Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-03-30


1t is to be hoped that the time is not far dis
tant In the future, when our people will turn
their attention, their efforts and their purses,
more assiduously to the subject of Education.
Somtlmes we meet with lad, who, though
perhaps, clad In rags still possesses noble
genius, which if cultivated and improved,
would render its possessor bright honor a.
mong the noblest on earth-but which, if neg
lected, will remain in torpid, smothered state
and finally die, so far as this world is concerned
| without ever having been useful to its possessor
or any body else This ought not so to be-
There is no telling what boy can do, and
what he can become-but it is almost invaria-
bly, necessary, that he should be started, in Or
der that he may rise to distinction. Why, who
were Napoleon, and Washington. and all the
other great men of the earth? They were, at
first, little children like other people children
having eyes, nose, mouth and all just like other
children. God did mt make them great at first
and place them on the earth so, but they be-
came great by sobriety honesty, truthtulness,
perseverance and piety And others, if they
will, can do the same. But there are some
young men, whose parents possess much of
this worlds wealth, and they have ample
means for improving and enriching their minds,
IT they will only spend those means as well as
their time, In proper manner. But so often
it is the case that they, knowing that they pos
sess wealth enough to support their laziness,
just lounge about from place to place; or if
they are sent to places of instruction, their
whole aim is to pass the time off most pleas
antly, utterly disregarding their future welfare,
as well as the end for which they were created.
And then there are some, who never make any
practical application of the Education which
they have; SO 1t IS OF no service to them,. or
any one else, but is like gold laid up in Golfer,
VII fo oil Ipfnp nd
poses. Yes, they return from school,
SIN useful knowledge still a block
Though deeply skilled, in Hic, Hac, Hoe"
IF ever there was a time when we needed
general diffusion Of knowledge, surely that
time has come just now. For it is an obvious
fact, but too often demonstrated, that society
is sadly on the Decline and it seems to be car
rying with it honesty, virtue. purity, piety and
all that is lovable Soon the reins of the gov
ernment must be transferred to the hands of
the rising generation, and if they be not edu-
Gated, what will be the consequence? Why,
we must fail and come to naught. Indeed it
is greatly to be feared, that in few Scores at
most, that honesty and honor, and true virtue,
will be sought for in vain.
Young men look we'll to your course in life,
abstain from all those corrupting, demoraliZng
and polluting habits, and live an honest, up
right and pious life, using your intellect and
talent for the good of your felow-creatures
for the good Of your country, and for the good
Of your never-dying immortal souls. May
the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob,
enable us to look well to the manner in which
we spend our youthful days, so that when we
have we'll nigh run around the circle of time
allotted to us, we may, feeling justified of God,
look back upon our past lives with joy and not
with grief. l.. S. ID.
For the Spectator.
JEFFERSON, Texas. Feb. 10th, 1869.
We are now in the midst of reign of ter
ror. About eighteen Of our best citizens have
been arrested during the last two months and
placed in close confinement by the military,
without any charges having been made against
them, and there is no prospect Of an early trial.
A few weeks since one Of our oldest and
most respectable citizens, (Capt. W. Perry
was shot dead on his own sidewalk, about s.S
O'Clock ?. M, by squad Of soldiers under the
command OF a government detective, whose
only excuse for the horrid deed was that he
made mistake-thought he was shooting at
young man whom he expected to find in that
part Of the city, and whom he wished to arrest.
The detective and the soldier who shot Perry
were brought before a radical judge and ac
quilted in direct violation Of all law and justice
This detective who was known here by the
name Of Bostick, but had several ALIASES =
what he had already done and if he would con-
vict any Of the prisoners Of the murder of G.
w. Smith, he would be paid $4,000 more by
the government.
He is educated in all the low vilaines Of
he'll, and will resort to any and every means,
however unfair, to carry his point. Rumor
says that he has offered, on the part of the
government, the sum of $15, 1000 in gold and
body guard through life to one of the priso-
ners, who has the reputation of being very
fond Of money, and not very scrupulous as to
how he gets it-if he will turn State evidence
and convict the rest. Should that fail, then
sweat-boxe and thumbscrews also are to be re-
sorted to.
Some of our citizens-like the cur that licks
the hand that chastises him, received the Yam
KEGS with open arms-called on the officers
wives-gave fine dinners and received the de-
tectives and officers into their families-intro
duced them to their daughters and wives, there
by hoping to protect those Of their families
whom they had reason to suspect might be ar
rested. But poor deluded wretches, they soon
found that game aoould not aosn, and they now
find themselves held in supreme contempt by
all good people who scorn to sacrifice principle
to interest, and even the Yankees look on them
screen were the first to be arrested, and the de-
tectives say most of them were arrested on ev
idence gathered in the families and around
their own tables The poor wretches are to be
pitied-their honor-former friends-aotne and
taykev-all gone-they find themselves very
much in the condition of the fellow who
prayed good Lord, good Devil-not knowing
into whose hands he should fall.
The prisoners are crowded into very small
apartment, and several Of them are rapidly
sinking under the effects and cannot survive
much longer if not relieved in some way.
The prison is so small that they cannot all
lie down at the same time, and the weather
has been quite inclement during much of the
winter There can be no possible excuse for
this it is only a wanton cruelty.
Most Of these men were arrested at night
while at home with their families although
they were on the streets or at their places of
business every day, and could have been taken
there at any time
No citizen knows when he lies down at night,
that he will not be aroused by band of sol
diers and hurried off to prison before morning.
MAGNOLIA"
The Richmond News, speaking of the division
large or small as the case may be-in the
Radical ranks in Virginia, owing to be recent
nominations, says: "What political combina-
tions may be effected at not distant future, we
are unable to say, but as we have previously re-
marked, the Conservatives now hold the balance
of power in Virginia, and will WELD vast in
huence in shaping its destinies' And we will
add that we hope they will be true to their
principles, and not be lured into party politics.