The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-03-08
Iudses Kennedy,s Removal.

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If, as we have heard the term defined,
radiea, is one who sets common Justace
and common sense at defiance. they were
very radical set. One of oqr Generals
in Missouri, Eve believe it was SCHO-
FIELD declared in proclamation, that
in his department loyalty should not be
held an excuse for horse stealing. He
lost his command by it; and our Legisla-
ture have no notion of taking up 80 un-
popular principle With them, loyalty
iustfes everything. 1t covers, like
charity, multitude Of sins, provided it
is the improved, modern, patent loyalty.
Officers and greenbacks, say these men,
belong to the saints, and 100 are the saints.
One who is continually talking of his
own loyalty swho makes frothy speeches
to tell us how he 'detests slavery and reb-
els and who always votes the Republi-
can ticket, is privileged to commit any
outrage or any ebsurdity.
The removal of Judge KENNEDY by the
Legislature was but one of their many
eccentricities The Judge lived in JEFF
ferson county, between Harpsr's Ferry
and Winchester. From the beginning Of
the rebellion until recently. the county
has been disputed territory, first overrun
10y one army and then by the other, and
subject at all times to the raids of guer-
Illas TO be real Union man in that
country required some nerve, and was at
tended with great risk. Yet Judge KEN
NEDY was from the first a decided, ae-
tive, resulute supporter Of the Union
cause. He took an earnest and conspicu-
Gus part in January, 1861, in advocating
the election of Union candidates to the
Virginia Convention. Living in the
same county with JOHN NJ MASON, he
voted against the ordinance Of secession
in May, 1861, though the county was then
in possession of the secession troops, and
Mason had declared that "all who retain
ed opinions favorable to the old Union,
must leave the State" For his known
devotion to the Union, the Judge was
driven from his home and became refu-
gee. Afterwards, when he wished to
visit his family, United States General,
commanding the district, peremptorily
forbade his making the attempt, lest he
should he discovered and carried off to
Richmond He had to have his family
removed, because the rebels threatened
20 seize his wife, and send her South as
hostage The Union officers command
ing in the valley, among them Generals
SHERIDAN, STEVENSON, KELLEY and
LOCKWOOD, testify to his loyalty; and
they state further that he has often COM
municated important military informa-
non respecting the movements and de-
signs ofthe enemy.
All this, aud much more to the same
purpose, appeared by the testimony
our no matter for all that, JOHN w.
KENNEDY was Judge, and other parties
wanted the office certain clique
wished to govern the district and dis
pose of the greenbacks aud Offices that
were floating about; and the Judge was
not Of their set, nor disposed to submit
to their dictation. He must, therefore,
be pat down A politician, these days,
81 I. tn
neut, sets himself to work to excite sus-
piciou, respecting his loyalty. So, in
ST., present instance Half a dozen men,
81 perhaps more, wero found to testify
thar Judge KENNEDY's general reputa-
ticn Tor loyaltv was not good among 10y
a. men But the half a dozen were the
men who wanted him out of their way;
aud tn, loyal men among whom his
rcputatiou VAS doubtful, were his perse-
cutars nd the particular set who were
under t!,r influence. The reputation
they SPOKE ginated with them
-rlve, .... Nvwli !. ~, ed, that they
Nigh, zap their harvest, VIXEN the
JUDGE sAou.G " removed from office,
and ms iufueuoc in the district de
Stroycd
In regard t. the question or loyalty,
one fact is worth a hundred rumoIs-
When life, liberty, property, everything
was ri-kcd by being loyal, Judge KEN
NrpY was loyal Loyalty is cheaper
and safer now The Judges accusers, if
We are to believe their own story, are the
most loyal men in the land; and all who
doubt thc disinterestedness of their pat
riotism or do not vote to suit them, are
rebels. or at least rebel sympathizers."
The Judge was unfortunate in one re-
spect His witnesses were reputable men.
Will il ne oredited-they were denounc-
ell for that reason-dcnounced as az
is,oacts' II was intimated that they
were no, 20 I've believed, because they
had no sympathy with the people; that
they were no, of the true, Simon-Pure
Republican stripe, and did not come up
10 the modem standard OF loyalty; nay
more. that they had, perhaps, even ex-