The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-11-02
Election Outru0es.


than that which disgraced our town on
the day of our recent election. small
military force had been ordered here,
with instructions to report to the Sheriff
of the county, for the purpose OF aiding
the civil authorities, if necessary, to keep
the peace. This force was commanded
by young second lieutenant by the
name of Myers, who, but a short time
before, had received his commission
The selection of this indiscreet and mex
perienced officer, proved very unfortu-
nate one-for instead of acting in ac-
cordance with the explicit directions
given him by Captain Jones, COM
handing at Harper's Ferry, who detail
ed him on this service, he permitted
himself and his men to be made the
mere tools of bitter and INSCRIPTIONS
partizans, for the unlawful arrest, at
their own houses, of several of our most
prominent, respected and loyal citizens.
These arrests We're made by the order of
the Sheriff of our county, under the pre-
text that printed bill, signed by these
gentlemen, declaring the test oath law
to be, in their opinion, unconstitutional,
and protesting against its enforcement,
was adapted to create a riot. A f1imsier
or meaner excuse was never offered for
the commission of base, tyrannical and
fiagitious act This bill contained moth
ing which had not been already publish
ed, all over the State, in the letters Of
Hon. Daniel Lamb, Hon. James II. Fer
guson and Col. Benz. II. Smith, United
States District Attorney for West Nir-
ginia,-nothing which had not for weeks
been published by various presses Of the
State,-nothing which had not been ut
tered by speakers, a@ainandagain
in Martinsburg and other towns of the
district and State.
What these gentlemen published was
simply q clear, positive, dignitied ex-
preston Of their opinion that the law in
question was a violation Of the eonstitu
ton of the State. and that the enforce
ment of ii would be a wrong upon cit-
zens. to which they would not, with pa
tience, submit. This paper, in full, will
be found in our columns to-day. It con-
tains not an expression or sentiment in
cendiary in its character. or melting toa
disturbance Of the peace; and no vision
less keen than that of our rem0rkdby as
tute Sheriff, would have ever discerned
in it anything of such a character or ten
dency. Something, however, must be
n for II fl,o la
ends OF the party, and this was eagerly
seized upon, The arrests were made,
and the town thrown at once into state
of great excitement. Before this, not
the slightest evidence of any unusual
excitement had appeared. And even
with this great provocation, there was
not one riotous demonstration through
out the entire day, except the occasional
hootings at gentlemen by a set of cow
ardly loafers, who did the bidding of
their law-breaking masters. But the
triumph of this Jacobinical movement
was short. As soon as Maj. Gen. Emory,
at Cumberland, Md, could be informed
of the true state of things among us, he
sent orders to Lieut.. Myers, which caus-
ed him to Withdraw, at once, the guard
he had placed over the gentlemen in ar
rest, and, as Sheriff Pitzer declined the
responsibility of holding them by any
cira authority at his control, they We're
released.
The conduct of the Sheriff at this time
was pitiful in the extreme. Seeing that
he could no longer be sustained in his
lawlessness by military power, and
frightened at the length to which he
had already gone in obedience to the
behests of a vile and desperate party, he
resorted to the meanest subterfuges. tic
shift the responsibility of the arrests
from himselfto Lieut.. Myers-and when
the lieutenant boldly confronted him
and declared that he made every arrest
by his (the Sheriff s) orders, he then en-
deavored to fix the responsibility an,
the odium upon his turnkey, Meracle
whom he sent with the guard when the.
fI NO Ilr,f, Ii