The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-03-24
Western Judicial District

A publication from Mr.. C. C. Lancaster,a
specialagent of the Department OF Justice.
sent out, it is alleged, to investigate the
U. S. Marshal's service in the Western Dis
trict of Virginia, has been made. 1t was
sent out from Washington, first, we be-
lieve, to the Richmond Dispatch, and
thence transferred to the columns OF almost
every Democratic paper in the State has
been the theme of incessant remark. and
inuendoes innumerable, as well as charges,
from nearly every curb-stone and store-box
Democratic politician in Virginia. There
has been, it is true, in connection with the
ecstatic delight created in Democratic cir
Giles, a prudent exculpation of the Mar
shall, himself, from any intentional wrong
doing, but a general concurrence in the
reckless charges and vindictive spirit en-
bodied in the report. How this report
found it's way first and so rapidly after be-
ing called for by Senator Johnston, to the
Richmond Dispatch, is pretty well known.
and the use that has been made, and is still
being made of it, corresponds with the mo-
tive which governed in placing it in the
hands of the correspondent.who manages the
Washington Department Of that partizan
paper.
The motive and the object of this publ
cation will be properly presented before the
controversy is closed. We publish else
where statement from D. S. Lewis, Esq,
as the first instalment. 1t will be seen
that he puts on the exhibit of Mr.. Lancas-
ter different face to that which Mr.. L. in
tended it to wear, and conclusively shows
that so far as Mr.. D. S. Lewis is concerned,
the report is, in plain terms, an unmitigated
| SANDER.
| Capt. W. S. Lurty, the U. S. District At
torney, who is implicated in Mr.. Lancas-
ter's wholesale assault upon the official con-
duct of the officers of the Western Judicial
District of Virginia, has prepared and will
forward to the Department of Justice an
elaborate and exhaustive refutation of the
imputation upon him, as an officer of the
government, in which he deals with the
facts Of Mr.. Lancaster and Mr.. Lancaster
himself, in very emphatic terms. His state
ment is a complete vindication of his official
administration, sustained as it is by the
amplest record evidence and the clearest
testimonials to the perfect integrity of his Of
fee.
Marshal Lewis will, In due course of
time, meet the accusation so far as he is
concerned, and amply vindicate his own
high reputation for personal honesty, as
well as his uprightness in the discharge
uties will be called upon for an explanation,
and afforded ample opportunity to meet the
allegations of this report and relieve his
name of the stigma which it is attempted
to place upon it. The whole matter will be
probed to the bottom, and so far as the facts
OF the charges are concerned, the public
will be furnished with such explanations
as each one concerned has to give.
The communication of D. S. Lewis speaks
for itself, and will be accepted by all who
know the sterling stuff of which the gen.
tleman is made. as truthful statement of
the case, as to him. The reply of Capt.
Lurty, the rough sketch of which we have
seen, sill, with equal clearness, relieve him
from the differences OF the report, affecting
his official character, for there are no direct
charges against him in it. The statement
to be made by Marshal Lewis, when the
necessary data has been collated, will alike
be comprehensive and satisfactory as to him,
while other parties implicated, will, doubt
less, avail Of the opportunity to present
their vindications.
The unusual channel through which the
Official report reached the public needs ex-
PLANTATION. How it happened that it first
made its appearance in Richmond parti-
Fan paper at this particular time and how
it came into the possession OF the CORES
pendent Of that paper. were the real facts
made known, might throw light upon the
motives which have instigated it. 1t is
known that Marshal Lewis is a warm per-
sonal friend of Gen. Malone, and is earnest
in support of his policy in State affairs. 1t
is quite likely that this had some thing to do
with the extraordinary haste which has been
observed in giving Mr.. Lancaster's report
to the public before any reply could be pre-
pared, and the way it was placed in posses
sion OF the representatives of the Demo-
cratic papers to prejudice public opinion. 1t
has all the appearance of scheme-a plot,
to damn Lewis, then break him of his
office, and thus destroy his political nf1u-
ence in the approaching election. This may
be wrong inference. We hope it is. We
judge more by the use that has been made |
OF the report, than anything we know
about the motive of the investigation. The |
yirtuous Indignation OF the Bourbon faction |
and fuglemen and the magnified horror
they have manifested at such an exhibit as |
Lancaster makes-the industry they apply |
to its exaggeration and circulation, and the |
extravagant delight they show at the pos
sibility OF ejecting appointment Re-adjuster
Republican from an influential Federal Of
flee, justify the suspicion that political adj
vantage has had something to do, at least
with the manner of publication and the use
that is being made of it.
1t is we'll known that Gen. Malone is no
particular favorite with US. nor have we
had any sympathy with some of his politi-
cal views and methods in State affairs But
the hostility shown to him by the opposi-
ton, as ind icated in the refusal to confirm
the nomination of DIR. Gilmer as postmaster
at Richmond, simply because he was sus-
pected of entertai ming kindly feeling for
Gen. Malone, and that which seems to en-
ter into the use of the report of Lancaster, is
carryngthe thing most too far. We know DIR.
Gilmer well. We have known him from his
earliest manhood, and we have never known
a purer or more conscientious man-one
who would more instinctively shrink from
the thought of doing wrong act, or who
would dare to go farther in the maintenance
of what he believes to be right. We know
the three more prominent parties named in
the report of Mr.. Lancaster, and believe
them equally incapable of the betrayal of
public trust, or knowingly INJECTING a
wrong upon the government. Two of them
are, like DIR. Glmer, in sympathy with Gen.
Malone, to a certain degree. They were