Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-02-15
Letter from Hon. A. II. II. Stuart and
Others.

The Philadelphia american, q few
weeks since sent number ofinterroga-
tories to representative Southern men
with the request that they would res
pond to them and give their views for
publication in its columns and by that
means get them hearing and conside-
ration in the North, where the views
and purposes of the South are misun-
derstood and misrepresented.
The american of the 5th of February
contains the first installment of these
letters, all of which are from citizens OF
this State as follows: Hon. A. 81. n.
Stuart, Gen. Jas. A. Walker, Senator
Robert E. Withers, Hon. J. R. Tucker.
We will publish the letter Of Mr..
Stuart in full next week.
We desired to publish 1t in this is
sue, but found it too long for the space
we had at command after receiving it.
As we will publish it in full next week
we will not make any extracts from it
in this issue.
Mr.. Tucker does not reply to the
questions propounded, for the reason
that he is 80 fully occupied with his
representative duties that he has not
the time to do so, as such reply Ito be
satisfactory would have to cover much
ground, or be condensed after much
careful consideration in order to gener-
alize vast array Of facts and princi-
pies"
We will give at this time only the re-
plies of Senator r. E. Withers and Gen.
Jas. A. Walker to the 9Th question.
Senator Withers says =
Your 9Th question, viz: "What have
South by the Northern powerW is pro.
life in its suggestions. I can only say,
in brief, that the great, fundamental
and most mischievous error was in the
passage of the various reconstruction
measures by Congress. The South had
seeded, believing that they had the
Constitutional right to withdraw from
the Union; the North denied this
right, and the war was waged by them
avowedly and solely ''for the preserva-
ton of the Union" The decision by
this ultimate arbiter was against the
South, and the doctrine of Secession
died at Appomattox Court House. Had
the Southern States been permitted then
to resume their former relations to the
general Government, preserving their
State autonomy, and repeating their or
dinances of secession, there would have
been far less trouble. But, with singu-
lar inconsistency, it was assumed that
the triumphant conclusion of q war
waged for the preservation of the Un-
ion had consummated the destruction OF
that Union. State lines were obliterat-
ed, military districts created, and the
integrity of the Union was only re-
established after conditions were impos-
ed which, in many of the Southern
States. if not in all, meant negro dom
inati0n. It was plain to the most ordi-
nary intellect that the ruling motive
which inspired such Legislation, was
not the restoration and preservation
of the Union, but q determination to
perpetuate, at all hazards, the ascen-
dancy of the Republican party. The
people of the North do not seem to re-
alize that Republican rule in the South
means negro rule, and negro rule means
ruin. will not elaborate this branch OF
the subject, but content myself with the
statement above. It is, I sincerely be
lieve, the belief of nineteen twentiaths
of the best men of the South.
Other causes of complaint against the
Republican party are all traceable to tbis
original error. It is unnecessary to
enumerate them in detail.
Gen. Walker replies to the same ques'
ton a follows:-
1t would take book to answer this
question, and I shall not attempt to
specify more than one or two of the
most fragrant. In Virginia, the close Of
the war found her with loyal State
government, which had its headquar-
tiers at Alexandria, with Governor
and full corps of State officers, and q
representation in the United States Sen
which had been recognized during tine
war, and continued to be recognized by
the Government of the United States in
and then Republican Congress, with
out cause, declared that Virginia was
not State, made her Military District
No. l, and placed her under military
government. This was not only an er.
ror but gross inconsistency.
The second error was in imposing
test oathes upon all voters, which dis
franchised nine-tenths of the white
people; and thus placed the govern.
ments of all the Southern States in the
hands of the ignorant freedmen and
thieving adventures, who despoiled
and Dlundered the DoODl0 and the pub.
lie treasury, and endeavored, by exor-
bitant taxation, levied by pauper legis
lators, to confiscate the little property
left by the ravages ofthe war. Another
glazing and Infamous injustice fol
which the Republican party is respon-
slble, is thwarting the will of the peo-
pie of the Union and defrauding two
Southern States of their electoral vote
in 1876, thereby counting Mr.. Tilden
out and Mr.. Hayes in as President OF
the United States for four years.
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