stuart, Secretary of Interior under Mr.. Fill
more, being candidate, declares his inability to
take the oath, yet defes Congress to keep him out
if elected. He asserts that the oath is unconsti.
tutional, and that the Republican party will nov
er dare to make practical application of it..
'In all kindness, we advise Mr., Stuart, and
those whom he seeks to represent, to act upon no
such assumption. Il Is morally certain that no
man us be admitted to seat an the merit Congress
scbo does mol take the oath required 6y eristig law.
The applicants opinion that the law is unconsti-
its own opinions. The Constitution Of the United
States declares that sseach House shall be the
judge OF the elections, returns and qualifications
of its own members" The House of Representa-
tiyes will exercise that exclusive power and De-
yoad all question aciD exercise at in confornsity with
the statute Of 1852. Z he consttutionality of that
measure was fully discussed at the time of its
passage, and was affirmed by q very large major
ity in both branches of Congress. The arguments
uhi wore
The reason for the application Of the statute is
still as strong as ever. egs ~
ssThe Southern people, if they have any wise
regard for their own interests, will respect the
laws of land, and refuse to give their votes to
candidates for Congress who they know are n ot
entitled by law to hold seats in Congress-. AFRO
CANT claims will only recoil against them. They
will be taken as evidence of an impracticable
temper, fit rather for stern justice than for mag
unanimous clemency."
As the congressional election is. over, and
the returns, as far as received, indicate my
election by an unusually large majority,
deem it due to myself, and TO the intelligent
and patriotic constituency who have chosen
me their representative, to- endeavor to
correct some errors into which you have no
doubt, Inadvertently fallen, and to ask that
you will publish my explanation in your pa
per, so that my defence may be seen by
those who rave read your admonition.
TITS true that, in the progress ofthe can
yass, / declared my inability to take the oath
prescribed by the joint resolution of 1862,
but you are in error in supposing that Il de-
fled Congress to keep me out, if elected."-
1t is also true, that maintained athat the
oath was unconstitutional, and, that the re-
publican party would not venture {possibly
borrowed, from the N. Y. Herald, the ex-
preston dare to stake their political fortunes
on such an ISSUE.
/ think I may safely invoke the testimony
of all who heard my speeches to prove that
they were calm and temperate in their tone
and language, and neither ssdeGant" nor ear.
rogant'' towards ssCongress" or any one else.
In referring to the Objectionable test oath,
you speak Of it as ssthe stringent Congress
ional oath that they (fhe members elect have
never participated in the rebellion.
If your version Of the oath were correct !
could have no serious objections to its terms,
for no one, North or South, exerted himself
more than / did, to avert the war. For two
years before the rupture, [ devoted all my
energies to the great work of preserving the
Union. In 1860, cangassed a large portion
of Virginia in the interests of peace. In
1861, as member of the Senate of Virginia,
and Of the Convention, dedicated my best
efforts to the same cause, speaking and vo-
ting, to the last, against the ordinance Of se-
cession 1t is true that after. the ordinance
had been ratified by the people, and the war
had commenced, Isigncd it, not because [ ap
proved it, but because | regarded it as my
representative duty to authenticate, by the
usual forms, the act of my constituents But
| steadily refused to change my negative vote
on the journal, because my opinion of the
mschieyous tendency of the measure had not
changed.
After the close of the Convention, re-
tired to private life, and neither sought nor
held any public position during the war
It is due to candor, however, to say that
after my counsels had been over-ruled and all
my kindred had become involved in the
death-struggle, my sympathies were with my
own people, and, in common with the large
majority of the men Of character and respec-
liability in the South, gave aid, countenauce