Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-11-25
WYrHEvILLE, Va, Nov. 20, 1897.
v>ystoa. of W,,ectos. Ntn,xaaf0a2. Va.

WYTHEV1LLE, Az NOV. ~, 1871.
Editor of Spector, Staunto1a, Va.
Sir-I acknowledge with courtesy
YOUR publication of my communication
in your issue of the 18th inst. Your
comments which accompanied it, how
ever, virtually repeat former charges and
render it necessary that should again
become trespasser on the columns OF
the SPECTATOR, since the statements
in your last article are errOne-
GUS and misleading in nearly every par
tlcular.
AS you personally know nothing of the |
circumstances about which you write it |
is plain to my mind that you have been
imposed upon by some INSCRIPTIONS
enemy of mine.
In your comments you say, 1T be-
comes necessary in the light of what has
happened that our readers may under
stand why public opinion and madam |
rumor have connected Gen. Walker with |
a knowledge of the reputation of one
Feagles who was appointed Postmaster
at his solicitation, etc. This statement
whether made on your own authority, or
on the authority Of your hidden inform
ant whose identity you seek to cover up
under the indefinite appelations OF pub
lie opinion" or Madam Rumor." is a i
falsehood out of the whole cloth. Neither
public opinion" or MADAM Rumor"
has in this community, where the facts
nv name with a knowledge Of ssthe bad
character of Feagles.' y
I repeat here what said in my former
communication, that to the day Of bis
death Feagles general reputation for
honesty was unquestiOned, and it there
can be found now few persons who will
say that they suspected him Of being a
thief or disreputable character, they
belong to that class of worthless who can
always say, after an event, however UNI
expected, has happened, II told you so, y
but who always keep their superior
knowledge profound secret from the
rest of the world.
Again, it is untrue that Feagles was
known to be man about whose life
there was suspicion. If so, it was known
only to favored few who kept their own
counsel.
It is news to ninety-nine out of one
hundred of the people in the community
in which Feagles lived that ''long before
be was killed he was suspected of theft
by many" Will you or your anonymous
informant please name some OF the many
and inquire of them why they allowed
their suspicious to slumber and sleep
until after his death?
You further say Il suppose on your
own authority that ''to say that Feagles
has not been regarded by many of the
people of Pulaski as notorious and
dangerous character would be to say what
is not the fact.'' say it is a fact that
he was not so regarded by many of the
~ D,,1o cJ1 nd f,,r %bof
your statement to that effect is wholly
unwarranted and unsupported by the
facts.
Feagles was endorsed by the entire Re
publican County Committee and by
large number of the patrons of the office
to which he was appointed. It was a
matter OF public nOtOriety for weeks that
he was an applicant for the Office, and if
his character was bad it is strange that
MADAM Rumor" with her thousand
tongues kept stubborn silence and gave
no note Of warning to friend OF foe.
It is unaccountable that s'public opin-
| ion, /" whose sentiments you now so con-
| fidently claim to voice, failed to reach my
ears or any one in the county of Pulaski.
Even after he was appointed to this
office not the faintest objection was
raised to his qualification and two most
prominent and respectable Democrats
went security upon his official bond.
Again. you say "but whether Gen
eral Walker knew him as a thief and
dangerous and desperate character is
the only question at ISSUE" MANY
people thought that he did, or if not,
that he was wilfully deaf or woefully
blind.'' That statement is malicious
false. Nobody believes, or will public
/ IL r.
had the slightest ground to suspect,
that he was thief or dangerous char
acter.
You say you ''have only repeated
rumors." The rumors you have re-
peated are lies, and if you did not know
they were lies you must have been will
fully deaf or woefully blindn But /
insist that you shall no longer shelter
behind the skirts of MADAM Rumor."
public opinion" I'VE learn" or "a
statement has reached us, pit is said,"
many people say" etc.
Who is MADAM Rumor?" Is she a
re al character, or q mere creation of
your fertile Imagination?
| What is public opinion ?" How
many concurrent voices does it take to
make ''public opinion3" Please pro
duce some evidence of public opinion"
more than the false statements of your
cowardly Informant. whoever he may
be.
| I'VE learn From whom do I'VE
learn ?" Give US the name of at least
one false teacher who taught such an
apt scholar.
| From what source has it reached
| us?" Will you please unfold2
| By whom is sit said7'' Is the person
or thing who or which has told you
these lies man of flesh and blood, or
a lying spirit? Trot him or it out and
| let us have look at the stranger.
Will you be kind enough to name a
few of the many people, who have
confided to you their thoughts" and
"beliefs? Surely, it is las easy as ly
ing" to surrender up some of your
many sources of information.
la conclusion, l have been charged
with being the friend of known thief,
! OF having in my official capacity as
Representative in Congress. Knowing
| ly endorsed and placed in Office thief
| and a disreputable character, and the
SPECTATOR has been made the medium
to spread broadcast these infamous
| charges. owe it no less to my own
| character than to the constituency I
have the honor to represent to de
AOOdCO 1HCoC UAIlDSS as utteIly anu
wholly false and unfounded, and ] now
again demand the sources OF your in
formation and the names OF the anony
nous slanderers who have wantoniy
and without provocation assailed my
character public and private
By lily request friend of mine de-
| manded this of you more than week
ago, and you refused to give the names
OF your informants although you stat
ed that two gentlemen had told you SO
II you persist in refusing my just de
mand l will be justified in believing
that you are yourself the author of
these false, cowardly and malicious
ISLANDERS. 1t seems an easy task for
you to put 1.-The saddle on the right
horse" When you do will deal with
the real culprit; until you do this
have no one to look to but yourself.
Very truly YOURS