South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1857-03-27
THE kansas TRAGEDY.
PUBLIC MEETING Is WINCHESTER.

7th. 1857, for tho purpose of taking into
, consideration the circumstances connected
with the death of WI. T. SHERRARp, G so.
W. WARD was called to the chair, and
Powell CONRAD appointed secretary. On
motion, committee, consisting of Messrs
j. Randolph Tucker, l.. T. Moore, f. w.
NJ. Holiday, Robert F. Baldwin and r.
"A. I. Riley. was appointed to prepare re-
solutions.
The committee reported the following
preamble and resolutions which we're unan-
imously adopted
The people of the town Of Winchester, in
the State of Virginin, have heard with deep
concern Of the untiAeIy and violent death
of VIM. T. Sherrard, Esq, in the town of
Lecompton, i'll the Territory of Kansas.
Born and reared in their midst, he had
gone to the Western frontier to advance
his personal fortunes upon the terms of
equality Of right guaranteed by the consti-
tuition Of the Union Malignity has cast
its reproach upon his name. his lineage, and
his character; and the town, which nlrtu
red his boyhood, and now protects his re-
mains. is called upon to defend his memory
1t is deemed unnecessary, in the state.
mcnt which follows, to notice in detail tile
Infamous SANDERS which have bccn present.
cd to The country in respect to Mr.. Sher-
rard from official and unofficial sources
Nor will it be proper, further than is ne
cessary to vindcate his character, to ad-
vert to the action of those who hold Offices
of trust and authority in Kansas. 1t is our
duty to present, from sources deemed reli-
able, n statement which shall remove oil Of
the odium that malice has attempted to
cast upon the name Of the dead.
VIM. T. Sherrard was born in Winchcs-
ter, July 90, 1928. of parents whose re-
spcctability gives them position with the
most distinguished Of our citizens. He was
we'll educated, ard had stored his mind with
useful knowledge. He possessed an indie
pendence Of mind which prompted him to
enterprise; snd his bold and active nature
led him to seek on the frontier of the West
the home Of his life.
Ill health for years had in some degree
parnlyzcd his great energy of will; bot he
resolved to recover his health in the ad.
v.nturous scenes of new Territory, and to
link lia destiny with hers.
He lei, his native town with the hearty
God spccd'' Of her citizens, and the warm
and more hearty blessings Of his fathers
f"uiily. Hc fixed his home in Kansas in
the month Of September, 1856.
On the 18th day of December, 1856,
Mr.. Shcrrard was appointed by the County
Court of Douglas county Sheriff in place OF
Samuel j. Jones, who had resigned.
Under the celebrated Kansas act of 1854.
the mode Of election Of the Sheriff was left
to the determination of the Governor and
Legislative Assembly of the Territory of
Kansas; and by the same act it is provided
that the Governor "shaH commission all
officers who shall be appointed to Office un-
der the laws of the said Territory
Under law passed by the Legislative
Assembly, and sanctioned by the Govern.
or (as We suppose, since it was not vetoed; !;
and unless vetoed must have received his
snnction) it was provided, that in case Of a
vacancy in the Office of Sheriff, ut shall be
filled by appointment by the tribunal trans
acting county business. for the uncxpired
term" and that the Sheriff "shall be COM
missioned by the Governor
BY the statement under oath of VIM. T.
Sherrard bimsclf, whose truth and honor
were too well known and valued here to be
d:sregarded by the people of winchester,
it appears that on the 18th Of December,
1856, he called at the Governors office
and enquired if the certificate Of his appoint
ment had been sent to him. The Governor
replied that it had been Mr. Sherrard re-.
quested his commission rs soon rs possible; :;
assigning as reason the pressing charac-
ter of public business which was suspended
in the interval The Governor in the course
Of the conversation said: Before make
this appointment I pish to kno,o uhethcr
you erpcct to act inimioaily to me Or not."
The answer OF Sherrard was not only
proper, but evinccd that noble indepcn'
dence, of spirit which was eminentIy his
characteristic. He said "that in executing
the Office to which he had been appointed,
he should cndeavor to be guided only by
bis oath and by his duty, and whilst he did
this should certainly pay no regard to him,
his wishes. or opinions"
The Governor promised that the COM
mission should be made out by the next
day. 1t was not done. Several days af.
ter Mr. Shcrrard wrote letter, making q
| formal demand for his commission, which
he deferred sending upon hearing that the
uOSeIDOI nu'l Sulu uC uCNCl
to refuse the commission, but ouly delayed
until tho return Of the Secretary Of the
! Territory, upon which event happening the
commission would tc sent. The Secretary
returned on the 26th Of December. Mr.
! Sbcrrard waited until the 29th of the same
month, and then sent his letter, 10 which
he never received reply. lie subsequent
| " asked for mandamus from the Judge
but though the Judge was Of opinion the
Governor could not legally refuse to give
the commission, he decided he could no,
award a mandamus except in term time.
On the 10Th Of January, 1851, the House
Of Representatives Of the Territory passed
a resolution requesting tho Governor to
furnish to the House statement Of his
reasons for not commissioning Mr.. Sber
rard as Sheriff Of Douglas.
Upon the 2lst Of January, 1857, the Go