The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-10-19

ginia-I followed the "a Virginia l.egl-
ment 10 IIalltown, on their march to
Harper's Ferry, and begged it officers,
who were then my friends, moi to raise
their hands in armed hostility against
the Government of our Fathers. Neither
the counscls of Col. Strothcr nor myself
prevailed, and Harper's Ferry MISTAKEN.
This was the first overt act in Virginia,
and inaugurated that stupendous and
bloody struggle which for four years
past has dcsolated the land, deeimated
and impoverished the people, and left
them at last subject to the Very power
which they sought to overthrow.
Thus, you see that | had taken my
stand early in the action GA the side of
the Union. Public opinion set strongly
against me. My friends and acquaint-
ances-there We're some honorable eX-
ceptions, met me on the street and pass
ed me without speaking. ] was looked
upon as a traitor to my State. So strong
was this feeling that the friends of my
childhood regarded me with suspicion,
and whenever ] approached amy party
of gentlemen who We're talking over the
current events OF the day all CONVEX
sation was instantly hushed. twas not
prudent then to notice insults, and !
passed them by without remark, feeling
conscious that was right in the position
| had taken, and that if they had the
right to denounce and make war upon
the Government, | had the right to
defend and protect it. Subsequently,
when jackson came down the Valley, |
was told that I would be sent to Rich
mond, and that | ought not to remain
in the State. l left home and became
refugee in Maryland. 1t was during
one of those flights for opinion sake that
the announcement came to me that |
had been elected Judge Of the 10th Cir
cult, West Virginia.. ! was not at that
time a resident OF that State, lived in
Jefferson county. That county was not
annexed until November following
The Governor thought that was eligible
and | was commissioned. In order to
comply with the Constitution, | had to
give up my home in Jefferson county, l
went to Berkeley Springs and rented a
house. This gave me a residence in the
Circuit. But, before could move my
family Jefferson was admitted, and !
did not leave that county. make this
recital to prove that up to this time my
reputation i'll the whole Circuit, was
that of a perfectly loyal man. No man
ever doubted it, and / am constrained to
believe that Col. Strother was right
when he said in his deposition before the
Legislature last winter, "that was
selected to the Judgeship of the 10th
Judicial District as a voluntary compli-
ment OF the people to my loyalty.'
Berkeley and Jefferson were admitted,
| and, in 1864, Delegates We're sent from
those counties to the Legislature. From
the county Of jefferson men We're elected
| and sent to Wheeling, who were thrown
| to the surface during the boiling of the
! great political cauldron, by partial vote
of the county, and who could never,
under any other circumstances, have
represented the county. At the election
only two precincts in the county were
open to the voters, and the vote repre-
sented only about one-tenth of the
county. \ secret convention was held
at Harper's Ferry, composed of thirteen
persons, who nominated men entirely
from their own body, or their friends,
to fill all the offices in the county. For
Sheriff Of the county they nominated a
man who raised the first rebel flag ever
raised in the county, and who was so
entirely unfit for the position to which
he was afterwards elected, that he could
not find friends enough to go his surety
for $4,000. lie did not qualify.
opposed this mans election because
did not want such a fellow in office in
my Court. For this, the Delegates to
the Legislature, Joseph A. Chapline and
George Koonce, determined to impeach
my loyalty before the next Assembly,
which met in the winter of 1868. have
the proof now in pnSSnsSin,, that fhoco