Staunton Spectator

The Louisville (Ky.) Courier says that whatever may be said of the Jacobins, lack of boldness is not among their sins. They have resolved to control this Government for another presidential term, and they have but little hesitation as to the means by which this object is to be accomplished. They find the President in their way, and they propose to impeach him. The Supreme Court thwarts some of their villainy, and immediately they take steps to render that great tribunal incapable of further harm. They find that if they should succeed in turning the President tout of office, they will be compelled, unless the law is changed, to have another election forthwith, and they are not sure but the popular indignation which would be aroused by the expulsion of the President from his office, would work a sufficient change in the public mind to defeat their candidate, which would of course upset all their plans. To obviate this difficulty they have already prepared a bill in Congress to suit the possible emergency. It provides that in case there being no President or Vice-President an election shall be held when ordered by Congress. In the meantime, the Speaker of the Senate, if thee is one, and the Speaker of the House, if there is not, shall hold the office. Thus they expect to keep the power in the hands of their party, in utter contempt of the popular will.-When will the American people return to their senses, and throttle this fell spirit of Jacobinism, which is leveling all the bulwarks of constitutional liberty before it?

"In the criminal courts of this country, whenever the blackest felon is arraigned at the bar of justice to answer for his crimes, each juror before he is permitted to sit in the case, is asked by the Judge 'whether he has formed or expressed any opinions as to the guilt or innocence of the accused?' If he has, he is disqualified as a juror. By this rule which protects felons, is Charles Sumner qualified to sit in trial and judgment upon the President? If the laws do not accord the right of peremptory challenge to Andrew Johnson; if there is no one to ask Senators 'whether they have formed or expressed an opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the accused,' where are Charles Sumner's shame and conscience if he shall desire to sit in the trial of the man whom he but yesterday vilified and denounced, when he knew at the time that if Andrew Johnson should be impeached, he would be a member of the court? Such a shameless want of delicacy, we believe, would send a hurricane of hissing scorn at the man whom Brooks' righteous rattan once banished from the Senate for a twelve-month."

Hon. A. H. H. Stuart left Staunton for Richmond on last Friday morning, as a Commissioner to adjust and settle the difficulties existing between the States of Virginia and West Virginia, and will be absent a week or ten days.

Billy Wilson, a freedman was committed to jail on Monday, charged with the burning of a barn on Saturday night last, belonging to Wm. A. Mann, on Christian's Creek. He says he was hired by another negro man to do the deed.

Two negro men, Wm. and Henry Bird, (brothers) were committed to jail on Sunday charged with the burning of a house, on the last Friday night, belonging to John Hogshead, near Parnassus, in Augusta county.

We were startled by the cry of fire on Tuesday evening last, about 7 o'clock, and on going out discovered that the small house on the lot of Mr. Wm. A. Burke, on the Western border of the town was wrapped in flames. The fire was occasioned by the bursting of a kerosene lamp, and throwing water on the burning oil. The house was occupied by a freedman named Tom Burke and his family. Be careful how you handle your lamps as some of the oil now sold is very explosive.

A meeting was held in the Fireman's Hall on last Wednesday night, for the purpose of organizing a Building Association. Most of the persons present, not being acquainted with the workings of an organization of this kind, and desiring time to understand its operations more thoroughly, the permanent organization of the Association was postponed until next Wednesday (to-morrow) night. A committee of five was appointed to draft a constitution and by-laws for the government of the Association, which will be submitted to the meeting on to-morrow night for its adoption or rejection. Books are now open for subscription to stock, and persons wishing to become members of the Association can do so by calling on Mr. H. Ker, and subscribing to stock. None but stockholders are allowed to vote on the adoption of a constitution and by-laws. It is a mutual benefit company in which every one should feel an interest.

The Philomathesians met in the Temperance Hall on last Saturday night and discussed the question-"Which is the most desirable form of government-Monarchial or Republican." The debate was opened by D. E. Strasburg, in the affirmative, and E. Effinger, in the negative, after which an animated and spirited discussion took place, in which the following young gentlemen participated. Messrs. O'Ferrall, Harrison, Taylor and Points, on the negative, and Messrs. Richardson, Oultman, Moore, Turner and Kinney, on the affirmative side of the question. The question being put to the vote of the society, it was decided in the negative.

The question for discussion on next Saturday night is-"Was the execution of Charles First justifiable." Mr. M. W. Chewning will open the debate in the affirmative and Mr. Ed. Kinney in the negative.

To the Members of the Lewisburg Thespian Society.

GENTLEMEN:--Our manager received the copy of the "Lewisburg Times" sent him by you a few days since, and returns his thanks for it. In reply to the challenge therein, we beg to say, that being simply novices in the art of acting, we feel that our incompetency will not permit us to accept the trial for the championship which you propose, and must therefore, respectfully decline. We have never, for a moment, entertained the idea that ours is THE Thespian Society, and could not think, for several reasons, of attempting to rob you of the laurels, which you say none but yourselves have a right to, so we are satisfied to let you wear them all. Were we patronized and favored by our citizens as the Yankee Show and Yankee Wyman were, could easily entertain and accept such propositions as the one you have made us. As it is, we are now in a fair way to offer the people here some inducements to attend our entertainments, having recently secured the services of some good players, and having now in rehearsal some excellent pieces which cannot fail, we think, to gain us large audiences. We have discovered that we must do more than the Circus and Wyman in order to get our townspeople to sustain us, and when we succeed in doing this, and we are making every effort to do so, we may accept your challenge, for then we can find judges enough here which will obviate the necessity of our going to Lewisburg, as we would be obligated to do, were we to accept your challenge now. We were organized for the benefit of patriotic and charitable objects, but we have not paid the debt incurred in building our stage yet, much less given any of the aforementioned commendable objects the proceeds of one or more of our entertainments as we had hoped to do.

We have several flourishing female schools here which our sisters and sweethearts attend, but the teachers object to their coming to our entertainments, because they say they are not perfectly moral and insist upon the girls going to hear dry (to them) political and financial debates at the Lyceum instead.

We have been wondering whether or not these same teachers think that we, proud as we are of our esteem for the ladies and of our respect for ourselves, would bring anything before them in the way of a play which would be the least immoral, when we so carefully avoid the selection of obscene plays.

We cannot speak for the Harrisonburg Thespians, gentlemen, who, we believe, like everything down there will do occasionally, are "on a bust," though we expect you will hear from them in due time. For the present, at any rate, we beg to decline your challenge, and to be Yours respectfully,

STAUNTON THESPIANS.