Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-07-27
JACKSON G. H.. July 10, 1853.

SIR 81 find in a number of the
g North Western Observer" an article
signed "Viator," in regard to the late
election which took place in this district
for a member Of Congress, and as it casts
some impulations upon the citizens of
this county, needs some slight comment.
The communication refer to, holds this
language. LII is now well understood that
Mr.. Lewis was cheated out of the nomi-
nation at the Parkersburg Convention /;
and unless this jackson vote is satisfacto-
rily explained. it will be equally evident
that he was defrauded out of the certiti
cate of election" What object "Viator"
has in view in giving vent to his feelings
in the above language, cannot imagine,
unless it acts as safety valve by which
escapes the spleen and unpleasant feel.
ings engendered by the recent defeat oil
Mr.. Lewis.
The people at the polls said inlanguage
not to be misunderstood, that they would
not endorse the course pursued by Mr.
Lewis and his friends in the Parkersburg
Convention With that verdict the
friends of Mr. Snodgrass were willing to
rest satisfied, but "Viator'' does not seem
content He is not willing that a MAORI
ty of the people should say who shall rep
resent them. As then, the people were
convinced whose conduct they should
most applaud, SO l will try and convince
.'Viator," and at least. if not him the peo-
pie, that there was no fraud used in cast
ing the vote of Jackson county. "Nia-
tor does not seem to have seen the act of
Assembly passed March II. 1853.
Chap. loo, sec. |, of the acts of AS.
sembly of 1853. amongst other things,
provides. That the commissioners APP
pointed by the 76lh section of the act
passed April Q, 1852. shall lay off the two
districts in Jackson county. lying on the
Ohio river, and that portion of the county
of Writ added to the county of Jackson,
by the act passed Feb. 18th. 1853, emit
tied an act to add part of the county of
Writ to the county of Jackson, into four
districts, and shall appoint two additional
places for holding elections within the
said districts"
"7his is a plain question:" indeed
Jackson county had ten places of hold
ing elections previous to the law ust re-
ferred to. By that act, two new pref
cincts were authorized. and by the &C,
annexing portion of Writ 10 the count
of jackson, two additional precincts wer
taken from Writ. BY reference to tn
Order Book OF Jackson County Court, it
will be seen that officers TO conduct the
elections were appointed for the four
teen precincts. in accordance with the act
above referred to, and with Chapter 8.
sect. l, of the last acts of Assembly,
which provides that, I'm elections for
members of the General Assembly, Go
vernon, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney
General. Commissioner of Public Works,
for representatives in Congress, and for
electors for President and Vice Presi-
dent of the United States, polls shall be
opened at the Court houses of the several
counties and corporations, and at all pla-
ces of voting in the several counties and
corporations, for the election of Justices,
and other county and corporation officers"
''Viator" seems to have forgotten that
the citizens coming into the county of
Jackson from Writ were entitled TO vote
at all, for he exhibits a holy horror at
the increase from 1913 votes, cast at the
Presidential election, to 1909 votes cast
at the recent election. But "Viator'
would be less astonished at the number
of votes cast, had he remembered that
there were six candidates for the legisla-
ture in Jackson county. and that justices
and other county officers were elected
from the new districts, and that the
friends of each candidate were anxious
that every man should be at the polls.
And If "Viator" will refer to the poll
books Of Writ county. he will find that the
two precincts which have been added To
this county from Writ, generally polled
more than III votes. An enduring
mind, and ole not wishing to be mista-
ken, would have aseertained all these
things, before making such sweeping
charges against the integrity of the citi-
zens of a county, as those made by Via
tor. and would have learned what the