The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-10-16
A Double Falseho0d.

tention to an article in the last issue of the
Harrisonburg Old Commonwealth, under the
caption Of '.The Thinkers" We have read
the article, and must express our surprise
that any man connected with the press in
Virginia should be guilty Of such reckless
statements as it contains After paying a
very just and deserved tribute to this class
Of our citizens, for their sobriety, industry,
frugality and religious integrity, the Old
Commonwealth says:
4 "The conscript officer gathered up many of
these men and sent them to Richmond where
they werelreeased and returned to their homes.
Now, one word to our TINKER friends The
officer in Richmond in charge of the conscript
bureau. was General Kemper, he being disabled
by wounds from doing field duty. Gen. Kemper
says that of $1,000 conscripts, he discharged
1000, and he took the responsibility Of discharg-
ing every Tunker, out of respect and in justice to
their religious faith. Whilst he had his duty as
an officer to discharge, he knew and appreciated
the honesty and sincerity of the TINKER people
in refusing to bear arms, and respecting this re-
ligious feeling, he invariably and promptly, up
on his own responsibility, ordered the release OF
every one who was brought to his Office. Til
was right and just, and he did it because it was
rightand just. Now the other side; Col. Hughes
was editor at this time of the Richmond Examl-
iner, a fire eating journal, which was with much
ability aud great ferceness, urging on the war,
even to raising the black flag. This Col. Hughes,
red hot war man as he was, was takinghis ease
in Richmond. and keeping at safe distance from
bullets and danger. He was editing the Exam.
iner newspaper, and in that paper appeared an
6pnO cling tbao far Jta
yto the Tunkers, saying they should be forced
into the army, and imprisoned if they refused
Such is the contrast between Kemper and
Hughes in the exciting time of war. Kemper
doing Justice; Hughes melting the government
to wrong. Kemper discharging the Thinkers in
spite of Hughes appeal to the government to
hold them and make them fight. Now we ask
the honest and true Thinkers and Menonites of
Rockingham, whom can you most safely trust
for just, fair and honest administration OF the
government in these days of peace, the soldier
who was just to your faith, and protected you in
it, or the civilian who would net fight himself,
but had no respect for your people as men of
peace? 1t is for you to say.
What are the facts? Instead Of Kemper
taking the responsibility Of discharging ev-
cry TINKER, out Of respect and ia justice to
his religious faith, i" he was compelled to do
so by law passed by the Confederate Con-
gress. This law was drawn up and submit
ted by the late Col John b. Baldwin, if we
remember Alright, aud passed after warm
contest and debate. Gen.. Kemper had
nothing to do with the construction or the
passage Of the law, and no discretion in its
execution. His duty was laid down to him
under the law, and it was utterly impossible
for him to have avoided it, without stulti-
Tying himself and forfeiting his Office Sc
much for General Kempar's "appreciatior
OF the honesty and sincerity of the Tunkel
people in refusing to bear arms" He mol
only did net sign these exemption papers
upon his own responsibility" and order the
''the release'of overy one (of the Tunkers,,
who was brought to his Office" of his OWE
frsewill, but he was acting under the imper.
alive instruction Of the supreme legislative
authority Of the Confederate States, in chs
releases made.
We have heretofore stated that Colone
Hughes was not the editor of the Examine,
at that time and We have his direct authori
ty for saying that such an article as tina
charged to him was never written. by him
GAS to the Tunkers" he says: 81 thinl
nothing disparaging to them ever appeared
in the Eronainer-certain!y mota nay man
agenaent. 1t has never been in my heart Oh
head to decry any religious body Of men
certainly not the Thinkers. The charge te
the contrary is one ofahe pitiahe falsehoods
Of the Canvass"
In long editorial career in which we
have been engaged in number of heated
political contests, we have never known any
campaign to be conducted with as much
mahgnity, misrepresentation, deception, and
absolute falsehood, as characterizes this one
on the part of the enemies Of Col Hughes
1t is false statement and false appeal piled
one on top Of the other, day after day, with
ont sedeeming feature. There is 40 poll
cy or principle affecting State or Federal
politics that they pretend to discuss. It il
nothing but passion and prejudice they seek
to excite, and the vilest ISLANDERS that they
circulate for the purpose Of driving the
minds Of the people away from the true is
sues involved. It is gratifying to know,
notwithstanding the persistency of this I'M
manly mode of political warfare, the people
comprehend it. The masses are fully deter
mined to rebuke it at the polls, by the tri-
umphal election to the highest Office in the
gift of the people of the man they are SO
malieiously traducing.
The Enquirer is trying to manufacture a
little encouragement out of the twenty or
thirty thousand reserves who remained
from the polls in the Presidential election
1t claims them all fer Kemper. One half Of
them, at least, will vote for Hughes, while
hundreds who supported Greeley last fall
will vote the Republican ticket this fall
At least Is, 900 colored voters did not vote
last fall, either because net Registered, or
informally in their transfer papers
There is no basis from which rational calcu-
Iaton IAN be made, that will not elect the
Republican ticket by 10000 majority. They