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

We give the rettIrns we have received
from the election in this county, or rather
the farce ofan election. These returns show
the necessity the Radicals were under of call
ing to their aid Boreman and Hall-test
'oaths, and proclanations, bayonets and DULLES,
to keep their opponents from the polls, and
thus to carry the day for their candidates.
They had counted hands and knew they
could not poll 100 of the 800 or 9 900 votes
of Jefferson County. A fair and full poll
throughout the.county would have disclosed
a majority of ten or twelve hundred against
them; and a council of war was held in the
camp. 1t was decided that the conservatives
were to be whipped, and as that could not be
done by fair means, it must be done by foul
means. 50 the potent aid of Foreman and
Hall was called in to brighten off the people
by demand Of unconstitutional~test oaths,
by threats of arrest, by display of military,
and various otherot the machiueryof modern
political warfare resortcd to and practiced by
the belligereht and blowing radicals. While
the result discloses a majority of about $50
against the radicals, it shows the e4ecs'"of
their party strategy. AT least 1000 votes
were not polled, and of this number it is fair
to suppose the radicals could not have count
ed on score. The anti-radical majority in
this county, therefore, is upwards of eleven
hundred.
In Smithfeld precinct, or Averill Town
ship, as it is now called, there were some
eighty>six ballots offered and rejected by
the conductors for refusal of the parties offer
ing them to take the unconstitutional and
odious test oath, and they were placed in
separate ballot box, and recorded III a sepa-
rate book. These ballots were all offered by
men who are voters of the county under the
provisions of the Constitution of West Vir-
gihia, and are entitled to count in the cleo
ton. They are all, we are informed, for
Kennedy and Downey, and would therefore
increase their majority that number in the
county;eighty five ofthcm were CASTOR Shaull,
and one for B1cCurdy. for the House of
Delegates. This would elect Shaull over
McCurdy, by three majority. In Shep-
herdstown, now Chapline and Shepherd town
ships, Tiers were about one bundled voters
who applied to vote, and who were refused
the right, and who had their ballots returned
to them without record anywhere. These
were all for Kennedy and Downey, and all,
or nearly all, for Shaull and Yantis; and Ell
Their known so to be to tie conductors at the
time of rejection, by an actual inspection of
1bo I,1l ~ L
knowledge of the voters proffering them.-
This is an outrage SO pulpable, fraud so
gross, that We mistake the temper of the vo-
ters Of" the old unterrifcd precinct" if it is
quietly submitted to. In point of law it vi
tiates the whole polls of these two townships,
and if the supervisors are guided by any
sense Of law, justice or right, they will be
utterly rejected i'll making the official returns.
But as this course of action would increase
the majorities of Kennedy and Downey and
certainly elect Yantis and Shaull, We do not
expect them to do it, if they are the radicals
we understand them to be. 1t would do
away with their valuable anti-slert ion STRAIT
egg and would have had Foreman and
Halls horns blown to no purpose. Else
where, too, throughout tho county, legal vo-
tiers were prohibited the right of voting, and
no record was kept of their rejected ballots,
as the law plainly requires to be done. The
report that none but those who could or would
take the test oath would be permitted to vote,
had been industriously circulated over the
whole county, and thus several hundred voters
never even attempted to vote, but remained
quietly athome indeed; but for this report,
the vote in Charlestown alone would have
been increased about two hundred for the
conservative ticket.
In Berkeley County still holder game was
played. There the military, under a de-
lightiully gay and gallunt young lieutenant,
was called into active service, as posse
contitatuS to a radical and ridiculous sheriff
and people were arrested by the wholesale
Law abiding, peaceable and loyal people had
to march to the music Of the radicals, and
the prick of the bayonet, all because they
differed with that great luminary of the law,
Attorney General Hall, and that remarka-
bly, nervous gentleman who presidcs over af-
fairs out at Wheeling. Such, too has, in all
probability, been the order of affairs through
out the district and if it should all end, as
we fear it is designed it shall end, in cheat
ing hcnncuy ana Downcy outotthclr election,
we hope the people will not merely cry
aloud against the outrage, but see to it, each
and all, that no legal and proper action be
neglected to sccute the fruits of their le-
gitimate and fairly won victory, and to bring
under the penalties of the law all who have
had guilty hand in the business.
JEFFERso COUNTY.
For JuAgC.
KENNEDY. Halt.
ChaTlnc Township, IA SO
Shepherd, II -
Harpcrs- Ferry, II 81