Year: 1867

!
nate sixty dollars for the purchase of
prizes to be awarded by teachers, to
meritorious pupils, at the expiration OF
the current school year.


The Teachers desire to express their
appreciation of the interest which you
have ever manifested in educational
matters, and particularly in the prosper
ity of the public schools of this city.
They would, furthermore, express their
gratitude for the many evidences OLA
disposition on your part, to aid and en-
courage teachers in the performance of
their arluous and responsible duties.


+. S. WILLIAMS,


District Supt of Schools, on behalf of


the Teachers.


Defense of Jndge Thompson-His
Course vindicatcd und His Aspersers


Answered-The Intciiigeucer and


Hts Yindictivencss.


Editor of the Register:


For five years and five months Judge
Thompson has been the object of Bit
ter and relentless persecution on both
sides of the line of the rebellion, and it
seems it is not yet ended. Must this
last alwaysi If others can change
opinion and conduct and be honored in
the breach, cannot he be left!alone in
the pursuit of a quiet life and tho prose-
cution of his studies, to which the
thoughts, the labors, and the true sym
pathies of his life, since an early age,
have devoted himf In May, 1861, he
was Judge of the Goth Judicial Circuit
of Virginia. In the counties of Marshall
and Ohio he then charged the Grand
Juries that tho Constitution of the
United States was the supreme law of
the land, and must be respected and
obeyed by the people of Virginia. And
he further charged that under this Con-
stitution, and subordinate to it, the
Constitution and the laws of Virginia
were also part of the framework of
the Government, and that these must
be respected and obeyed that all acts
done in virtue or color of secession were
null and void; that ACKNOWLEDGMENT
of the State was illegal, uncon-
stitutional and wrong unless done
under and in virtue of the
constitutional provisions providing for
such cases, &c, &c. This charge was
SO satisfactory, so just and wise, SO COM
mended itself to the good judgment, the
sound morality and the calm patriotism
of that GrandJury, that they unanimous
| ", by written request, desired him to
publish it. The records of that time
will show who they were, and that
among them are some of the most infiu-
entail Republicans of the city. 1t was
published by the Wheeling Intelligencer
and q large number of extras were sent
to every part of Virginia, which could
be reached, by gentlemen who took an
interest in the questions involved. 1t
was read in the first convention which
was held in Wheeling, and there had a
general appreciation, and Senator Will
| lev made speech embodying its princi-
ples. 1t was the judicial PRONUNCIATION
of an honest opinion founded upon the
constitutions and the laws of the land
and such as the Judge, by his oath of Of
flee, was bound to maintain. For tins
he was virtually removed from his Of
flee by the secession convention
at Richmond. For this and
for never yielding his convictions
on this subject, time and again he was
assailed in Richmond, and there de-
nounced because while a prisoner in
Camp Chase he opposed and denounced
the doctrine of secession and there said
if he was unjustly and in violation of
the Constitution of the United States
sent across the lines he would never
take an oath to support the Confederacy
until its independence was acknowl-
edged and he should be included in its
territorial boundaries, and then he
would submit to what wOuld be fixed
fact of revolution. Thus for standing
by his integrity as judge and main-
tanning his principles, has he been placed
between the upper and the neither mill
stones.


He was never opposed to the division
Of Virginia, but wished it to be the re-
suit of deliberation and law, though he
has always thought, and has so fire.
ouently said, that the present division
as to territory was an unfortunate one
for this part of the State, and time is
already beginning to justify this opin-
ion. This was his position. He was
assailed by both parties, while never
entertaining principle or sympathy
which did not look to the ultimate res
toration of the Union. He had and has
reasons and sympathies more deep and
profound than any mere political consid-
erations for this unity and power OF the
American people, and for IN end which
cannot be attained without this unity
and power. Time will show this. Next
to, or rather paramount to the political
freedom of mankind, his cherished pur-
pose was the moral freedom and eman-
cipatiOn of mind.


But if the act Of secession was o
nullity by the State, under the Consti-
tuition and the laws, he was still judge
and his virtual removal by the secession
convention was also nullity, and sure
ly, continuing to hold his Office with
such principles and purposes and dec
llarations, he did not hold his Office un-
der the seeded State but under the
Constitutions and laws under which he
was duly and rightfully elected. SO
holding it, he WAS morally and IN the
strictest sense of law entitled to the
salary of his Office. So clear is this
proposition, that but short time since
the newspapers have informed MS that a
distinguished jurist of this State, now
and for some time past a member Of the
bar, upon these rightful and legal
grounds is now prosecuting his claim
for his own salary in the court at Rich
mond. Judge Thomson, during all these
times, exercised no functions of office.
He simply let things take their consti-
tutionai direction, and such modifica-
tions as the revolution has annexed to
them. Not one cent of salary was ever
received by him, as will appear from
official papers. On the 12tlf of October,
1862, with the knowledge and apprOba-
tion of Major General John A. Dix,
in command at Fortress Monroe and
in charge of the correspondence
by flag of truce, between the North and
South, in a long letter personally en-
dorsed to him, "a portion Of which has
been furnished by a gentleman who had
it for professional use and which is left
with the editor of this paper) the Judge
d;h sand an order to q gentleman in the