Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1868-04-09
Bic facet 1.-THE Ever Loyal Peir-
point"


point"
In obedience 20 the hrman Of his master,
says the Richmond Enquirer. the bowstring
was twisted around the loyal neck Of PeirpOint
on Saturday, and Wells of Detroit, reigns in
his stead The deceased pasha from the Pam
Handle received the order for his execution
with Oriental submissiveness, and is supposed
10 have uttered formula Of resignation equiva-
lent at least to Allah! God is great and
Scho6eld is his prophet" Thus has persisted
by the sword the official whom the sword IN
augurated. and the reward Of loyalty, like
the "wages Of sin, is death. Nearly three
wears ago loyal bayonets escorted the deceased
I, the Executive mansion, and military band
greeted him with lively air Now the SOL
der orders him to be led forth for execution,
the same bayonets obey the win Of their mas
Ter. and the same brass band plays the dead
march in Saul as the body Of the deceased
leaves grounds where his cows have so long
chewed the cud Of peaceful plenty. And thus
has persisted Peirpoint, the crowning reward
Of whose seven years Of devoted and faithful
service as a Union man. has been his massacre
by Federal soldier! Verify as he totters be-
meath the weight Of his carpet-bag. and creeps
back to the State which ae permitted to be
torn from the Old Dominion. he may exclaim
to his loyal aid de camp, as Woolsey did to
Cromwell. ooh. Lewis had served my God
half as faithfully as I served the Federal Go
vernment. should not have thus been treated.
We have spoken sometimes unkindly Of the
deceased but our anger lies buried in his
bloody grave Our indignation at the slaugh-
ter Of this most loyal official by his own friends
has consumed all our preudices. And it is
pleasant 10 think that if the late lamented has
been taken from US, that he reposes upon the
bosom Of father-Hunnicutt The deceased
as if conscious Of his approaching end, made a
full profession Of Radicalism some weeks before
his death, and died firm believer in the Neu
Nation He fully abjured all the heresies Of
Conservatism, and publicly denounced the Uni
versity Of Virginia in the presence Of the Con
vention." He therefore departed in the sweet
odor Of Hunnicuttism, and we learn that hi.
body viii lie in state at the African church fol-
three days before its removal to Marion county
in West Virginia.
The lamented Peirpoint was, as we have
sometimes modestly limited, not without faults
but he had many virtues He was a far better
man than either the Vicar Of Bray or Barrcre
and he hated Beast Butler with cordiality
which should redeem many faults. His error
arose far more from Intellectual weakness anC
fexibility Of backbone than from chronic vices
| He was generous, kind-hearted and not win.
dictive; and now that he has been cut down
| by the sword, the memory of many good deed.
comes back to US. He gave US, with few ex'
ceptons. very good Judiciary, and he advo-
/ Gated extreme leniency towards the Confeder-
lt.s. When ne followed the promptngs o.
I his heart he behaved well, and it was only
when under the influences of stronger and
worse men that he forfeited our esteem. III
was infrm Of purpose vacillating, and unre
liable-and thus offended all parties. He was
treated with the blacklist ingratitude by tn,
government which he most faithfully servef
and obeyed. To further the interests of thc
Republican party, he aided in the division o.
| Virginia, and in the erection Of a microscopic
/ loyal government at Alexandra. He was frs
recognized by Chief Justice Chase as a genuine
governor and the Radicals then branded hin
as bogus. He gave the whole influence Of hi,
Office TO the countenance and support Of III,
reconstruction acts, and vet the military com,
uandant in this State put him to death Hi
fate is hard and we question whether there il
= single disfranchised yirginian who would ex
change places with this loyal victim Of tn,
very military power which he so much adj
mircd.