Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1865-11-21

ot Its people to that end, could be fairly OBJ
tanned. The Sd section provides that, " in
the event tie state Vt the ctuMtry r,N not per-
nat, or from any cause said election for
annexation cannot be fairy heiA On tie dd9
Gt0resaid, it sail be the DUTY Of the Cover
nor OF this Commonwealth, as soon as such
can be safely held, and a Wand free srpresa
SION Of tie opinion Of thcPeopIc Rad thereon;
to issue his proclamation, ordering such cleo
ton for the purpose aforesaid and certify tho
result aforesaid" 1t lis a1erred, that no such
election as that Contemplated by the act was
ever held in Jefferson equity. 1t is true, thatat
the time specified, there WIS a nominal submis
sion to Il vote Of its peoph of the question of
its transfer to West Virginia, but such we're
the circumstances under which that election
was held, that "a full ana free expression Of
the opinion Of the people, on the subject com
mitted to them Was impossible
There were no proper and necessary meas
ures provided to hold the election.
Polls were opened at hut two precincts
CShepherdstown and Htrpers Fcrry)-both
on the remote Potomac liie of the county, un-
der the Superintendent of Commissioners of
Election, disqualified u5pler The laws of yir-
gnla, from occupying said Offices.
NO commissioners were appointed for the
other precincts, or if appointed, we're not no.
tilted OF their appointment
NO means were adOped to give notice 10
the large mass Of the voters of the county of
the proposed election, and that they were re-
qulred, at it, to determine the question of n
change III their State rclutions, and they were,
therefore, ignorant of any action affecting the
same until many weeks after the said action
had taken place.
~
at the two precincts above DESIGNATED. less
than one Hundred rofcS were polIcd in an 40
gregate legitimate vote Of from 100 to y. 900
heretofore cast i'll tic county. and of that
small number many were fraudulent and lille
gal votes and SHOULD therefore have been re-
jectcd.
At the time, too, the election was held this
county was intersCctcd by the strictest and
most viGilant military lines that often con-
lined the citizens, for whole weeks, to their
ownpremlses, from which, OH no prctcxt, how
ever urgent, they We're permitted to pass
Indeed, such was the disturbed and disGuiet-
GU condition OF the county. from the cons
mcncement OF the war to its close, that it il
veil in0YYn that there were bat two attempts
10 hold III clettl9H blythe people under the aus
ices OF any government, from the It'll Thurs
Gay OF May, VI, until long after the surrender
III the mode above dcscrihcd-the result Of
which was sufficient commentary anon tEc
lmprcrrlcty Of the effort and established. he
You'd dispute, failure to comply with tho
terms OF the act under which it was directed
to be held. The second clcction-sn c,II.
cd-to which reference has been madc-was
held in the month of October. 1861. foymcu-
beers OF the House OF Delegates of West Ejr
gunla, at which two candidates were chosen
~ 4 vote abort equal 70 that clst in Nav.
I>35' and by Il singular and significant coin
cidcnce, the only precincts where polls were
opened on that OCCASION, were Ike PRECINCTS Of
'Shc2ptc'1h:'or" ard U0,pcrs- Fcrly.
No . iu!I and free expression OF the orin
Ion oil the people iorany purpose could lave
been obtained in Jefferson county. Guyiu,e
the whole continuance of Tie war
Situated on the border it presented all the
shifting scenes and changes Of one constant
battle-ground, and its military occupation
was the subject OF an almost uninterrupted
struggle between the contcnding forces. Pro-
Tost guards, stragglers, accommodating par
ties, and roVenS, predatory bands Cf armed
men, intent upon pIundcr, even at the cost OF
arson ana murder, prcycd upon its citizens.
and made 1t their safety rs we'll as their NJ
COSTLY to contne themselves to their homes
where their presence Was too often rcu7:ircd
not only tor the preservation of their proper
ty, but for tie defence Of the lives and h6,or
OF their families.
The Legislature of West Virginia. il shc
Tcry act accepting the ccsson of the county,
recognised its condition to be such as his
been described. The act of Nov. ,. le63-
passed hCc months after the election to which
the subject of the proposed transfer was sub
mlttcd-in accepting the county-stipulatcd
IN Its I'd section, that it shall be the duty of
the Governor, 50 soon as he shall hurc ;.r1v0U
to |ct'c1c M"t an cIcctiom can Le 9roDcyIy
he(a ~ the S"id comfy, to issue his procla-
matlo", directing an election to he held on
such day as h" shall appoint, at the sercral
places Tor holding elections therein, Cor the
election OF two Delegates. an Assessor. ClerI,
OF the Circuit Court. &c" The Governor.
to whose discretion the matter was addressed
diu not deem that an election could be prop
cTiy held ratil cicrc. .i,0r,!hS aft ertha att9.h
mcnt OF the county to Vast Vircinia. and
even then, 1t was thought prudent not TO
open polls, but at two prccncts-amd they. as
we have seen, on tie distant line of the I'uto-
mac boundary. Indeed owing to the diff
cultlcS which have Lccn adycrtcd to, there
was no full organization of the govern
mcnt OF the county until several weeks after
the surrender Of General Lees army,
Inc result OF the vote Of the 4th Thurs
day IN May, 1853, was. however. returned to
Hovcnor Ilcrpont, Ivy him Ger fled to tn.
Governor OF " est Virginia, and the Iseisa-
turc OF that State proceeded By formal act to
declare the county to be thcncetorward un-
der the Jurisdictions of the now State. This
act OF W est Virginia accepting the county of
sJG tfpTSOn > /