Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-05-13
Co1 Robert Edmund ygiShers.

candidate Tor GoYernor or virginia.
When the war broke out, Col. Withers was
prominent and successful physician app lying
himseta and increasingly TO the dntles OF ms
profession. He was prominent; memp yer OF
The Old. Line, Wing party n Southwestern
| Virginia, and copseQuentlY belonged TO the
Conservative element of -Virglnla politics.
sFiawas an ardent and devoted chanpiongof
the Union, and rigidly maintained his opinions
| on that subject in the face Of opposition and
defiance until Virginia. In sovereign ConVen--
tion severed her connection with the Federal
government, and then 1t was that his ardent
devotion ito his State developed itself IN deeds
Of noble daring qand, enthusiastloI valGr IN de-
fence of the destinies Of the South. 0r.~o,y..
When the bugles blast was sounded calling
Virgina's heroes to her council FIRES, Col
Withers, Immediately offered his services TO
his State. ae left Da3vllle 10 command OF q
battalion of two companies the Blues and
4@tGreys,'D udreporteds to Colonel BaldWln,
Inspector OF Virginia Forces at R'chmood' ana
was assigned with bis command TO the camp OF
Of iustruciion for drill and organization {, He;
was soon afterwards appointed colonel and
ordered to the command Of the 18th Virginia
regiment, in which position he carved name
for himself and regiment for prowess and de-
yotion scarcely equalled and never surpassed
in the bright annals Of Confederate glory
Whether under Johnston at Winchester, Beau
regard at Manassas, or Lee on the Peninsula,
I Col. cWithers was always at the post OF duty,
and ineYer failed to acquit himself with distlnr
guished merit and ability At tbs battle OF
Ganes's MILL in the charge Of Plckett's brigade,
he was severely wounded in several places,
and il was thought tor "a long tImethat ne.
could not possibly survive the effects OF his
Wounds Nor did he ever recover, but as.
| soon as he could limpt upon his clutches was
assigned to duty as, commander OF the post at
Danvile, Va, which post he filled With lhls
usual sagacity until the Confederate forces
surrendered their cause upouthe BANKS Of the
Appomattoz. When the war closed, being
unable on account of his wounds to pursue the
active duties Of his profession, he accepted the
| editorial control Of the Lynchburg .NeWs-2ne
of the ablcst and most interesting public jour
nails in this State. This position he now
holds. ------.7-s,,--. -.
AS eeutlen1aD, Colonel Withers belongs to
that olden type of the Virginia gentleman, OF
whose fame We have read SO much, but whose
virtues we seldom sec exemplifed Ia these de
generate days.. Kind, hosptsbe aud genial
| in his nature, with reputation for honesty
hand sincerity never surpassed inthe socla! or
political circle his private and pubic charau
tier stands above reapr0ach. AS, a, physician
Colonel WitheEs strnds. eminent IN his PROBES
sion.ii las an orator, he Is chaSte is dlctlon,
eloquent in voice and gesture, rchln thought
ndtervid agination;; land for practical
sense and logic be never fails to leave q happy
impression upon the minds of his audience
IF Coli. :Withers has never figured proml
nentiy in the politics OF his whole State, 1t IS
because he has studiousy avoided all allure
ments, prtferring the quiet walks OF private
| lie to the hustle and strife: OF the political
arena. The Conservative Convention could
not have made better nomination; could
not have selected gentlemaA more emlnenty
qualified to Gil the responsible trust or one
| who can 20 before the people with a brighter
or more spotless record 1t is true that he |
cannot swallow the 'irou clad that he would
rot do if he could. But be was prominent
member of the Conservative Union party be-
| fore the war, and has, since the close OF it,,
conducted himself in such a manner as must
have secured the plauaits of even his enemies.
G!5 ---rl------e zc%-------IG
OUTRAGEOUS AFFAIR AT LEXINGTON. The
particuarsof an outrageous affair at Lexington
Va reached here yesterday, which as far as we
have been able to ascertain are as follows: On
Friday night young son of Judge Broken
brough, aged about nineteen years, was escort
ing his mother home from church. The resi-
dence is some little distance out Of town, and
is reached by narrow plank footway. About
midway between the town and the house they
encountered a negro man and two women.
Some words occurred as to which should give
way. Finally, the women discovering the lady |
to be Mrs. Brockenbrough said politely that
they did not know that it was her, and got out
of the way tor her to pass. The man ,hoWcver,
was Obstinate and Insulting. Young Mr..
Brockenbough- said, as they passed on, that he |
would see him again, After accompanying
his mother home he returned towards the town
and meeting negro asked him if be was the
man who insulted him. The egro replied that
he was, and 81 the same time drew his pistol
and fired. The ball took effect in the breast ;ot
Mr. Broclscnbrough, and at first it was, feared |
the wound would prove fatal, but at last acT
counts it was believed by the surgeon that no |
vital point had been touched, and that ne
would recover. Great excitement was, caused
by the affair, and some demonstrations looking
towards summary vengeance were commenced
by the students, but we're arrested by, the IN
terposition Of cooler. heads and the negro was
committed to jail.-Lynchbuy Nrgiatan.a
The HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION THE Viz
ginia General Assembly, on the goth Of April,
1867 passed a homestead law, from which we
extract the first section, as follows: |
"Be it enacted by the General Assembly, |
That every householder, or head of family |
shall be- entitled to hold, exempt from levy, |
seizure or sale, under any order, execution, /
Judgment, decree or other process rendered or |
issued by any court, judge Or justice Of the /
peace, homestead not exceeding ONE HUN |
DRED AND SIXTY ACRES OF LAND, including the |
buildings thereon, and not exceeding the value |
of twelve hundred dollars. 80 1,,si @ H. ~ 80;
This is the law which is similar in its proVi /
sions to those Of the Northern and some of the
Southern States, and which isregarded as con
stitutional and binding. +, The late '''Conven-
ton have abrogated this law and substituted I
another 10 It's stead whose provisions are so |