The Virginian

MR. Stevenson's Defence.--It seems as if the wars of the last Presidential contest are not to terminate with the campaign, and as if the bad feelings they must engender are to be carried with redoubled violence into the next. The reply of Mr. Stevenson to Mr. Sloane's charge, which we publish to-day sustained by Mr. Brent's clear and unequivocal evidence of declarations made by Mr. Stevenson directly contrary to those attributed to him by Mr. Sloane, would be perfectly satisfactory to our minds of his innocence, were it not that we are at a loss to find an adequate motive for Mr. Sloane's conduct, if he has told a falsehood-and were it not further for the failure of Mr. Stevenson, on other and recent occasions, to sustain his positive denial of having made assertions attributed to him by men of high character, and which were of a character too important & novel to be forgotten, if they were made. Even with these drawbacks, however, we find it difficult to resist the impression that, in this instance, Mr. Sloane either misunderstood Mr. Stevenson, or that he has wilfully and deliberately slandered him,--But, why does not Mr. Stevenson attempt to vindicate himself from the effect of other imputations on his veracity or his memory, one of which is sustained by citizens of Richmond, of unblemished character and who are so well known to be such that even Mr. Stevenson need not fear being 'brought in competition' with them. & who cannot be treated with the contempt which is affected (or perhaps which is really felt it ought to be if he is no calumniator) towards Mr. Sloane? For instance, Mr. Blair and Mr. Cowling, of Richmond, assert that Mr. Stevenson remarked, 'if Mr. Adams was re-elected President, the Union would be dissolved'-Mr. S denied it-they reiterated the fact-and Mr S is silent ! Again-Mr. Stevenson is charged with having attributed to Mr. Van Buren an observation relating to the change of the Electoral law of New York should it be necessary to elect Gen. Jackson-- he denies the charge-men of respectability and standing come forth at the denial, over their own proper signatures, declaring that they heard him relate Mr. Van Buren's remark -and he is silent! Now, if it be that in these cases, Mr. Stevenson's memory was treacherous, (and who can doubt it ) Mr. Sloane's statement cannot be regarded with absolute and entire distrust. Yet, still, we say Mr Stevenson's defence is very plausible. and we shall believe it to be conclusive, unless Mr. Sloane shall controvert it by better evidence than he has yet produced.

We have great cause to regret the too frequent occurrence of these direct collisions of statement among men of elevated standing in our country. We regret it for humanity's sake, as well as for the character of our country. which cannot fail to suffer by it, in the estimation of foreign nations, which doubtless seize every occasion of this sort, which occurs, to throw discredit on popular elections and on Republican government.