National Republican., 1886-04-10
Commo dore W. *. Mayo, of Virginia

Commo dore W. *. Mayo, of Virginia.
In these days, when 1t is proposed to
open the Union Army to appointments as
officers Of fex-confederates tls refreshing TO
read the letter which Lieut., now Commo-
dore, w. X. Mayo, OF Virginia, wrote con-
cerning the secession Of that commonwealth
The letter is as follows:
U. s.. sHP ST. MARY's, MARE ISLAND. CAL,
May 20, SGl.-To JOIN LETCHER, Governor OF
Virginia-Sir: 1 have this day seen for the
first time an ordinance of "the convention
issued-'the injunction of secrecy being re.
moved"-in form Of q proclamation by order
OF the governor, by Geo. W. Muniord, secre-
tary OF the commonwealth One section of
this ordinance reads thus:
"And that he the governor) shall immedi-
ately invite all efficient and worthy Virgin
inns, and residents of Virginia III the army
aud navy of the United Stated, TO retire there
FROM and to enter the service of Virginia,
assigning 10 them such rank as Will not re-
verse the relative rank held by them 10 the
United States service, aud viii be at least
eqivalent thereto"
John Letcher, for the sake of the American
character, ! dePlore that the Injunction Of
that any body of Virginians met in solemn
convention, could have deliberately author
lied you, the governor, to Invite all efficient
and worthy Nirginians, and residents OF Vlr-
ginia in the army and navy OF the United
States, to betray their trust, to turn their hand
their efficiency, and their worth against the
flag which has given them all they nave and
all they are worth. / can hardly believe that
anybody of the select men OF the Old Dominion
could 'invite" any man through their governor,
even the bugbear of n Yankee "rosldsnt OF
Virginia." to become an honorable deserter.
| Even with the tangible evidence before me, l
am in doubt as to the identity OF the ordi.
| nance. ] feel assured, sir that the fifty odd
| loyal and true men-reduced by some "secret'
| political hocus'pocus TO bakers dozen-who
| VOTED against secession, did their best TO save
| the state from this eNecrable nbusc by Its peo-
| pie. Western Virginia, certainly, does not
| lend itself TO such "lnyitations." If remember
Alright sir, the leading state rights men OF vir.
| ginia declared, at the time of the Hartford
convention, that the secession Of state from
| the federal Union was treason How can lead
| ing state rights men now invite tue military
| officers of that same federal Union to commit
| the sin which then was so damnable? What
| system of morals works the change?
| John Letcher, am not politician, though
am Virginian by birth. lam no southerner
nor northeTner nor western man | am a
| citizen OF the United States. II requires no
| political acumen 10 discover that the couven-
tion," whose orders you obey by publishing Its
| own prccept "iOr the benefit of the public"
| perpetraled a gross fraud upon the people Of
| Virginia and grosSeT outrage upon the people
| ana government OF the United States. Your
convention has preoipitated the state into hos;
| tiiity against the government, aud has insulted
| the people. IL has however, as an offset,
shown the hand OF those who now, unhappily,
ulTccl lne STATE,
John Leteher, am not your mercenary nor
| the mercenary OF "the convention" My
| primary and only allegiance is due and rem
| dered the United States, The United States
| has cared for me for many years, and It's flag is
! endeared TO me by too many associations IN b0
| lightly abandoned and turned against in this
hour Of its dlrest peril, particularly upon the
| promises to pay of an exhausted treasury and
| the promises of frank" from a state whose
| militia, by her own showing and invitation. Is
commanded by foreigner, who Is a traitor to
| that government to which the people Of Viz
| ginia are faithful despite the unhOly aud un-
| patriotic action Of 1.-THE convention"
IT, sir were TO forsake the Stars and Stripes
| in this dread hour aud join your banner, what
assurance would you have thar would not
| bctray You? Surely not that OF honor, not
| that Of patriotism.
| John Letcher, governor OF Virginia, scorn-
| fully reject the Infamous proposal OF 1.-THE
| Convention made public" by you, It's
organ. II Is cut from the same secret" piece,
| dyed In the wool, as the perildy OF Harper
| Ferry ana GospOrt navy yard. ! decline TO
| yield myself upon the Invitation of " The Con
| ventlon,' disgraceiul subordinate 10 Jen
| Davis, aud unworthy and inefficient Yirglnian
| that am. not all the wealth, biped and land
| ed not all the hOnors which the Old Dominion
can create, will eyer seduce me from full aud
| unreseryod devotion TO the Stars aud Stripes.
You, sir, might nave restored peace to your
| country, but you would not W. X, MAYO,
Lieutenant United States Navy.