Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-11-05
For the Spectator.

NeSsrs. Editors Permit me through the COL
umns of your paper to express publicly the debt
of gratitude that the voters Of this county Justly
acknowledge due to the committee on elections,
for their liberality in the appointment OF COM
missioners, &c. for the different precincts in the
county. Can we excuse them on the ground OF
insanity? (for there might be such thing as
political maniacs J or are they intoxicated by
the smell of office, or have they lost all sense OF
self respect, or respect for their party that they
should so far depart from the simple rules OF
propriety and Justice as to make out list OF ap-
pointments showing that at least two-thirds OF
the voters of this county cannot be trusted with
the guardianship of the baot-box? The people
will seq for themselves, and number OF worthy
| Democrats already denouncc such political swim
ding. Be it remembered that one member OF
this modest and discriminating committee, would
not refuse the vote of Wing, or even Know
Nothing. at the election of county officers
Well. once there was time when one other
member of said committee was on quite good
terms with the Wings, when they had to help
elect Sheriff for the county; but alas for poor
human nature, memory will not always serve
Everybody knows who appointed this commit
tee; it was no less parsonage than the COM
lmander-in-chief of the military and naval forces
of this great commonwealth, now making the
preliminary arrangements for some great dis
play either to drive the northern abolitlonlsts
! into q hollow log or to drive the Know Moth
| ings here at home into cave and roll q great
stone upon its mouth, and seal it with the kings
own seal. fit be neither Of the supposed expe-
ditions, ! suppose no one knows, neither need
anv care what be the object 1t is enough to
know that the thing will be under the command
of Lieutenant General Governor Gizzard Foot.
WE'LL this appointed committee acts at the
Court House, to guard the poll there-they have
entrusted to them the delicate and responsible
duty of appointing commissioners and an officer
to cry the vote at the different precincts, and no
more. But they could not stop here, they must
appoint the clerks also, thus taking from the of
ficer that cies the vote the power that properly
belongs to him. Why is thiss Because, for
sooth, he might per chance appoint Wing, or
even get down so low as to appoint Know
| Nothing. That is the why. Anybody having
the sense of an oyster can see that. Wings nor
Know Nothings can't be trusted even when
sworn to write down the vote, but true to the
instincts of Democracy their patronage must be
bestowed on the faithful. Well, in some of
those appointments they have selected men who
cant write an Ineligible hand, where men OF
unacceptionable character and qualification were
much more convenient. Now, none are so blind
as not to see this at the first glance and none so
dull of apprehension as not to understand the
object. At the Court House, at New Hope, at
Waynesborough and elsewhere, both clerks are
taken from the Democratic party. 1t has also
been the custom until now, to appoint five COM
missioners, three Of that number to serve, but
now only three are named Why is thiss The
reason is obvious there might have been pos
Utility of two Wings and only one Democrat or
still worse, two Know Nothings and one Demo-
crat acting, and then fraud would have been the
consequence. But now suppose some one of the
Democratic commissioners should be sick, or
worse than that, die, flor they are like other
men, they sometimes die in spite of Democracy
what in the world would be done9 But | sup
pose that never entered into the brain of the
committee, as it is always expected that every
Democrat will be at the polls, sick or well, dead
or alive, with ticket in hand, and few more
left of the same for distribution. Now l sup
pose no one will question the right Of any free
man to enter his protest against such gross in
4 justice, particularly our Democracy, who pratt
tie so much about the right of free speech and
freedom of the press; at any rate enter my
protest against any party assuming such author
ty, or displaying so much barefaced impotence,
and speak my sentiments without fear, favor or
affection. OLD ROUGH AND READY.
Nov. 1st, 1856.