Year: 1861



 ernor Rector in every good thing he might | do. When his measures, or the steps taken by others for him, appeared to us to be er- TOTS, we nevertheless kept our peace, and were willing to give them a fair trial. He had it in his power to make a glorious re- cord; one that should do him honor in days to come. If he had risen above prejudice and shaped his course in accordance with spirit that should have actuated a man in his position, he would have commanded respect where, alas, he now meets contume ly. It was with regret we saw different course pursued, and even then we held our peace When the convention met and his former friends turned against him; when they talked seriously of deposing him, it was the friends of the editor of this paper who stood between him and them, who plead for him and stayed their hands.

 The great mischief to the State had been done before the creation of the Military Board. Before the State had seeded, half a million of dollars in specie had been drawn from the treasury, and of this vast sum only forty thousand dollars had been expended in and about the purchase of arms. Discussions had been sown, jealou- sies created, sectional differences excited and bitter feelings engendered. The family hangers on were all in full feather and the State was bleeding at every pore. Two remedies were suggested: One was the deposition of the nominal head of the faml- ly. and the other was the creation of the Military Board. We attach no credit to ourselves for the adoption Of the latter course, but Justitia and the other family drones, may thank their stars it was done, for had not the Board been created they would have been uncermoniouslyto torn from the flesh pots oveA which they are now gormandizing and growing.

 But this self-constituted champion of the Military Board, who, under cover of de- fense, makes an attack on us, complains that we have not lauded and praised his lord and master. We suggest that there may be two or three good reason for this. There may have been nothing praise worthy, and we are not of Justitia's stripe; not of the praising kind, nor disposed to give tour most cordial approbation' of men or measures unless our judgment ap- proves the one or the other But this quasi.defender of the board and his kidney opposed its formation, and have abused 1t in their little coteries and in public from its very creation, taking care however to ex- onerate their chief. And we do not know whether the questions Justitia asks, are in derision or seriously put. He deserves credit for telling us some things the Board has done of which the people were left en- tirely ignorant He says the Board has organized and sent into service six or eight regiments; armed and equipped them as we'll as they could and sent them to the borders, have placed considerable and imposing force at exposed points, and pro- vided for them as well as their means would allow. So far, so good, but we thought these regiments were organized by others, and that the convention had something to do with sending them to the frontier However, it is not our wish to detract one iota from the merits of the Board. We will go further and say that we believe the advisers have been actuated by patriotic motives. They intended to do right. But we may be permitted to modestly express the opinion that they are not intallible.- They may have been deceived in some cases, and influenced in others by bad councillors. No set of men in their position could hope or should attempt to please everybody.- We do not impugn their motives, but we ] claim the right to express an opinion of such of their acts as affect the general well fare. And because Rector beat Johnson, or because of any political triumph or de- feat heretofore, the True Democrat Is not denied the right of its opinion, nor does the political success of any man place his con duct above examination and judgment.

 We regretto see, at this time, the foolish, spiteful and personal attack in the Gazette. If the Board needed defense, proper one might have been written. Our columns are open for such purpose. And if we have been premature, or wrong in our struc- lures upon It's acton, we will, when con vinced thereof, cheerfully say so. Such camp followers as Justitia are out of their sphere in these times.

 In political contest and the strife of party warfare, such men may find an ap- propriate place, but in times like these, when men should lay aside all political animosities, and look to the good of the country alone; when every man should be a patriot; and all bitterness and i'll feeling should be avoided, such a man is like fish out of water.

 And we advise him not to provoke dis cussion now, nor an examination into the management of affairs at this time.

 Even supposing opposition to squander' ing the means of the State to be criminal on the part of those who did not favor the election of Gov. Rector, and that such are to be muzzlad, according to the Governors defender, he will probably find warm op- position from those who voted for and sup ported him. PHILLIPS CoUNTY.-By letter from distin- gushed lawyer of Helena, we are able to state po- sitively that Phillips county has already subscribed eight or ten thousand bales to the confederate loan,