Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-01-23


Staunton Leader with the editorial
calling me 'turncOat for political
preferment. and thee dDominion
Sun with an editorial in reply to il.
I Yes, | did change my Jacket, after
| was paroled, Cor civilian suit,
Just as all other Confederate sol
diers did but | didn't hide my gray
jacket for was then and now am.
proud Of 1t. You can see It, with
hat and bust in Confederate uni
form, preserved in glass case in
the National Museum in Washing
ton.
So far as party management is
concerned, | have never been a
politician. | have, however. al
ways taken an interest In public
questions. | never in my life took
part in political caucus or con-
vention, except in 1869, in meet
ing at Warrenton, in which | took
an active interest TO get Jimmie
(nOw judge) Keith nominated for
the Legislature as a stepping stone
to his promotion to the bench. |
was then one of the few Confeder-
ateS of any prominence who was
not under political disability.
Then was my opportunity if | had
wanted political preferment. l
did seek it for others. The election
was on July 9th. Walker, the
Confederate candidate for Cover
nor, was announced to speak in
NarrentOn on a certain day in
June. 1t happend to be the day
on which Dougless Tayler was
married at the home of his bride
Miss Harrison) near Upperville.
in Loudoun. Walker came that
morning on the train from Alex
andria. Before it arrived all the
gentlemen at Warrenton, who have
since won political honors, left for
the wedding. / was invited to it.
but stayed there. | regarded the
election as contest between civil
lization and barbarism, and as
Walker, Northern man, was dis
tasteful to our people, hoped that
my example might have some infu-
ence to gain votes for him in spite
of their prejudices. remember
saying then that | would as soon
have thought of riding to the rear
when ! ordered my men to charge.
as to leave Warrenton that day.
l introduced Walker and made n
speech, which was reported in the
Richmond papers. You know the
victory we won. | got no benefit
from 1t except in common with all
Virginia people. As Virgil SAYS.
Sic vos non vobis."
Some years afterwards. when
General Grant had becomea private
citizen, the late a. II. III. Stuart
published letter giving General
Grant great credit for the aid he
gave Virginia people in getting rid
of military government. When
Grant was a candidate in 1872. and
was supporting him, Just as / had
supported Walker, Mr.. Stuart did
not seem to remember what Grant
had done for US. When it became
convenient, he refreshed his
memory. | have no criticism to
make of the Southern people who
did notapprove my political course
in 1872; but say this much. that
if they had followed me then. |
would have led them to victory.
and the capet bag government
would have fallen by natural pro-
cess, just as a rotten apple falls
from a tree. You know that there
was no man in Virginia whom the
carpet baggers hated as they hated
me, as was the only man who had
the power to harm them. The last
appointment / got General Grant
to make few days before he left
the White House was a Confeder-
ate soldier, Braxton, to be collector
of the port at Norfolk. His oppo-
nent was a Union soldier. who had
been wounded and had all the
carpet bad influence behind him.
l stood alone for Braxton. and had
no sympathy from the Democratic
politicians in Virginia. If General
Grant were living, there is no act
which he did through my advice
which he would regret. If / had
chosen TO swim on the popular
tide, / think that | had as fair a
prospect as many of the favorite
sons whom the State has honored.