Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-05-07
BERKELEY GnuNTY.


US in bearing the shackles Of West Virginia
tyrauny-a tyranny in comparison with which
the Confinement Of Bonaparte at st. Helena
was possessed of many mitigating circum-
stances. This fastening to the car of. des-
potism is the more intolerable because of the.
high carnival of villainy which tits perpet-
uating, and because too of the semblance of
government, which every honest man. feels is
government of the lawless and unprinci-
pled-a government under whose deprayed
reign rascality is at high premium and up-
Brightness at terribled discount.
Like the people of our own county, the
honest masses of Berkeley, who have felt the
CALLING yoke that has fettered them for the
past three years, are willing to accept any
change; knowing that a worse fate cannot be-
fal them. and that all probabilities favor
better fortune. To hope, is instructive, and
like US, our Berkeley friends feed upon this,
with kind of intuitive faith that the day
cannot be remote when the money changers
shall be driven from the temple, and the
bond-foFgers shall be- scourged with some-
thing more severe than whipcord.
When We compare our condition deplora-
bic as it is-with that of our people in
Berkeley, we feel comparatively arniable, and
experience some slight promptings to return
thanks that radicalism-mean, and loathe-
some, and repugnant as it is, even in its mild
est form-has its degrees of torture, and that
We are afflicted with milder type of the ma
lignant disease which is fostering the heart
and sapping the happiness, and even life it.
self, in Berkeley county But this extended
Introduction is not pertinent to the object we
had in view when we commenced to write of our
trip to Berkeley. To look at the brighter
phase of the picture is always more agreeable,
and to this we now turn, with q measure of
gratitude that the blessings of Providence
fall alike upon the just and the unjust.
BUNKER HILL.
After quitting our own beautiful county,
whose verdant fields and flowing streams,
cheered our dependency, the first point of
interest reached in our trip was Bunker Hill,
where we spent the night and portion of
the day, renewing old, and forming new ac-
quaintances. Here We met our esteemed
friend and former county-man,, Mr.. William
d. North, with whom we had a long and
agreeable interview, recounting the past and
endeavoring to scan the future. At this
point reconstruction has not reached very
advanced stage, and many of the rude senti-
neis OF wars desolation yet stand to give
melancholy greeting. Something has been
done however, and this something it is our
purpose to notice. Messrs Robt. Lamon &
George W. North have recently erected a
c:editable store-house, in which they are
carrying on the mercantile business, and from
the indications, we judge with good degree
OF encouragement. Their shelves are WELL
filed with useful and fancy articles, and they
are young gentlemen possessed of that spirit
OF accommodation which, connected with en-
ergy, is a sure guarantee of success.
Being detained at Bunker Fill by the
storm, until near noon of Wednesday, we
mounted our steed and started off in the di-
rection of DarkesviIle,-a village which ike
our own Middleway, luxuriates in plurality
of names,-being sometimes called Buckles
town. The weather still bearing threaten
ing aspectS and desiring friendly quarters,
and hospitable store, we sought the home Of
our friend aud former commandant, Col. ia
cob Slncendlver, who we were pleased to find
ln,the enjoyment of health and still possessed
of that fcrvid fire Of patriotism which is ,un-
quenchable by kings, or courts, or even West
Virginia despotism. We had no opportunity
to talk over our mutual trials shy food and
field, - when we both hoped that in prospective
there was government suited to our tastes.
and that the smoothing of the wrinkled front
of grim-visaged war;" would leave us in
the enjoyment of all the rights, privi-
leges and immunities of citizens of grand
confederation, around which would be clus.
tered and concentered the affections of
happy and prosperous people. Our time was
too limited to enter upon the discussion
of these pleasant, but unhappiIy dissipa-
ted anticipations. We talked Of the present,
but we thought of the past. Another fea-
ture of interest in this visit to our old friend.
we must not more than allude to now, because
of the fact that more than an eighth of
century ago we made selection of a piece Of
calico, and formed an alliance which is to
last through the term of natural life. We
must say, however, that dark eyes have ever
exercised a sweetly tormenting influence over
US, and We infinitely prefer their sway to the
desPotism of West Virginia radicalism.-
Starting from this point, we proceeded to
As the day was fast fastening to its termi-
nation, we spent but little time at this place.
Our brief sojourn was sufficient, however, to