Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-03-13
Fo- the SPECTATOR.
The Amende Honorable.

MR.. EDITOR 1T has been q rule
through life to acknowledge at once,
and make reparation, where we discov.
er we have wronged another.
Through your prper, some weeks ago,
under the head of Capt. Charles Bask.
iDs," we are now satisfied that we
penned much of the communication
under erroneous information. Its effect
has been to create impressions as to the
party that we made to figure promi-
nently in writing will, and infiuenc.
Ing the weakened mind of the testator,
&C., very unfavoraOle to him, and to
place him in an attitude before the pub
lie that we should by no means have
coveted for ourself. We have informa.
ton from an unquestioned source that
we were in serious error, and we take
pleasure, at the earliest moment, to
withdraw the imputation as fully as 1t
was made. We say farther, that we
concur fully in saying that there is no
reason why the relations between our
self and that individual shall not in the
future be what they have in the past.
If the language we used regarding him,
whom, we designated as the "favorite
son.in-law," has, as it may have done,
wounded the feelings of him or his,
we greatly regret it. The individual
who it is now said wrote the will, was
the party most likely to have been BE-
lected, and we do not call in question
his right, nor as to the right to enter
tain what political opinions he pleased,
or. If he chose, to impress them on the
testator. Both had the unquestioned
right to entertain them and exercise
them. Our opinion in regard to the
will is unchanged, and we deem 1t for
tunate, that before penning a word
about it, that we copied, as far as their
tear-stained and illegible character
would admit, the parts Of letters put
into my hands from the much-wronged
daughter of the ''ancient elder" referred
to. l will now enclose The copy to q
lady friend in another county, for whom
Individually, as her own and husbands
family, l have always entertained q
warm regard. She is nearly related to
their author. In extenuation for what
has given offence in my article, 1t Is
just to myself to. state these facts. I
was as tender and respectful of the feel
ings of the daughter, who preferred the
request touching the obituary" as 1t
was possible to be. This, because always
in the past I had evidence that her feel
ings towards myself indicated warm
personal friendship, that 1 take pleasure
In saying had ever been most fully re-
ciproeated. Greatly to my surprise, in
few days had three lines on postal
not from her, but him that / thought
had written the will. There was not
the slightest ground for it, as my note
was worded, and assuredly not from
him, and could regard 1t in no other
light than taunt. said nothing. or
course, deemed all that passed as sa.
cred and confidential as between us
three. To my great surprise, weeks
after, was accosted by an individual on
the streets of Stannton about my note
to the daughter; that he was glad
wrote it; that the community sane.
toned it, and that she was very indig-
nant, and 1 would soon have a spicy
answer l then wrote a polite and
guarded note to the gentleman from
whom received the postal, asking for
Il copy of my note to the lady, out my
request was treated with what / could
but deem as silent contempt. Hence,
here was more spice in my article than
would otherwise have been. 1 sincerely
hope that all may result in exciting the
sympathy of all concerned to the neces-
sity of doing tithe of justice to the
greatly wronged daughter, as the public
believe OLD MORTALITY.
= DICIAL BULL-DoZING. - The
Stephens City Star says that ''in Bote.
tourt county grand jury was summons
Ell to investigate the charges Of fraud.
1t consisted of nine members. Itoo of
them were Democrats, and seven (of
whom two were cOlOred) were noisv
Malone politicians. The jury heard
the testimony of some of the most re-
spectacle men in the county, whose rep.
utations for truthfulness had never been
doubted. Nevertheless the seven
brought in report that the charges OF
fraud against the Malone officials were
all 'slanderous lies," but they found an
Indictment against Democrat for at
tempting to influence a man to vote for
Massey. The ta0o Democrats reported
that the evidence of fraud against the
Malone officials was abundant, and they
protested against q grand jury of the
county being used for the furtherance of
partisan and political aims. Thereupon
the Malone Judge fined the two Demo-
cratic jurors $40 90 apiece, and also i'm
posed similar fine upon a lawyer who
at the request Of the grand jury had put
the report in form. .
How long will the people stand these
things? How long will freemen be rul-
ed by this BOSS" and his wicked ennis
saries sLet them answer at the next
Legislative election, and let this Malone
Monarchy of Fraud be torn from the
earth, root and branch"