Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1858-09-28
Statement from The Hon. Sherfard
~ Clemens. Is,

Being about to close a personal issue
| raised against me, BY one Of the Ea it@rs
lof the E5aqairef, in CONNECTION with K coy
trespondence between myself and Judge
4 BroekenbrougA and being anxious u
fpreserve, in CABS i SHOULD not survive
t the meeting, locomotives which actuated
/ ME TOWARDS Judge .RFockenb rough, 10
sending til the E1a9airer the letter which
lis the primary cause Of the PRESENT diff
IcultY,@1 prepare now, under the most
solemn sahction |of my conscience, this
specific and detailed account in writing,
I for publication -.
/ 5Inot Judge Brockenbtougs at Grafton,
on the evening Of the day before he open
ed Court At Clarksburg. He has never
received from me, fromathe period Of our
first acquaintance to the present Hour,
anything but kindness. lam on intimate
terms with mango his connexions, and
the highest considerations were and are
Operating upon ME to promote his inter
Test. We walked out. of thethoteI and
promanaded up and down the platform iii
Efront7of it. Ii was night, andlabdut the
period Of the arrival Of the Express train
from the West. Among other subjects,
upon which we eonversed. was that Of
| Tie GoFernorship; and the.substanceand
effect of,what passed, isias follows3 5I51 u
IE:3s1 told him that / had seen hisknarne
presented as a candidate, and askad+what
| hisn position was. He5repHed as near as
I ear recollect, as follows that be al
READY held a position which was entirely
Econgenial 10. his tastes, studies, and in
Eclinations that his friends were looking
| for his promotion in the line of his pro
fessiou, and that was much moro accepta.
bic to him; that he did not want or wish
any executive office, and not that of Gov.
erilor--for he and the Hon. John Letch-
Ell, one Of the aspirants, perfectly under
stood each other; that they were good.
friends; that he desired no conflict, es-
pecialiy with him Or any other person
who sought he place j; and, that much Of
The zeal which had been manifested to-
wards him. be apprehehaed, sprung from
circumstances which Ishali not now re-.
peat.
Just before we passed into the door Of.
thel hotel, as the light struck his face, +
saidito him, Judge, can | state your POI
sition - He replied, II authorize you
10 do so.'' III justice to him, I must,
however, mentions chat when / called his
attention 10 tliis fact, after the publication
Of his FIRST letter te3the Enquirer, he did
not retaflit, and nse il now, merely as
one of the inducing causes in my. own,
mind, which controlled my action.
/ After we passed into the hoteland stood
at. the counter Of the Office, and in. the
presence Of another person from his own
town, Samuel Letcher,@ brother of the
Hon. John Letcher, i remarked to Judge.
Brockenbrough that therehfWas gentle
man then in Clarksburg. who held a Fed
Eeral office, and who seemed to be hating
between two opinions, but strongly dis
posed to advocate BIS claims. He replied,
+" ! will see him when 4 get TO Clark5
burg and rePfess anything Of that kind. =
1 hadno idea Of the press, or 2ublica
ton when FIRST spoke % him but the
conviction onIny mind was such, from
his whole tone, and manner and lancuac
that. when Ireturned home. and found
appearances tending to a conficf between
himself and Mr.. Letcher, / reflected on
our interview and thought / would do
Judge Broekenbrongh an act Of kindness
Fin defining bis position BY 4 letter ID tbe
EnQairer I; because in doing SO, Twas
preventing the very result which he him
self bad sol empiatically deprecatsd-a}
rivalry between himself and his friead.-
This is the only motive which ever M
fuenced me and ! here solmenly avow,
| By my belief in God, and in view Of my
eternal responsibility to Him, that | never
had any other.