Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-08-21

CHAPTER II.
r.cttosony Of JON4THAN ROBERTS,,
taken jan 81. 1866
Question. What is your official position?
Answer. | am sheriff of Fairfax county, fir-
sinia.
O. How long have you been sheriff of Fair
:ax county?
4 Nearly four years. They elected me
sheriff when we rc0rganiZed our county, after
she rebellion broke out. They reelected me
before the rebellion burst, apd my time is not
cut yet
O. Does your acquaintance extend much be-
yond that county? ...... .....
A. Not minutely. have been seventeen
years resident of that county.
.. How much chance is there for 4 Union
man in the courts Of that county who should
;;e o party against rebel in suit
4. None not so far as justice goes. Let
me qualify that. In the reorganization Of our
county the magistrates who were elected were
almost all Union men, and, so far as they 60
hey are all right; but, when we come to a
Jury, We hare to take the masses as they come,
md there is no chance at all for justice.
Q. You have to draw your jurors by lot?
4. Yes; and since the surrender and COM
.ng none Of the rebels, there is less chance for
getting jury who will act justly.
O. Could you gather a jury in Fairfax coun-
" that would convict of treason one Of these
ebel8?
\. No, sir.
Q. Could you pack a jury in that county
thaG would do it?
!. No. sir. I have no means of packing
irry. AS the sheriff of the county have the
tight to select the jurors to be summoned, and
then q jury is drawn from them by lot. just
before the surrender Of Lee there was a case
;ried of returned rebel who shot a Union
man at Falls Church. | endcavored, not par
ticnlarly to get all Union men, but to get all
who I thought would do right. The lawyers
gor the defence, however, managed to get nine
cut of twelve rebels on the jury. The evidence
vas just as plain and positive as it could be
indeed, the facts were admitted and yet the
Jury brought in verdict of manslaughter, with
one years imprisonment Nine of them went
tcs acquitting him entirely; but the three
Union men would not agree to it, and finally
lhey compromised with one years imprison-
ment. # it had been the other way, or if a
rebel had killed rebel, there would have been
rl doubt at all about bis conviction.
!. How large proportion OF the people OF
Fairfax county are Union men?
4. suppose we have twelve hundred votes
il our county, and [ do not suppose We could
aanber, with the returned northen men and
al three hundred Union votes, all told.
!. Is there any real friendship for the gov
arnment Of the United States among these
rebels? ....-
4. None whatever among the leading rebels
=: 77oulG modify that. If they could get the
power that they had before the rebellion they
:ouid not try it again while that was the case.
Put they hate the Yankees, as they call all
ncr1nern men, and wnie the government of
nc United States is in the coHtrol of northern
men, Or Union men, they will hate it, and they
GO hate it, and do everything they can to in
::re it,
J. What has been the effect OF President
ioalson's liberal policy in granting pardon> to
ebeis and restoring their estates to them?
T. We think, down there, and | think, that
i has been bad As soon after the surrender
G? Lee as the rebels could get home they all
seemed 10 be perfectly satisfied with everything:
80 as they only got home, they were glad
enough to submit to anything. They would
:hakc hands with the Union men and be as
4lever as you please. But leading men got
their pardoDs, and then they began to sue
jnion men for every thing they could get hold
OF. i returned rebel, who was taken prisoner
io1 shooting our pickets up at FauQuier coun-
!y-an old slave trader-came back and sued
me, as sheriff, for property which was put in
possession Of ior the benefit Of the Court. |
vas put in possession by an order from the
Secretary of War. He sued me as trespasser
the minute he got back Fit was to go on to
6 trial they would convict me-
g. You have rcsortca to some means to
stop it?
\, Yes; that is good while the military are
there but will not protect me one hour after
Ha tDl-a
Z. Are you a native of Virginia?
4. No, sir, ] am native of New jersey |
have been in Virginia for seventeen or cigh-
ieen years | went there in lS4S
:. How do they feel toward the freedmen?
=. Some have liberal feeling toward them,
out the great majority OF them are very bitter,
lust because they have been liberated. Many
oi them who used their slaves pretty well be-
lore are very bitter now. They want to drive
them away, and do everything they can to
GIVE them away, 10 make the government
0GloHs Tor freeing them.
Z. Could they easily supply their places as
;2Golcrs?
:. They could not
!, What are they going to do for laborcrs?
=. They seem to be reckless Of consequences.
:. IS it a species of blindness?
I. Nes, sir; it is kind Of mania that has
possession OF them 1t seems to be their old
Prejudice, and the result of blasted hopes and
99I!asted dolngs. That seems to be the definition.
lou asked me whether Union men would be
protected and allowed to live quietly if the
:soops were withdrawn. have got one thing
y; ~ say IN thatrespect If 1t was known public
: mat came here and made this statement
:S! gsIofe you, i.would not be safe one hour
la inere Is evidently a band of people secretly
o'H oGuna anoDg" themselves to be true to each
Ssner and to do all the injury they can to Union