Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-02-12
90 Correspondent Mlles.


Wnh tha. freedom wliyL ever ebaracte'iacs
our press. We give Insertion 10 to-dsys paper
% tie communication Of " Miles, however
much we mgy differ from him in the views
which he has expressed as 10 the merits and
policy Of Biz 1914. We have reason to be-
peve that Mr.. Faulkner f5resaw the DIGESTION
which " Miles makes 70 that bin. ood that
he dill not doubt tia, the confederate officers
and soldiers wo1l3 appreciate The existing sit
nation Of affairs, anl would, upoo reflection,
recognize this os an entering welse TO the a.
l5waace Of their own claims. No one can
sn ppose for one moment that Mr.. Faulkner Is
without his jus, sympathy for lis brother OIL
Gers aud soldiers and ,hatbe is prepared, at any
moment, to &C complsh anything for their re-
lief Tie is himself an ex-couledcrate officer,
sal no one, perhaps, In this Valley Lad a lag
scr amo unit Of property taken for The use aud
supper. Of the United States army than Mr..
Faulkner. We understand al his crops for
nearly four years were seiz2j aal apPr opriated
for that purpose, aaj NJ one fnidar with the
llcali,ies a5la, Nlg:ils1lrg bu, knows that
at least one huadred and 6 fly acres Of bis tin
her were cut down aad appropriated to tie use
Of the Federal army With this state Of the
facts presented it IS very obvious that Mr.
Faulkner. in introducing that bin. with tie
provisions which 10 contains, must have been
controlled by some other consideration than iu-
difference 10 the welfare Of lle Confelera.ls
lie IS a practical legislator, dcspiscs AL bun
combe bills aal resolutions, and hs;cus HIN
self upon such propositions as promise some
assurance Of success. The legislation which
row ea,Lrals AMI Expresses all who were in
any wise coaacc,e1 with the confederate cause
whether rs c5m5llsnts or uoa-c5mbstluts
nay be compared 20 a powerful fortress, still
bristIiug with heavy artillery. I, eaauo, BE-
taken 10y storm It's capture can only be Sc
cured by low and gradual approaches. Every
southern man has, doubtless, clt this coDdi-
ton oi things To- Congress. proposition Is
FIST made to dispense with this oath ofloya'ty
as tooue particular class Of creditors Of the
government An combine in its support aud
Iy vigorous cxerti5os it Is passed. This
forms a precclea, under which aoo,bcr ana
another and another class Of creditors obtain a
re,jef We learn that under presidents Of this
kind heretofore established it IS expected tlis
Congress win pay to the mail contractors Of
the South the balances Justly due 90 them O.
tlc Mechanics 40 Ilarpcrs Ferry tie balances
due to them, sc. Had tie attempt been made
fist TO dculIisb at enc fc, blow the whole
system Of iailui.ous legislation, the Southern
policy would have been oyerthrown aud de-
icaieI.
Saci len, we presume, were tho motives
which dictated the provisions Of Bin l54i.-
Had It embraced at this time the claims OF
conlclorates. it could nos have bad a success
fol passage through Congress, whereas, if this
BIZ shall pass, /, opens the flares; prospect.
AMI for s1m5 Of the ex celleut reasons ass gncd
BY Miles. Of on extension of similar relief
70 them. The persoas for whose benefit Ills
Bill was introduced, have had their claims
uellas before The departments in Washing
ton Tor seven and eight years. They are al
m;tted'y iu,t hfus for supplies taken from
.hcm by force for the use OF the Federal army.
The honesty aul Justice Of the claims are con-
cclel by the leplr, mcnt, aud yet tor years
these claims have been held suspended in their