The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-05-11
M.Yi.. MaY 81. 81.

~ =
Editors InteLligeReeTs
We noticed In the Wheeling Register
of the 21st April, 1856, an article taken
from the Buckhannon Republican head
ed General. HaFfiss Among other
slanderous falsehoods uttered against
General i. NJ. Harris under said cap
ton, he Is charged with having offered
his services to q Rebel Regiment ut
Chenille in 1851, and was rejected.
Thus charging q brave and generous
soldier and officer Of the United States
Government, as having at one time en-
Outraged or sympathized with treason
and rebellion.
we whose names are subscribed, beg
leave to say that We are now and ever
have been opposed TO secession and re-
bellion. That Gen. Harris was resi-
dent OF Gienvflle, Gilmer county at the
time OF the breaking out OF the rebel
lion In 1851, and had resided here for
more than two years previous 70 tnat
ffme-fhat we were well acquainted
with his General. Harris'sl political
course, and know that in the Presiden-
tial election in the TALL OF ls6O, ne OPP
posed secession publicly and privately
from the first agitation of the subject
i and for three months prior TO the vote
on the ordinance of secession in Vir-
/ ginia, he almost entirely abandoned
l his profession and devoted his time to
l the work of defeating the ordinance OF
secession in Virginia. And as soon as
as it was apparent that the State of
Virginia would go with the South,
Gen. Harris WIS the first man to take
che lead to counsel the Union men here
to respond to the Harrison county
resolutions to hold Convention at
Wheeling, in order to restore the state
L Government.
We Know that he labored almost day
/ and night In getting up meetings OF the
people, In order that delegates might be
| appointed and sent to said Convention.
1 And by this course he rendered himself
/ very obnoxious TO the rebels: His life
AID property was threatened py an altn nNos,
| every rebel in the county, and he was
ofteIi notified to leave the county, and
| the penalty was the forfeiture of his life.
| For some time during the month OF
June, 1851, the rebel flag Tor rather the
rebel rag) doated over the courthouse
here, and rebel companies or mons
were pIFaied about the streets, using
| an mannerof low bIackguard language
and breathing threats and vengeance
on every Union man, and judging from
| the cfafiaor Union men could not retire
at home Of nights without jeopardinng
their lives.
And we have no knowledge that Gen.
Harris did ever Weld, in the least, to
| their propositions, everything proved
the contrary, and that II he did 1t was
L only to save his life, and was not vol
untarilys done. and was during the
reign of terror. We do know that
about that time he left his home and
| family and went north, and returned
with the first federal troops that came
to this place. Therefore, we having
| been well acquainted with Gen. Harris
and his course, at the time referred 70,
know that the charges against General
Harris aboVerefeTfedt 70, is false SLAM
der, an falsehood.
Yours. de-, IV1f. IT,. WANT, y. Il.
b. HonT, Sheriff of Gilmer county, j.
NJ. BRANNANy Clerk of Board of Sn-i
pervisors; MATHEW HON, Clerk of Cir