Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1853-12-07

Having been announced in the papers OF
the County By Many Voters an Independent
Candidate for the Office Of Sheriff. il is due
to myself and friends that should publicly
state that that announcement was made with
my consent and that Ishsll remain candi-
date until the election is over.
As an effort has been made BY some per-
sons Of that portion Of the democratic party
favoring party nominations for County Off
ces to convey The impressinn iha,I was in
some way connected with the Wing party
by bargxin or intrigue 70 defeat The demo-
cratic nominee. deem il proper that !
should avail myself of this occasion TO give
i, an unqualified denial, and 10 publicly an
nounce the position ! occupy 10 the contest.
have no conceslments 10 make, nor
could be induced 10 seek or receive Of
fee through an unworthy connivance at
fraud upon the public confidence. ! am
ard ever have been firm and consistent
democrat, as the record will show in every
vote cast by me in elections Of purely
political character. BY the faith Of demo.
cratic principles and policy ! have ever
Stood, and expect to stand so long as they
are honestly asserted by the democratic par
| ~. bave indeed been faithful among the
| faithless, al times, as was illustrated in the
cons ressional election Of 1851, when stood
by and zealously supported Mr.. Bedinger,
the nominee Of the democratic congression-
al convention. when many OF those who are
now loudest in denouncing me as an incon-
sis,ent democrat, not only refused To sup
port the nominee bu, actually voted for Mr..
Faulkner who was al that time prominent
member Of the whis party, and was then
elected mainly by wing votes. Whilst |
have ever maintained my own political
principles firmly and zealously. as is well
known. have never been a quarrelsome or
wrangIing politician, according TO others the
same privileges which claimed for myself,
TO think and act after my own honest con-
victions.
But il is alleged by some Of my party
friends as an objection TO me that Gid not
support the democratic nominees. as they
were called. at the first election for county
officers under the new constitution. tits
true did moi support all the nominees, be-
cause was opposed then as am now. TO
mixing politics with Offices purely mlniste-
rial in thier character. In the jealous sup
port which on all proper occasions extend
ed TO the cause Of reform 10 Virginia, |
thought that one of the main abuses TO be
remedied was the removal Of the election
Of these Offices from the County Courts,
where they had become 10 a considerable
extent political. and 10 ninety cases in an
hundred wore the patty complexion of the
court, and we're TOO often used 10 advance
and as far as possible 10 perpetua,e the ap-
pointing power. The people were looked
to and expected TO correct this abuse of
power.
AT the first election under The new const-
tuition they did signaIly rebuke the effof.
made 10 perpetuate the old abuses, BY de-
fea,ing nominations almost every where
when they were made by either party in
the state. But if the objection were a valid
one 10 me. which repudisie. II would
come with IN grace from some Of those who
urge it. after their refusal TO support uomi-
nations Of strictly party and political char
acter, and on the contrary gave aid and COM
fort to the enemy.
My honest convictions have always taught
me tina, in the election Of Judges, Clerks
Of Courts, Sheriffs. &C., for the snminisisa-
ton Of Law and Justice tina, the democratic
test as lard down BY Jefferson aad Jackson,
Of honesty and capacity. only. ought 10 be
applied. Is he honest, is be capable, ought
to be the ruling consideration with every
voter, and not is he wbig or is he demo-
crat.
With these. views refused to vote for
political nominations al the frs, election
for county Offices, and with these views
am now before the voters Of the county as
an Independent candidate for the Sherifial-
iy, and pledge myself if il should be their
pleasure 10 cleo. me 10 faithfully and impair
tally discharge the duties as prescribed by
law.
To the respectable gentlemen who are
contesting the field with me, have no per.
sonal objection with each my personal re-
laiions are and hope will ever be Of the
most friendly character.
But TO the position of one OF them, al least,
| do object. He comes before the people
protesting 10 be the nominee Of what pro-
fessed 10 be democratic convention Of del
egates appointed from the several districts
oil the county. when il is notorious that in
two Of the eight districts (Gersrdstown and
Opequou) no meeting Of the democratic
party was held. and Of course no delegates
from those districts were appointed. But
on The day the miscalied convention as
sembed in Mar'nsburg, some few demo.
Gratis from the one district and one from the
other, being in town, were hunted up and
invited into the meeting and allowed 10 take
seats as delegates and cast the votes OF those
districts.
Now. what authority had those gentle.
men 10 cast the votes Of those who refused
TO assemble in their primary meetings and
send delegates to represent them. They
had no authority from the democratic voters
OF those districts, aud the convention had
no authority TO confer powers which the
voters themselves refused to delegate
Then | contend upon. conventional rules,
no democrat is bound 10 supper, any such
nomination, because il was not made by a
Toll convention Of delegates fairly appointed.
But It needs no argument TO prove the true
v..., 49, II l. l.