Staunton Vindicator

"If this contruction obtains--if the Federal Government refuses to interpose to prevent such inroads as that which took place at Harper's Ferry, while Virginia is forbid by the Federal constitution, to protect herself--she must of necessity go out of the Union, and provide for her own defence."

The following letter from the editor and proprietor of the "Eclectic Magazine," (to a gentleman in this place) of denial of all knowledge of, and responsibility for, the action of his agent Rood, who was arrested in Charlottesville on suspicion of tampering with slaves, we publish with pleasure. It has never been our desire to misrepresent or injure any one, either in their person or business, and if unintentionally we do the one or the other, we are always ready, when approached in the proper manner, to make all the reparation in our power.--The fact that the agent of a Magazine, who was sent about by its editor to procure subscribers in the South, had been caught tampering with the slaves of the community in which he happened to be, was, we thought, sufficient evidence to convict his employer of complicity, or at least knowledge of his designs; but we are willing to receive his emphatic disclaimer, and acquit him of either complicity or knowledge of the affair. We are al! so, as a reader of the Eclectic, willing to bear testimony to the general soundness and conservatism of that magazine:

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I should regret to find myself deceived in the views and conduct of the agent to whom you allude, especially in the face of his own solemn declarations. But I am not his keeper. He is not under my control or direction, as such. But if he has, by word or deed, knowingly and intentionally done aught to disturb the peace, or trench on the rights of the community, where he many happen to be, then I am with you to denounce him to the law, and invoke that stern old magistrate to teach him better manners and a proper regard to the rights of others. He can have no sympathy from me beyond his good behavior. I disclaim all responsibility on his account.

I thank you for your kind testimony to the course of the Eclectic as unexceptionable during the long years in which you have been its reader and patron. I enclose you a slip of the cover upon which I printed, some sixteen months ago, an expression of my views. I hope and trust the good opinions and confidence of our friends in the South will not be easily disturbed or impaired in regard to the Eclectic, without good reason. Let me say, I shall feel personally obliged to the editor of the "Vindicator"--a slip of which you enclosed--if he will make some kind explanation of the matter, using this hasty letter if needful, to neutralize the injurious effects of the paragraph, which I am sure he would not unnecessarily do. But enough. My pen has run on beyond my intention in replying to your very friendly note.