The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-08-26
W hat Senator Hampton Now Says

THE ALLEGED LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF
THE WASHINGTON POST A FORGERY.
For the last four or five days the following
extract has been going the rounds of the Dem
ocratic papers:
as my whole record since the close of the
war and all my efforts for better understand
ing between the sections-a broad and down
reaching for the Union-to be frittered away
by the forgeries of an obscure newspaper
writer? | neither used the words attributed
to me nor anything approaching them in
meaning"
1t purported to have been taken from let
ter written by Senator Hampton to the editor
of the Washington Post. AS soon as it APP
peared one of the editors Of the VIRGINIAN
enclosed ii in letter to Senator Hampton,
as follows;
STAUNToN VA, Aug. 20, 80.
SIR-The enclosed slip purports to be
literal extract from private letter written by
you to the editor of the Washington Post
The substance OF the letter is stated to be ii
denial Of the language attributed to you by
the NIRGINIAN in its report of your speech in
Staunton, July Goth A copy of that report |
herewith send In it you are quoted as having
used these words, in substance:
Consider what Lee and jackson would do
were they alive. These are the same princi-
pies they fought for for four years. Remember
the men who poured forth their blood on
Virginia. soil. and do not abandon them now"
The quotation above is the text of the al
legged letter to the editor of the Post, and |
write to ask ii it is true that such Il letter was
written 10y you, and if so, is the enclosed slip
a literal extract thereirom?
A response at your earliest convenience
will greatly oblige.
Yours respectfully,
j. YOsT.
Senator Wade Hampton, Dagger Springs.
In reply to the above the following letter
was received from Senator Hampton, late yes
terday evening"
DAGGERs WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS,
Botetourt County, Va, Aug. 23d, 1880.
SIR-Your letter has just reached me, and
in reply to your question in reference to the
Washington Post, | answer that l have adj
dressed no communication, OF any character,
to that paper. [ have never seen the extract
purporting to be taken from it until this mo-
Went, and there must be a mistake in sup
posing that the Post has made any statement
such rs the extract represents it rs making
| had not seen, until you sent it, the report OF
my remarks in Staunton contained IN the
Valley Virginian," the only report which
had met my eye being that in the Baltimore
Gazotte, republlshed III the N. Y HaqtJd, Of
the 10Th inst. | have not the slightest recol-
lection OF having used the language attributed
TO me, III the closing sentences OF your report,
and | certainly never intended To convey the
idea embodied i'll them. Your reporter mis-
conceived my language. | appealed TO the
NIrn'IIl,lnS consider before they
voted how Lee and jackson would vote were
they alive, and | asked ii anyone present
could Tor n moment suppose that these devoted
Virginlans could ever have done anything
which would create discussions in the State
they had loved SO well. My sole object at Staun-
ton was 10 appeal to the Democrats OF Vir
ginia to forget their local differences, and to
unite Tor the success Of the Democratic party.
The principle involved in the war was the
claim made by the South OF the right OF peace
able secession. This right was denied by the
North, Democrats as well as Republicans
Joining in the denial. On this issue battle was
Joined; the North triumphed, and the results
Of her success were embodied in the amend
ments to the Constitution, settling beyond
all question: and forever, the right OF peacea
bic secession by the adverse decision of the
highest earthly tribunal recognized among
mankind. The war had nothing to do with
y,
and was peculiarly unfortunate if any eX-
preston OF mne in Staunton, could be so mis-
construed as to give the impression that |
supposed the principles involved in the Presi-
Dental contest were those for which we fought
for four years.
l have made no charge against your paper,
OF any other, of wilful misrepresentation but
| must disclaim, emphatically, the construc-
ton placed upon my speech, as well as the
language attributed to me in the few last SEN
fences of your report. AS your letter was a
courteous one, have replied to it frankly, and
| hope that you viii do me the justice to give
my letter in full, should you desire to make
any portion Of it public. While the maxim
that ''all is fair in politics as in war" untortu-
natey obtains too generally, l hope that no
southern paper will ever refuse to do justice
TO its political opponents.
am, resp'y, y'r obi. servt.
WADE HAMPTON.