Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-05-25
70 the People Of Morgan Coun-
Fellow CITIZENS

Ii is known 10 you, that the late elec.
ton for a cand date to repres nj you iE
the next General Assembly, was one
marked by On uncommon degree Of ex.
element and exertion, on the part OF the
candidates and their trends. had trust
= that the election woald have closed the
controve sy, as it certainly soNld have
done, had majority Of youI suEffsges
been cast FOR my opponent. Bas va ~
clded in my favor, IN spite u rs u ll
ence Of nearly every ppehc osfc T b he
county. My Opponent and his trends,
had through the influence, en- aflost *
elusive control Of the election, h9Yag on
his side, majority Of the Commissioners,
the Clerk Of byth Couus, the Sheriff aud
Deputy, the Elk Sheriff and Deputy, the
Assessor, large msjo'ily Of the County
Court, all the Conslables in the county
but one, the Attorney for the Comm n
wealth and the Commissioner oi Bank
/ ruptey. With tie Influence Of ell these
offics r., most actively and unscrupulousIs +,
and in some ins aaces am forced to be-
lieve, corruptly exercised in his behalf
he was def, ated by your suffrsees; but
Democrat and friend Of the people, as he
profrsges TO be, he is rot content W tn your
decision, but has notified me OF his inien-
ton 10 contest my seat, before the House
LOT Delegates y here BY the aid 81 partisan
majority, he vanity hopes to reverse yeur
decision. Thus the county is to be kept
IN turmoil and con 'usion and excitement,
during the greater part OF the year, 10 Ia
king testimony, snd no man can under.
take to say how long The Assembly Is to
be occupied, at an expense Of about ONE
THOUSAND DOLLARS DAY, 10 SUITE your
will and reverse your decision, IN laVor Of
my opponent, who has been deliberately
rejected by you. His sovereign pleasure,
however, is to b. your law and mlne.
For myself shill certainly not shrink
from an investigation OF tie polls, and
you, and the public, aud my opponent,
shall 10 due tma see on which side has
been the corruption, and tho Illegal
voting, and in whose favor oflicia! lnhu-
ence, despite of law, duty and official
oaths, has been prostituted ln this sug-
gastion | beg TO be- understood, as impu.
ting no blame 10 the Lody of the people.
Nv suspicious or rather my CONVICTIONS,
are aga nst seine Of those IN cfti and
seeking office. Al the election Of l542
the Sheriff at Fernour's precinct, was not
sworn, ard thus III legality OF the pol
was vtlated This if taken isantsge OF,
must have defeated tie Democratic candl-
date, but the Wing party and their candi~
date scorned to avail themselves OF the
irregulnlily, and permit the matter 10
rest as tie people Lad seemed TO decide
il.
Not having Il e same means, which my
opponent has OF satisfying myslt thor
oughly IS 10 the LEGALITY Il the votes,
through the friendship OF these officers,
il may b. that mny Contest some votes
on my opponents poll that are legal. II
il shall so turn out, my apology must be,
the want Of Information to which he has
free access, but have not. shall give
no unnc cessarv trolble, shall contest no
VOTE which have not reason 10 b. lleVe
| bad, upon The bC st information at my
commani; but pledge myself that VIII
ndusiriousy. enetg ticaIIy and iearlessly
devote mys If 10 the TASK If sustaining my
right 10 repr, sent you and your rg"t 10
| be represt nted according 10 your o"n VI
fairv and lawfully d clared; and II IN
the investigation the mask should be torn
from some, whom the public have believed
honest and con>c eatlous, and Their eek.
less misdeeds shall be exposed, I the
fault rest WITH lhJse who have stirred lhr
Coz trov'rsy
For myseIi am willing and anxious
!
to avoi the expense, sciimony and tur-
mol Of this contest, # | can do 1t with
p opcr reg ,rd tor your rights and mine.
| an desrous to save 10 The Stete, the
money that i; will cost 10 deciae 1t,
which may amount 10 more than my
opponent aud myself are worth toge-
her, and which the people must b ar !"
taxes, and in this view | propose To my
opponent, that il he thinks the popular
will, not fairly expressed n the late cleo
ton, we shall try It again. If he will
waive the contest will resign, IN the firm
hope and conviction, that another election
will leave no doubt even in his skeplcal
mind as to which of us is the choice OF
the people of MORGAN,
JNO. O'FERRALL.
Bath, May ls, 1913.
p. S. Since the publication of the
! bove in hand.bll form, ii has beer sug-
g4stcd to me-, that charge of otiic al cor
rupton, against all the officers referred
to, might be inferred. This suggestion
was made by The Attorney Of the Com
mon We. It'll, against whom as well as ..
guinst others named. intended no charge
of the corrupt prostitution Of official N.
fuence. All tn t | intended TO charge,
was that the prostitution OF official iniu-
ence, had come to MY knowledge, intend
ing that tn testimony to be taken in the
progress OF the contest should, as it GER
tainly shall connect The officia corruption,
with those who have been guilty OF it.
J OF.
A Novel CAsE.-The New York Cou-