Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1865-11-14
TIL .8cH's5D OF SUPERVISORS, VS.. THE
WILL OF THE PLOPLE

The people of this County and the Judicial
and Senatorial District, held an election on
the Goth Of 1st month, and, in spite of bayo-
nets, of arrests, of test oathcs, of dcsjru 5sion
OF ballots, of rejection of legal voters, and all
manner of official and unofficial interference,
elected the Conservative candidates by hand
some majoritcs; but with this result the
Radicals were SO entirely displcased that they
set to work to do away with the will of the
people, by calling to their aid the Board of
Supervisors CT thiS County. This Board, COM
posed of Messrs. Fossett, MGCurdy,. Logic,
johnson, Potterfeld, Turner and Cameron,
met at Shepherdstown, Tuesday last, and
did the deed to suit ting views and wishes of
their lords and masters, Koonce, Chaplinc,
&c. In defiance of law, and justice, and COM
mon honesty, they set aside the candidates
elected by the people, and put in their places
the men whom this same people had fairly
condemned as unfit and improper representa-
tlves Of their views and interests.
The laws Of West Virginia, under witch.
of course, this Board of Supervisors is bound
to 2at, arc Sc plain that its members cannot
plead the benefit of doubt. These laws
give to the Board, in cases of the election
and qualification of its own members, and of
County Officers, the right to determine such
election and qualification in cases of contest.
With any election of State Officers, judicial,
legislative, or executive, the Board has no
power whatever given it, to do more than
count the votes as returned to it by the In
spector at the various precincts. and to certify
such returns, in the aggregate, to the persons,
and in the mode prescribed by law. 1t has
no right other than this; and, therefore, any
such acts as those committed at Shepherds
town last Tuesday, are illegal and fraudulent
and ought to be held absolutely void by the
State officials, and the persons Immediately
interested; and denounced, as it is, by every
honest man in G"e community.
When the Board met, (Mcssrs McCurdy.
JOHNSON and Logic being absent) we are told
that Edmund Pcndlcton, of Bcrkcly, one of
the ablcst lawyers in the State, and thorough
ly loyal man, rose and proceeded to address
the members, upon their legal powers and
duties, when George kooncc, one of the can
didates defeated by the people, objected to
the Board hearing any counsel, and gave his
reasons at considerable length and with great
violence Otmanncr and words; andthe Board.
ticking its cue trcal this Radical Leader i'm
mc'liatcly decided that it would not listen
to MIR. Pcnd!cton cranycth @r.lawycr-cxcept
as We have the right to infer from their sub
sequent conduct, Joe Chapiinc, the fairly arc!.s
properly defeated candidate for the Senate
from this District. The Board then proceed
cd to count and inspect the ballots and nall
books, as it was their duty to do; and then
threw out the entire polls of Charlcstown. and
as many other votes as it pleased and ne
would suit its purposes, which it was not its
right and duty to do, but which was in viola
ton OF lazy, of honesty and of common decen>
cy; and throughout the whole of this rro-
ceedlno; Joe Chapline-who from motives of
the purest kind, Of course, vacated the
Clerks desk, an1-p1t his brothcr-in-law in
his place; Sin consequence ofthc nature ofthe
bCsifccssto hetransacted that day, was freely
miXingrSitb the members, and advising and
directing their movements. During the dav
and before the Charlestown poll was acted on.
Messrs. MeCurdy, Logic and Johnson arrived
IN the town, Sut seem to have taken no mart
or lot in the r}atter; neither voting, protest
ing or doing anything else to show their op-
position to the action of the other members
and, unless these members do earnestly and
publicly protest, in their official capacity,
against this outrago,, they must expect full
share of that bitte<' denunciation which an
indignant and outrsged people are heaping
upon the heads of all those actively engaged
in, or aiding and abctting, the perpe ration of
this monstrous wrong.