Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1865-11-07

GakRhEsTowNs Get

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Governor Boremans Proclamation of the 9th
inst, relating to the allegedscondition of at>
fairs in Jefferson county; and calling upon
the military authorities of the United States
TO interpose their strong arm TO prevent GER
tain election, which the good people of this
county contemplated holding on the 18th of
the present mouth and presume too, you
have noticed the coarse and unmanly fling
made at me personally in one of your news
papers and which has been copied into the
Baltimore american.
To this latter, from motives which you will
appreciate, l do not, of course; propose to
make any reply; and the committee appoint
ed under one of the resolutions passed ut the
public meeting here of the 23rd ult charged
with that duty, will pay their respects to the
Governors proclamation, so far as to vindicate
those engaged in that movement; from what
we are constrained to regard and pronounce
an attempt to cast upon us imputaticns wholly
untounded. and unworthy of the high posi-
ton which his Excellency occupies.
But, as have been singled out personally,
and as my agreeable and kinkly relations
heretofore, with many in your city, and in
what was formerly the Northwest, renders me
by no means Indifferent to. their good opiuion,
and especially to yours, l take the liberty of
addressing this communication to you; which
you may publish if you see proper.
First then, as to my connection with the
late rebellion ESQ called). The amount of my
offending, if an offence it be, is to this ex-
tent, and no further; that upon the breaking
out of the late unhappy war, which; in truth,
no one labored harder to avert than did l, l
adhered with all the Jealous devotion of
which was capable, to the fortunes of my
native State, the venerated commonwealth of
Virginia. Unjustly and unconStitutiOnally
invaded, as Iconscientiously believed she was,
] only regretted that l was too old and intirm
to go into the field: and therefore devoted
myself with all my energy to her civil couu-
ellis, having been first elected, without solicit
tation, and by singular unanimity, to the
House Of Delegates, and subsequently to the
Senate in which service | continued up to
the close of the struggle; having at no time
been in the service, or held Office of any kind,
under the Confederate GOVERNMENT; as seems
to be so generally supposed. Nine.ttnths of
the people of Jefferson pursued the same
course, adhering to the fortunes and abiding
the fate Of their venerated State. If we erred
in this, we did so; conscientiously, and dearly
have they, and l, paid the penalty, as wit
nessed by the loss of our loved ones and the
desolutiOu all around us. 1 have heard few
| complaints from our people. l have never
| ULLCTSu OHC III SSSIl, anu never Will having
counted the cost from the beginning. But,
now; having in all sincerity accepted the sit
uation; and awaited myself of the Presidents
proifffered amnesty, and restoration to citi-
Henship; Governor Foreman must pardon me
| for repellng with some indignation the I'M
| founded imputatiCh contained in his proca
nation, that l, and those acting with me;
have, in any manner, failed in keeping our
newly plighted faith to the United States
| Government. The proceedings of the meets
ing referred to- will show the reverse SO tar
dt least as our declarations can go, and we
defy proof to the contrary; unless, indeed,
our cOntcsting the constitutional right Of
West Virginia to exercise Jurisdiction over
us; shall be deemed disloyalty to tho Federal
Government; aud even as to this the Co
vernon ifhe had carefully considerc5 bur pro-
ccedings, would have found that at least one
OF the resolutions adopted, recognizes his lie
.facto authority over us. -
For my own part. permit me to say; that
from the day Of Gen. Lees surrender, have
uniformly counselled both to. citizens and
soldiers, frank aud manly submission to the
new order of things brought about by the re-
suit Of the war and as cordial a return into
the Union as human nature, under the cir
cumstances, and without hypocrisy, was ca
pablo of And this have no hesitation III
saying is the universal sentiment of our peo-
pie.
But this is somewhat apart from thc mme-
date question in issue and [ may be excused
from making these statements simply because
the Governor has gone out of his way to as
sail us on this point. therefore dismiss the
subject by saying briefly, with all due respect
to the high position the Governor occupies,
that the ins!nuation contained in his pruca-
in 1NiA ya.rur1 = hOtb
luminous:
He has beeh misled by Misrepresentation
going to him from a quarter that We are fully
aware of; but he would have better maintain
cd the dignity of his Office, had he been More
cautious, and little more considSratc of tli4
feelings of gentlemen who claim to be his
equals, though located here at this outpost of
his domain, and under the ban of the anti
bullet heroes of the late war. In a word We
are thoroughly submissive to the powers that
be but are not either dogs or slaves to SUBJ
nit tanely TO an attack upon all that is left
to many of us our self respect and our hon
or.
Bit it-seeths We have rot been duly sub
missive to the authority of West Virginia,
and after what has occurred; it may surprise
even you, General, to learn, that I, the de-
signated chief of these proclaimed sinners,
have uniformly, ever since my return from
Richmond, last spring, ineulcatcd upon every
one here the duty of rendering obedience to
its constitution and laws, as being t,e only
show ofciVil administration we had ard that
even to the extent, when required, Of taking
the oash'to support the constitution; it being
found upon examination that one CT the pro-
per Specifications of this word Support is
to ''endure," or perhaps more properly in this
Connection to ':obey;' and thrt notwithstand-
ing few here doubt chat the jurisdiction
claimed and exercised over rs is, for the pre-
oloo.