Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-10-23

Your nerves were 9nstrung. You were
unable, and yet more unwilling TO face the
tempest You were advised that Mr..
Tompkns would resign The office Of Gov
ern1r. Under such state Of things the
legislature convened in January 1871. SO
vehement bad been your denunciations Of
Mr.. Clinton, that it appeared impossible
for you TO advocate bis election. On The
other hand so coy had been your policy
respecting internal improvements. that
neither party expected you 10 move 10
The rlsnt or TO the left
AZ al times previous 10 this year, since
legislative caucssing bad come into fash
ION, the democratic members alone on
s'iiuied the caucus twas supposed that
The members during this session were
nearly balanced, for and gainst Mr.. Gin
tna This was AZ awkward position for
yon. ~ len1ih On experiment wAs pro
posed ~ the Cintonisns. Cand have 81
ways believed wi;n your secret appr9bt
ton Cha tbe counties which were repre-
suied by fedef8lisis should elect delegates
fJtbe caYans Fhese e00aties it was
vel kaawo sanld greatly Increase Mr..
ti'atoF's strength, and insure him an over
"helming majority in caucus suspect
| eli, at the lime, that you were pleased with
the project Of receiving delegates from
federal counties, but that you had not the
lirmness TO avow il openly.
On the ID Of March, 1917, il was de
termined to admit the delegates above re.
ferred to- On the 7th Of March, fire days
after,) the Albany Argus, your mouth
piece. contains the following remark -
/" liberation add iiberslny are at all times
commcndabIe /, especially so among men
protesting sameness Of motive and object
They are political virtues; and mutually
benefit those who receive and who recipro
cate them" The point of the finger could
not be mistaken. Occurrences like this
created dIstrnst 10 the minds of those who
best knew your character. Previous TO
the grand caucus, however several preiI
mlnary meetings were held by the anti
Clintonians one. believe, about the goth
OF March, at your house. II was then de-
termlned. (and you assented to the propo
sltion,) that as soon as MIR Clinton was
nominated, the minority should withdr aw.
AT length, in the evening OF the 9th of
March, 1917, the convention met, and MIR.
Clinton, as anticipated. was nominated;
when 10, and behold you rose, sir, and
moved. that the nomination should be
unanimous. Had one arisen from the dead
and spake, it could not have created more
surprise All was hesitancy, indecsion,
and confusion IN the ranks of the anti
Clintonians. Some retired. while others,
at lass what TO do, remained behind
We'll do remember a conservation which
held next morning with some Of the Hot
spurs AT the Eagle tavern. The die, how
ever, was cast MIR. Clinton was nomina
ted, and the canal policy was settled. 1t
was then, and not till then, that you sup
ported the system OF internal improve
mcnt Yonr first vote in favor of appro-
prIations for The canal, was about the
middle Of April; say. three weeks after
this, your last somerset, into the Clintonian
ranks, where We again find you safe
landed, for a short time. Your PROPOSE
ton for unanimity did not gain you the
confidence OF man in either party. Your
subsequent vote, however, in favor of the
canals, although 1t was not necessary soft
ened the asperlty of some-ef the western
people. Here, then, in tho caucus, was
exhibited another instance Of perfdy TO
your friends, and duplicity to the Gin
lonians. Does such proiligate conduct re-
luire from ne any comment?
In my next letter, Ipropose to refresh
your memory on the subject of your OPP
position TO Mr. Kings appointment in
1919, 10 the Senate of the United States,
and your support of him in 1920. How
far you felt interested in sending Sena-
Tor to oppose the southern interests on the
Missouri question, of which opposition
Mr.. King was known to be the leader,
you may explain at your leisure. ! shall
give the historical fact, and will prove, by
an extract from one OF your own letters,
that the Missouri question engaged your
attention, at the moment you were adyo-
eating MIR. Kings election.
PATRICK HENRY