The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-12-20

and that his accusers are, and have
been, violent and Inscriptions rebels,
who, actuated by prejudice and hatred
to the government, have manufactured
and circulated falsehoods and ISLANDERS
to tarnish the good name and virtuous
character of this great and just man,
from no other cause than that he is, and
has been consistently loyal, while they
are, and were traitors and rebels. Now
what are the facts in this connection !
Was he during the war, or is he now, a
loyal Union mani
Previous to the war Judge n. Harri-
son was States Rights, pro-slavery
Democrat-so much so that, in 1859, he
refused to support the nomination OF
Hon. John Letcher for Governor of the
State, because he had endorsed the
Rutfner pamphlet. At the commence
ment of hostilities he was practicing
law in Philadelphia, where, by his lily
concealed sympathies for the cause of
the South, he became very obnoxious to
the people of that city. He, rs counsel,
defended the prisoners captured on
board the Confederate privateer Savan-
nah, after which he found it necessary,
| in order to escape Fort Warren, to clan
destinely make his way to Richmond
and the protection of those vile rebels
when he now so delights in persecu-
ting. The first thing he did after ar
irving at Richmond was to search out
prominent Confederate officials, inform
them that he had important infOrma-
ton brought from the Copperheads of
the North, to communicate to President
Davis, and that he desired an introduce
ton. which he obtained. From this
time (the fall of 1861 he remained with
in the Confederate lines, during which
time he frequently sought office from
the rebels, so-called, repeatedly took
the oath of allegiance to the
Confederate States, held the Office
(as he has decided it to be) of
attorney at law, and professed to be
cheerful supporter and dutiful citizen
of the Confederate States and rebel
government of Virginia. When not
taking oaths, seeking office or discharg-
ing his official duties of attorney, he
devoted himself assiduously to the sell
| ing of mean whisky which he had
smuggled through the lines from the
North.
This is but brief and meagre state
ment of facts to indicate the position of
this paragon of loyalty. Now as to the
next point-Is he loyal now
Having passed through the lines on
smuggling expedition, in March, 800,
he was accidentally i'll the North at the
time of the fall of Richmond. As soon
as possible after the surrender of the
Confederate armies, when the whole
Southern people were in uncertainty
and dread as to what should be their
fate. Nat. Harrison established par
don brokers' office in Washington, ID.
c.. and sent runners to this part of the
State to terrify the people with horrid
tales of confscation and impending
ruiu. By this means he obtained large
sums of money from the most wealthy
citizens for procuring for them Execu-
tive pardons His frauds and treach-
cries while engaged in this lucrative
business are too notorious to require
ventilation at my hands.
In July 1865, Governor A. i. Boreman
appointed him Judge of this district.
He came here in August, gave false
construction to the officers test oath
and induced several persons to take it,
who afterwards declared they wonld
not have done so had they known that
| it included those who had aided the
rebellion prior to 1868, the date of
its enactment. Under this so-callcd lib
eral, but really false construction he ap-
pointed and inducted into every Office,
under his control, in his district, with
scarcely an exception, men who, during
the reign of the Contederacy, were
cheerful and active supporters OF the
rebellion and notoriously disloyal to the
! United States and the State OF West Vlr-
cinia. For instance, i'll this coun'y
| I(Greenbricr) he appointed, to the offices
of Clerk and Recorder, u man who not
only held during the whole war the Of
fee of Clerk, under the rebel govern
ment of Virginia, but who, rs Colonel
of Militia, marched his regiment to meet
and repel the advance of the Union
army. For Sheriff he appointed man
who had voted for the ordinance OF Sc
cession. Nearly all of those whom he
appointed as Justices had held the same
Office under the confedcrates; one of
whom had published in public news
paper, n card, denouncing by name, as
| traitors all those who voted against the
ordinance of secession. He proposed to
give to, at least, two attorneys at this
bar, who he knep had been officers during
the whole war, in the COnsederate army,
the office of Prosecuting Attorney III
each of the counties OF his district,
if they would do as he had done, per-
lure themselves by taking the test oath
| iiiberally construed by him to meet their
situation. And not only has he ap-
pointed rebels to office, but heremoved,
without authority, Mr.. Andrew knight,
who was during the war and Is now
recognized and consistent Union man
from the office of Supervisor after he
had been regularly elected by the quail
fed voters of his township, and ap-
pointed in his stead man, to say the
least, of doubtful loyalty. In other
counties of his district his appoint
ments have been Of similar character.
1t is well Known here that certain prom
inent rebels, who have seen proper to
conciliate Harrison, have received ftom
him, while upon the bench, judicial
favors which were in total disregard of
law, Justice or common honesty-for
instance, one of these rebel favUrites is
sued in an action of debt upon a plain
bond, by, perhaps, loyal, Union man:
the Judge upon a mere preteXt, and
without even shadow of defence, on
the pare of the defendant, continues the
case and refuses to give judgement.
The soldiers belonging to Captain
lGarteu's West Virginia State Guards,
were arrested in this county in August,
1865, and confined i'll Jail for taking
from citizens some horses branded ~.
S.,' upon what they regarded as COM
petent authority. They were brought
before Judge Harrison on q writ of
habeas corpus and discharged on the
ground that the Justice, IAN appointee of
the judge) who issued the warrant had
not been legally appointed-that is, he,
then and there, decided that he, Judge
Nat. Harrison, himself had illegally and
without authority, appointed man to
a judicial office. And after quashing
this warrant, he immediately issued
1 n 4. L. 4 4. -,