Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1854-08-30
THE sHERIFr-s RET URy.

I The Republican has nothing further to
say upon this subject, but expressly declines
further discussion. II bad made it the OBJ
iect Of Of unmeasured condemnation and
I gross and unjust inpeaehments of tbs Sher-
ifs motives. This it did in It's paper of last
Saturday week, after the present election
had been ordered. In our notice last week
Of the course Of the Sheriff, we among other
views called upon the "Repubiiean'' to an
swer us whether the conducting officer at the
Courthouse could count vote, which had
been by mistake recorded BY the clerks or
fraudulently added to the poll-the Com
niissioners in another case counting it? It's
position had been, that the conducting officer
at the Court House must count, and not be
governed By The cerffcrte ofsworn Commits
sioners. Any man Of ordinary intelligence
perceiyes,tkat the question we proposed, tests
and expo ,es the utter fallacy Of tie assump-
ton, thtt the Sheriff could go behind the GER
tifca' c in any case for, if he could do so,
in cne he could in every case.
We get no response from the Republican
to the question: virtual admission Of the
error and folly by which others had duped it.
We notice The matter, now, chiefly to
draw attention to It's pretended fairness, and
yetis inveterate dnplicity in its allusion last
week to the Sheriff. 1t hasn doubt he ac-
ted conscicnticusly'-and yet, in the same
sentence, he is. with its characteristic auda-
city, charged Sith having Surrendered the
care o. bis conscience" TO others. II such
anproyoked calumny-uns1stained by any
fact or a respectable argument does not re-
coil upon the heads Of its authors, we miscal
culate the temper and fairness of our people.
The "Yirginia Republican," of Saturday last. I
If We thought with the editor of the Re-
publican that the pending election for the
Sheriffalty depended upon twelve editorials
and communications in one number of our
paper, occupying seven columns, VIC would,
perhaps, SO far offend the taste of our read 4
ers as to follow it in its paths of trickery and i
expose all its oalunnies. We do not appre-
bend that either of the candidates are to be
uriHea into Office. The subjects fits abuse 4
aud reckless statements have undergone full
and general discussion. While the Repub- i
lican can throw 10 light upon them, it can
pander to taste, which from its earliest OK
istance it has seduously sought to eorrupt
When facts should most diStinctly appear, it !
darkens its topics with suppression, misrep-
resentation aud bunging distortion. Onan
occasion like the present., all this is, to the /
last degree idle aud harmless. Every man
not wifi ully blind, perceiyes a! once the fall !
.aey of its statements, and smiles at the cool
impudence, which would make saints of its
candidates and his supporters, and fends of
his opponents. So well are all the circum-
stances, connected with The facts which it
denies, and the charges which it makes, IN
derstood in the county, that We are at loss
to determine whether the e1:or is really /
reckless OF truth or only decidedly Uerdaat.
Every man even Of his own party, would be
a good witness against Lin. For example,
it talks Of 'Doters openly purchased I'll
qnor freely resOrted to"--wlth an inferred
OF the employment Of such means
GU It's own side,--where there are scores Of
votes hrlbed--voters 'brutalized by liquor"
to attest its stupidity or triekery. In one
word, the only source from which one, igno-
rant of the state of things in this County,
could not ascertain single fact in relation
10 tue most important matter connected with
this election, are the veritable efTusions,
which assume the shape Of editorials in the
coluurs of the 'Virginia Republican,"