The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-11-02


nd got distress warrant for the rent for
the month.-Leeington Gazette.
r ' OBSERVER OFFIcE,)
CULPEPER COURTHOUSE,
'. 80 October 81, 1866. }
To the Editors Of the Dispatch:
Gentlemen,-In your paper of yesterday
I notice that you publish the letter of the
Hon. John Minor Bolts recently addressed
to me. Will you be kind enough to pub.
lish the following editorial from my lest
paper -. Very truly yours,
A. j. STOFER.
Mr.. BOtts and Ourselves.
- In our last number we published Mr..
John Minor Botts's note addressed to our
selves, with the single remark "that not
withstanding we see great deal we might
reply to in the above, it is not our wish or
intention to get into q controversy with
Mr.. Bolts, and we shall let it pass for what
it is worth-if he is satisfied we can assure
him we are"
Such was our wish to avoid wrangle
with that gentleman that we at first thought
we would take no notice of his letter at all.
Further reflection satisfies us that so UNI
Just, unfair, and Scurrilous an abuse of a
favor he frankly admits no other paper in
Virginia would allow, deserves bri EFF no.
tice-on our own account alone-the favor
to wit, of indulging ad lbitum his peculiar
taste and talent in our own columns, and
at our own expense, no less than at the
expense of the real truth in regard to the
material facts of the case, and especially In
the imputations on our motives. He says
himself: "For the last eight or ten months
the papers of this State have been filled
with the foulest misrepresentation Of my
opinions and speeches that have ever cha
racterized licentious press; to all OF
which have submitted because had no
means of redress, and no channel of COM
munication through which / could defend
myself. You were kind enough once to
say to me that the columns of your paper
were open to me-" These are his own
words. Was it unjust and unkind in us to
allow him an indulgence denied him, as he
afirms, by the whole Virginia press For
this he substantially affirms-and he re-
pays the civility in way which leaves no
doubt that they Judged most wisely, ifnot
most generously, who kept him out of their
columns. .,- "'..
To the policy of those towards whom the
promise of his clamor and vituperation
seems to carry so many terrors, we have
nothing to say. They must maintain their
own peace and repose upon the best terms
they can.
Our object, however, is not to criticise
him, nor to make any argument, but simply
to Justify ourselves. We quoted his speech,
so far as we quoted it at all, with precise
accuracy. There was no garbling-no
change of single word. But it seems we
did not quote enough. We had not room
to quote it all, and if we had, we would
have made better use of it. The PROPOSE.
ton stated is single, simple, and brief
and was, for full and fair Interpretation,
dependent in no degree whatever on any
other sentence or part OF sentence. he
rejoiced in every /" Union victory and
mourned every success of the Confederate
cause."Jyu
We had understood from Mr.. Bolts that he
was neatral. This we thought he had q
right. to be. We did not suppose he was at
heart the enemy of his own section, and
we so understood him ito argue to Mr.
Randolph, who had him In prison, and who
believed what he said and swore to at the
time, and who, or his successor, let him out
on a parole of honor.
Ws did not think with Mr.. Bates 1.-THE
best man of Mr.. Lincoln's administrator
that Mr.. Bolts was little, If any, better
than q regular secessionist. Mr. Bates,
on the 9Th Of May, 1861, in advance OF &C.
taal hostilities, writes to Mr.. Bolts in an.
swer to letter from Bolts dated May I'd
lust three days before q letter which was
published In the "Rebcllion Record"
Bottles leftef-fs not published, and. We car
only infer from It's answer what were III
contents. Bates says:
s. aYlou think that tho Union Is already
dissolved the nation already destroyed
On the contrary, believe NO such thing
You believe that peaceful dissolution Of
the Union, 10 the manner and by the meani
already employed, ID possible. i believe II
impossible. believe that the insane effort
at national destruction persisted IN 'oa
inuogue q mar snQre tzTible than any ne ioor!d
has spjtnessed since the thirty years tcdr n
Gefmdny. You think that . great nation
like this can consent TO die, and may hope
10 die, ii, easy death, think that nations,
like individuals, are under Gods great lsw
Of lEdefencs, and when prsssed down BY
superior force viii die III convulsfye ego.
mics. You seem to think that Virginia
esn 20 ont Of the Union and still preserve
her integral Statehood. think that when
she dismembcrs ths nation ahs VIII herself
be dismenbesed,n s. ,sa Saf.s,s.a &
From The tons of fhs reply Is b evident
that Mr. Bates regarded ". B0tts ~ moi
. rampant Union man. yhen the eApe ol
The civil wsF opened - Mn Bots w0Rjd
eow have people believe, when that eams
e disastsOasly terminaaea. ifindeed N;
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