Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-02-27
From the Charle.town Free Press.


In pursuance of the notice heretofore
published there was numerous assem-.
blage ortho Wings of Jefferson at the
Court House on Monday last. The meet
ing was organized by calling SAMUEL w.
LAKELAND to the Chair, and appointing
f. |. LEE, Jr., Sec'ry.
On he motion of DR.. Richard S. Black.
burn, a committee ofsix were appointed
to recommend the measures to be adopted
by the meeting.
The Chair appointed tie Committee
r. S. Blackburn, Henry Berry, John
Moler, Thomas Undertake, Andrew
Hunter, Thomas B. Willis.
The following letter from Mr.. JOHN F.
SMITH was handed to the Chair, and, at
his request, read to the meeting:
CnARLEsTowN, Feb. 18th, 1889.
Fellolc- Citizens
Having been announced as Candidate
to represent this County in the next Gen
eral Assembly OF Virginia, and seeing in
the -" Free Press" of last week, two calls
upon the Wings to assemble at the Court
House, this day, for the purpose ofnomi-
mating suitable candidates to represent
them, | feel it my duty to inform this
meeting the motive which prompted me
to appear in the character now 90 before
the voters OF this county.
First.-I had been informed that our
present Representatives. in the Legislature
would not again consent to serve.
Second. being prompted by many vo-
tiers of the Smiihfeld district, was indu-
ced to consent that my name might be an.
nounced as a candidate however, not I'M
til had taken an excursion through the
neighborhood and found it appreciated by
many ofmy political as well as other)
friends.
Third. That as heretofore, an indivi-
dual in humble circumstances in life, is
hardly or ever thought Of as a candidate,
except through course similar to the one
have taken, by which he is then before
the public and his claims canvassed.
Fourth, and last at prescnt,-lt is a
well known fact, that our town (Smith.
feld) has never had a candidate since 1t
has been a town while all the rest of the
towns of the county, almost, have had re.
peatedly their delegates.
These, lellow-citizens, are few, Of the
many reasons, which here this day ad-
duce, and to which respectfully call the
attention Of this meeting.
The public's humble servant.
JOHN F. SMITH.
After the reading of the letter the en-
quiry was made of Mr.. Smith whether he
was willing to abide by the proceedings
and nominations of the meetingl To
which he replied in substance that he had
pledged himself to his friends to be a can
didate, and that he should not withdraw
in any event.
The committee having returned, through
A. Hunter, Esq, their Chairman, recon-
mended the appointment, by ballot, oftwo
gentlemen as the Wing candidates for the
LegIslature-anG that the Chair appoint 8
delegates to meet in Convention with del
egateS from the other Counties ofthis Con-
gresslonal district, at Winchester, on the
18th March next, for the purpose of
selecting suitable candidate for Con-
gress.
The recommendation ofthe Committee
being approved Of the meeting proceeded
70 ballot. the result Of which was that
WILLIAM c. WORTHINGTON, Esq,
and SAMUEL d. BAKER, Esq, were
selectcd-who, in handsome and appro-
pirate terms, expressed their sense of the
confidence manifested by their fellow-cit.
izeus, and then willingness to serve.
A motion was then made by Matthew
Ransom, Esq, to increase the number of
delegates to the proposed convention at
Winchester TO ten, which was carried
and the Chair Amounted tho following