Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-26
GEN. G. J. HUNDLEY.
HE REPLIES TO THE RECENT LET
TER OF COLONEL CUssoNs.
The STUBS CASE DISCUSSED.
of the Manner in which
the Charges Were Brought Against
the Grand COMMUNICATIVE Did
Those Checks Come FRONT
, the Editor Of tho Dispatch:

To the Editor Of tho Dispatch:
have delayed replying to the letter OF
Colonel John Cussons. published in your
issue OF the 2lst instant. because l de-
sired first TO have an explanation OF
word used by him in that letter. This
explanation having been given by him In
a most courteous and agreeable manner,
l am now ready TO reply to his argu-
ments, according TO him, personally, the
highest consideration and respect. Colo
mel Cussons opens by saying that he is
sorry 1 do not approve of his views
or the Testimony which he gave--that
he would make any reasonable effort to
win" my appreciation" etc.
l hone he will pardon me for saying:
1t is not his appreciation 1 seek, how
ever consequential it may be, but l seek
and hope TO win the appreciation OF the
great mass of my Confederate comrades,
and Of an intelligent public. who from
a standpoint of disinterestedness, are now
intently watching the contest between
one man-that man being the Grand Com
maLder of the Grand Camp of Confede-
rate Veterans of the whole State OF Nir-
ginia and a select circle of veterans 10
Gated in or near the chief city OF the
Commonwealth. Colonel Cussons then
says it is my opinion that the proper
time for him Colonel Cussons) to have
accused my client would have been when
the evidence was weak" and that he
nfNof Cd fraV
altogether when the evidence became
strong" No; my opinion is very diff
ferent one from that. My opinion is that,
no matter what the nature of the evil
dence which Colonel Cussons and his
associates had, at the time Colonel Stubs
was placed in nomination for the high
office OF Grand Commander, II became
that moment their highest and most sa-
cred duty due alike TO their comrade,
Colonel Stubs, and to the Grand Camp
itself, which was about TO bestow upon
him its highest honor, to have disclosed
that evidence In the following order:
Colonel Cussons should first have taken
Colonel Stubs out privately and said TO
him: Some of US, amongst the number,
suspect you of being in the employment
Of the American Book Company and or
aiding them in preventing us from having
suitable histories of the war between
the States adopted by the Board or
Education, and we have in our possession
two checks of j. w. Womack, drawn In
your favor Now, Colonel Stubs. can
YOU explain that transaction Then, il
Colonel Stubs had failed to explain, he
should have been informed that his cleo
ton would be contested, and the evidence
against him brought openly to the atten-
ton of his brethren.
THE GOLDEN RULE.
If Colonel Cussons, or any, or all Of his
associates, will oblige me by applying
the Golden Rule" to that proposition,
and in their opinion. the measurement
does not correspond, then they can retain
their opinion and 1 mine, and we will
go to the country on II.
It is not a matter Of mere opinion,
though. 1t reaches further than that.
To take any other course was to discredit
the organization itself-to strike from be-
meath the proud ediflce its very founda-
TOMBSTONE, and shatter its graceful pro-
portions. ] may not be up in all the
mysteries of the inner temple, but let
me ask these gentlemen a simple ques-
tion-What is the basic idea of all these
veteran organizations? IL IL is not
brotherly love and comradeship, what
is it? l supposed il meant that in these
our latter, days, we old comrades de-
sired to stand close together, TO comfort
to cheer, and encourage each other'
whilst our last great enemy, secure pc
yond the reach Of mortal shot or shell,
was engaged in picking us OF. III
Thought our great organization could
condescend to become a detective agency
and ply the arts of the detective, in
Spying out and entrappirg a comrade. l
should renounce 1t forever, but do not
believe this nor will / believe 1t till the
Grand Camp itself has pronounced
against itself this fearful charge. If your
evidence was weak" then, as you ADMIT,
II Is weak now. You have not adueu
one iota to 1t. 1t was the checks then
IT is the checks now. The only difference
in the situation is that you have asked
a public explanation, and gotten II, In
stead of asking a private explanation
which you could have as easily gotten.
In taking this course the organization
itself has been scandaliZed-the Vehal
transgression of brother has been pup
licly exposed, and a cruel suspicion cast
upon his character and honor. Inc COM
mittee of Investigation pronounced the
evidence which Colonel Cussons says
.'had become strong" when he finally
launched 1t at Colonel Stubs, after in
cubating those two old checks TOT
months, weaker than water, thinner than
the 'intrenchant air." which Colonel
Cussons says 1 wanted him to do bat
tie with. for it did not venture 10 hnd
Stubbs guilty of the charge insinuated
against him. 1t is never safe TO Apply
the incubating process to stale eggs the
result is always liable to be just what IL
has been in this case.
EXPLANATION IN ORDER.
! 1t Is in order now, though, for either
| Colonel Cussons or some or his asso-
| ciates in this matter to rise and explain
! how, by this method adopted by them
| they have advanced the cause they pro-
! fess to have at heart.
They say their object now is to get ric
of Colonel Stubs as Commander ana as
a member of the History Committee, dno
/ thus remove an obstacle TO placing pro-
per histories upon the school lists. Wen
the public want to know of these gentle
men why they put him in these very
positions, when they had the same evi
| dence AGAINST him when they put MIN
there that they now have? Why did they
set him up, only TO try to knock HIN
down? Is it easier TO put man In once
and then get him out? Is this the his
| tory of such things? They have done al
| this at the expense of a great public
scandal and of bitter, binding tears IL
the home of their accused comrade-
L