Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-01-30
For the Spectator

ence TO Vrg1nlans---By an UNCONDITIONAL
Union Man Of Old Virginia.
An exceedingly offensive, and insolent article,
having recently appeared in the s'Staunton
! Spectator reproduced from the "Metropoli-
tan Record published in New York City
with special reference to the true Union men Of
the South have prepared, in justice to my
self and other Union men CT this State, to reply
to the same.
After careful consideration of the article
above quoted, | do not hesitate to assert, with
out fear of successful contradiction that it is an
insolent Misrepresentation of alleged facts with
regard to the thrice honorable position occupied
by the true and untlinching Union men Of this
State, during the prevalence of the recent re-
bellion
This gentle Editor with lofty and patroni-
zing dignity, worthy of the immortal fame of
Falstah of Shakespeare S creation, thus hurls
his terrible combination of thunderbolts and
Greek Fire" at the honest Union men of the
South. Lend an ear to him, reader; now he
speaketh
There is no more contemplate sight on
the face of the earth than man who is
false to his country! And depraved beyond all
measure must be he who unblushingly proclams
himself so in the face of the world The South
ern man who can truly say, that during the last
four years, he never felt the first emotion of
sympathy with the Confederate cause, &C., &C.,
Is a man we would not care to trust T"
Gracious goodness Goodness gracious !
Union men hang your heads In shame, report
again to Capt Bush, " and retire again to your
caves and holes wherein you had the luxurious
honor Of locating during the war.
And now this lofty Editor is most respectful
y. solicited to permit me to remark that State
wherein person may reside is not his country
properly speaking; neither was the c. S. a
country or legal government, not having been
acknowledged as such by any Power on Earth
but, in justice to the c. S. [ may add that /
am lot advised as to the trut lfulness or faIsty
OF its having been recognised by a power Jeloac-
the Earth. A mans country is not confined to
a State or County, and his allegiance is alone
due to the National Governmental represcn-
tatlve of the arhole country
Would an American in England or France, if
necessity required it, claim protection from a
Representative of the Z. s. Government upon
the representation that he was a Virginian or
that he was from the lend of Tar, Pitch and
Turpentine from the Hub of the Universe,
or from Maryland, My Maryland " / opine
not
But gentle Editor of the Record, dost know
that thou 'standest convicted out of thine own
mouth of being contemplate sight on the.
face of the Earth Throughout your article
the inference is clear, in unmistakeable language,
that you did and do nO,o heartily sympathize
with the cause of the so-callcd c. S. that you
fully and heartily endorse the action of the
Southern States in resisting the authority of the
U: S. Governments building up a separate
Confederation and in the commission of all
other illegal acts incident thereto.
And now [ respectively submit, with all due
Difference, this question to the Metropolitan
Editor. Were you or were you not false to
your country" in thus sympathizing with, and
endorsing, the action of the so-called G. ST.
Whether or no the serene Editor fully endorsed
every act of the Secessionists of the South and
their victims, the reader may judge for himself
after listening to his discourse thus
The Southern people have nothing to be
ashamed of in their struggle and nothing to be
sorry for but that their sacrifices were made in
vain"
Now I have to say that man who is false
to his country while living in and claiming and
enjoying its protection, enjoying all the rights
and privileges granted to loyal citizen, and
nesting securely under the very shadow of the
flag Of that Country, may indeed be regarded
as contemplate sight, in fact sort of
A sight of any description generally. draws
well, but a Compound contemplate sight
would, without doubt, ''draw' superior to AR
tcmus Ward 'sAllcokes porous plaster" or
the Fegee mermaid. Hence, the patriotic Ed
itor is cordially advised-no fee expected for the
advice-to travel and exhibit himsel-as
Compound contemplate sight" An adver-
tisement in the Richmond papers Republic
excepted reading thus, would be huge" =
''Will be exhibited, at Castle Thunder, this
night, COMPOUND CONTEMPLATE SIGHT,
''The Russian bloodhood Hero, formerly dis
tinguished resident of the Castle" will also ap-
pear wrapped up in the Pelican and Rat
tlesnake" flags The man who kept the specie,
borrowed from the Va Banks is engaged as
doorkeeper, he being skillfill at heepiag
Hank again to the learned Metropolitan"
Editor; he goeth back to the Greeks and Ro-
mans. Listen now to the music Of his voice:
THE veriest school boy as he pores over the
pages of Greek and Roman story takes sides I'M
consciously, and the calm philosophic student
of history g1ows as he reads Of some brave deed,
or glorious struggle.
Pray, Mr.. Editor, enlighten US poor deluded,
simple Union men, what that fact proves! Is
it intended to prove that every Southern man
should have embraced and taken sides with
the lamented c. So Wonderful and ingenious
argument!
And now again, Mr. Editor, we have to CRY
your mercy" and submit that the evidence In
the case is defective, very
The whining schoolboy, when porting over
the pages OF Greek and Roman story, Is fully
conscious of the fact that neither Greece or
Rome is has country, therefore, there is nothing
remarkable In the fact that he takes sides I'M
consciously" If there is any remarkable fea-
ture attached to this highly interesting informa-
ton, kindly presented by the obliging Metro
politan'' Editor | must confess that my visual
organs are not equal to the occasion.
Listen again how melodiously the "Metro-
politan" sings eve say, without fear of con-
tradictioIn, that the Southern man who took no
part in the glorious struggle Of has section, who
felt no interest in the result, &c. &C., would
never have shouldered his musket in the Revo-
luton, never have starved with Marion nor tri-
umphed with Gates /! I know not if the gal
liant Editor took part in the glorious struggle
of has section, but have only to submit to
unprecedented and loyal minds if man who re-
fuses to take UP arms against his country, re-
CARELESS of threats, the love of gain, or the hope
| of rn1rard would such q man have raf1cnd To