Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1854-10-18
FRANKLIN THOMAS.
10 the Editor Of The Gazette.

: TO the Editor Of the Gazette!
The Virginia Republican" has fulfilled il
promise, made some weeks ago, TO notice Mr.
Newcomers Address to the People ofthe County
ii l. generally understood TO be the production
Of another individual than the Editor.
It's attempt TO relieve the Clique from th'
odium, which attaches to it. l shall not notice
To do SO would be waste Of time. No Party
Press, or Party Contributors Of Editorials, can
in the slightest degree remove the universal i'm.
preston, which prevails among men Of mtcili-
gence. IS to the fact that Clique in the Demo
cratic party. thst should nophsrs have control
or influence much less in Berkeley County
does here continue to delule aud rule large
number Of voters.
Nor have any concern 10 rcpel the imputa-
tons upon MFR. Ncwcomer--becausc the people
Of the County know how TO estimate him and
his supposed sssailant. The same reason, |
trust, will induce him to regard with utter in
difference this personal attack upon him
His friends and sui'portc-s--and the advocates
I of hat principleo Of Independence, asa candidate
/ for a County Office, which he, sincerely and
| openly in defiance of o Iarty nomination. asser-
ted in the late contest-have, however, an inter
est in putting on the record for the future some
facts-~too well known il is true, to be adverted
to for any purpose of communicating Informal
ton at the present time.
The Editorial, referred to, speaks OF the means
resortcd to in the late clccton-and "the Re-
publican has cmbellshed its columns with
sundry charges and specifications at different
times from which strangers ard those, who
like to be deluded, might imagine that the eau
Gus candidates active friends-the Clique in
other words--wsre Saints and Mr., Newcomers
friends followers Of the Gentleman in Black.
shall not notice its charges farther than to say
that. so pervading among the people of the
County is the knowledge Of the conduct of this
clique in the election just passcd-so fully APP
priscd is every one Of the incidents of the cleo
tion--so harmless and absurd, TO helast degree,
therefore. are these Editorials it is utterly
unnecessary to exhibit the shifts and intrigues
and bribery, on the part of the friends Of the
caucus HemiRee.
There was one kind Of means, however, resor-
ted to well understood the knowledge of
which should be perpetuated. ! refer to the
Commissioners Of Election.
The history of that matter should not be I'M
WRITTEN because the public is well satisfied that
no personal exertions or infuence--no money
power, even--no energy or zeal Of any ind.lvid-
ual or Northumberland Mr.. CuShwa.
The appointment of Commissioners, for the
first election, on the o5th Of Nay, was made by
a Court composed of Messrs John H. Likens,
Lewis Grantham and Owen T. Hedges.
The public knows hots few friends of Mr.
Newcomer were among these Commissioners |
state the fact herc-that one who could speak
kuowingly-a prominent friend and advocate Of
Mr.. Cushwa-is cre.iby ported to have stated,
that the appointment OF these Commissioners
were worth mr. rotes to him!
The election. came off on the o5th of May, and
Cushwa received twenty-one nominal majority.
The brst evidence that it was nominal, was,
that in the nsrt EIection---on the Sd Of August
ut least thirig of those roifs, that had been
challenged by mr.. Ncrcomer did not dare to
/ uofe!
/ The second set Of Commissioners for the Cd
| Aug was one of men of high character. Noob-
lection was, or could have been raised to them.
This second election would have settled the con-
test bat for admission, notwithstanding. of a
considerable number of Illegal votes for Mr..
Cushwa. Ii was tie however-as the polls
stood-and then come on the last trial.
The appointment of the Commissioners OF tho
last election was the turning point in the strug-
gle. The proposition was made to the Court
proposition coming from the party that made
the fragrant appointment Of Commissioners OF
the first election TO eire M CuShwa's friends
a majority of he Commissioners in one half Of
the precincts. This was done unthinkingy-
and at the precincts where these majorities were
wanted for him-and it defeated Mr.. Newcomer
The Republican incite Mr.. Cushwa's
friends to eXerion-spoke Of it, before the elec.
ton, as an 'ADvANTAGE"-which could only
mean that illegal votes could thereby be polled
for its candidate!
The poll books show, accordingly, what is
notorious, that very large number of illegal
votes for Mr.. Cushwa, Were taken by the Com
missionerS in the last olcction--to say nothing
Of the zeal impaired to Mr., Cushwa's friends by
the knowledge of the fact of this "adraniager
inlthe appointment commissioners gave them
} do not mean here to arraign those Commission.
ers who allowed these illegal Votes. Their con.
! duct and decisions in individual eases are well
known among those who had an opportunity O
seeing and determining for themselves. Such
was their action that, at several of the preeints
> the other Commissioners left the polls.
This appointment Of Commissioners, il was
5 which defeated Mr. Newfoundland nothing
? elsa defeat which crowns the victors with ne
q laurels, and which will not, hereafter, as thei
knowing ones well apprehend, enure to thei
F.; ''odran'age'-and, hence, the Editorial in oucs
ton, which seeks to make capital out of tn
slender stock in hand upon which its author
ira hes.
lg0Vn hi1,,f ~ l. -, 4