Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1854-07-19
ron oyEnsEERs OF TIE poon.


1Ir Editor You are authorized to au-
nouncc that q Il RUTHERFORD and ROBERT
BocKLgs will be supported for 0verseers of
!bc Poor, for South Town District, at the
next election, by Many NoTERs.
The case Of the Contested Election for Sheriff.
This case was finally disposed of on Thurs
day last, by the County Court and new
election ordered to be held on Thursday the
3rd Of August. The result is one which can
furnish no just ground Of complaint on the
part of any one being a fayorite mode of
sottling such cases, adopted by legislative
bodies, whenever circumstances will justify
it--and referring back to the tribunal Of the
people to determine who shall be the officer
VIII In it is their interest to select to attend
to their affairs. No Democrat can cons's St
emily object TO this decision of the court, and
indeed it is known to have been in accord
ance with the advice Or assent Of the leading
counsel of Mr.. Cushwa at the June term.
So far as VIC can learn, the people of the
County, excepting Of course those whose
partisanship or zeal otherwise influences
them, preferred that a new olection should
be held for varions reasons-among the rest,
because more general satisfaction aud acqui-
escence would be felt and manifested in the
result whatever it may be. The enormous
expense and loss Of time, too, to The people
of the County at very busy season of the
year rendered it very important to adopt
some mode, if the law world authorize it Of
settling the difficulty in p shorter and cheap
en- way. We are assured that such was the
vast amount of testimony to be produced on
the part of Mr.. Newcomer that no one term
of the Court woald have been sufficient to
hear and pass upon it--amd thus, probably
the contest would have had no end, as a sue
ceeding court could not take it up where
previous one had left off. Another consid-
Grafton was conclusive in its character, to
wit, the importance of enforcing the law as
10 the time Of Closing the polls, so as to avoid
IN future contest arising out of its viola
tion, aud snbjecting parties, especially in a
very close election to the difficulty and un-
certainty of ascertaining those who would
have vetcd if the polls had not been closed
TOO early. Indeed there is no power un-
der the law, to place any voters mama on
the poll, who might thus be prevented from
voting.
There was over and above all these con
sldcrations paramount view of the subject,
which renders the course adopted peculiarly
desirable, and proper Ii is not our purpose
to indulge in any examination or allegations
OF fraud, or bribery and perjury on the part
OF amy of the supporters Of Mr.. Cushwa, but
we deem it public duty to put on record
the fact that there exists in the County, q
vide spread conviction, - founded upon No
mere suspicion, thai it was by these Illegal
means that majority was obtained for Mr.
Cushwa at the late election Surely such
charges deserve some consideration.
One would suppose that those not partic.
ipatins in them would readily agree to plan
OF deciding, who is the choice of the people
when these Illegal influences could be III,
better watched anu guarded against. TIL,
contested election furnished no OPP portunity
Of testing the charges of bribery and eorrup
ton of which it is alleged there existe d nu
merous instances, -wlich may yet indeed b,
the subject of judicial Investigation.
We desire to say few words in reference
to an editorial in tho last "Virginia Repab
lican," upon the proceedings in this case, b,
way of correction.
In the first place, no testimony was offer
ed at the June Term touching the illegalit
OF votes, nor was any counsel employcd O
engaged or authorised by the fifteen 0
twenty voters, who fled under the Law
their compliant of Mr.. Cushwa's Illegal clec
ton, either to propose, or agree to waive til
objection as to the closing of the POLLS
IL 'oas The act Of Mr.. Newcomer and hi
counsel upon a proposition, as we under
stand coming from the counsel Of Mr.. Cush
wa. 1t was an act of grace on their parI
and not from any lack of confidence in il
suihciency or validity, their object ben
to get into the inquiry as to the illegal votes
Second, There were four at least instea
offYo voters who were proven to have bee
prevented BY the carly closing of the poll.
How many there mighthaye been, could moi
ofcourso be expected, to be made fully t
'ppcar,-an inqgiy which would be espe