Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-07-08
The Richmond State Journal, that cpl

The Richmond State journal, that cpl
tome of truth @ ha f! hal! assails us be-
cause we complained Of the course Of John
F. Lewis, u S. Senator. He declares our
article .venomous and spiteful misrepresen-
,ation, and, ION the authority OF John f.
Lewis" asserts there was not zone word OF
truth in it, Well, let US see.
We tated that he was elected by Conser-
vatiyes. and was allied actively with the
ultra Radicals. that he meddled with the
elections in Washington, threatened the
Republicans in the Legislature, opposed the
nomination of Alderman of Georgia and had
a Confederate contract during the VIZ to
make iron, with which the Confederates
dealt death and destruction to has friends,
and that he does not represent his people
Does he deny that he was elected by Con-
servatiyes and has acted with the ultra had
;cals j.? The first is well known and his votes
in Congress attest the latter.
Does he deny that he meddlei with the
elections in Washington ? His letter on the
subject afirms this count.
Does he deny threatening the Republican
members of the Legislature f? The sample
letter published in the Richmond papers,
and the general assertions of this fact, place
that beyond dispute.
Does he deny opposing the non''not10"
of Herman, The Geographic dispatches
from Washington stated it, and it was not
denied by him until more than week alter
its publication in the Tindicator and quite
two weeks after it was telegraphed IRON
Washington This is strange-sufpasslns-
ly strange. ,
Does he deny that he took Confederate
contract during the war to make the iron
which was shaped into bolts to Kill his an
kee friends? This is VIGOROUSLY true In
deed many assert, that, in order to get the
contract and to retain it, he had to assure
tho Confederate authorities of his loyalty,
and some even assert that to get contract,
an oath of fidelity to the Confederacy had
to he taken. and that, at time, when he
was about to lose his contract, friend had
to 90 forward and vouch, at his instance, Tor
his loyalty. But of this we do not know W
ond draw no conclusions from (which, If
We we're ..spiteful" we certainly could.
Does he not know that he mis-represents
his people +? Surely the election OF Walker
On whose ticket he ran, should concluslvely
exhibit the fact that the sentiments OF his
neople are not in accord with his ultra course
and, we repeat, that knowing it, as he
must. he should resign.
Il would seem then. that. With the e1cep'
ton Of the telegram concerning the OPPOSE
ton to Akcrman, which was only denied al
ter the lapse of two weeks, the p'nd'ca'or
did not "spitefulEy mis- represent" but
merely stated the truth, OR that to winch the
failure to deny gave the aemslanee OF truth
The State Journal and its authority are
therefore s.venomously malevolsnt'' and
most .'spitefuIly" at fault, not to use a
stronger expression, and the p'"o'c0-
Tor article, by their silence, on all save one
point, is acknowledged by themselves to be
true.
We have never been disposed wantonly
to assail any one, but when the man who
forged iron bolts for the confederaey' and
cave information and guides which came
near enabling Gen. Early to bag the force
Of Custer, at the Cave, near his home, when
elected to the Senate by Conservatives ho'
onlv pursued a course at variance with their
sentiments. but turned round and leyeled
epithets at the men who had holsted MIN IN
to position, we thought it time to let HIM
and others hear the sentiments of the people
from whose midst he was so suddenly anu
astonishingly raised into place and power,
We therefore again assert that it would
be exceedingly gratifying to the people OF
Virginia If he would resign, and we think 1t
duty he owes to himself to do SO.