Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-06-25
OUR BIG SHOW.
The Monkeys Stirred.

4uo MOuh6yS OIITF6QG
At some period between the years 1861
and 1865, there located at the county seat of
Berkeley, two wandering Yankees, who stuck
up their shingles to practice law in the courts
established by the Foreman dynasty; and al
though they came unheralded and without
pedigree, they were soon found to possess the
necessary requisites to become radical lead
ers, and they were taken up and placed in
position-the one made senator from this
district, and the other prosecuting attorney
of the county of Berkeley. Another official
or political relation these unknown characters
sustain to the public. In Berkeley county
the radicals have an organ, and at its edi-
torial head fly the names of these two legal
adventurers-HOke and Wissner 1t is not
often that we get to see copy of this sheet,
which is misnamed the "BerkeLcy Union."
but friend has kindly placed US in posses
sion of the last number, in which we find the
following article =
The SPIRIT OF JEFFERSON AND ITS Big
SHow.-Wc have had several conversations
with prominent men of Jefferson county in
cles in the Spirit Of Jtferson, under the
head "Big Show" There is point at which
torbearance ceases to be a Virtue, and we
will inform the benign, kind, loyal, recon-
structed rebel editor, and that known contrib
utor of his, the bushwacker, guerrilla guide,
that other animals will be shown up if this
thing is not stopped and as ShepherdstOwn
seems to be the place from which they make
their selections, we will also make few selec-
tiOns from the same town, 4. e., few rebels
among which preachers who formerly owned
their mulatto children, and women Of doubt
full character, occupying high social positions
in the estimation of the T. f. VS., will not
be exempted. We dislike exceedingly to
enter into personalities, but we want rebel
editors to understand that loyal men will be
protected from their malicious assaults A
word to the wise, &c.
We do not wish our readers to understand
that we intend to nauSeate them with n con-
troversy with the paper in question: con-
troversy which would be damaging to the
reputation Of any decent journal, but as the
article above quoted conveys a cowardly at
tempt to intimidate US in our work of ex-
posing the radical leaders of this county, we
take up the gauntlet that is thrown down,
and avail ourselves of the opportunity to give
expression to our views and feelings, without
fear, favor or affection.
First then, as to the articles which are
termed "villainous and slanderous." For
nearly two years we have been exposing with
an uuspariDg hand, the rascalities Of the lead
ers ofthe radical party of Jeferson-those W no
have haan hnDora6 With y,os;t;o. - IL.
who have thrust themselves into notcriety-
In all that time we have published nothing
that we are not fully prepared to substantiate.
and the proof of which is at our command
at any day that an issue may be joined The
force of our articles has been the foundation
upon which they rested-truth, undeniable
and indisputable. To sum up briefly
We charged Joseph A. Chapline, one of
the Senators of this District and the grand
gyasticutis of radicalism in this county, with
having purchased goods of house in Balti-
more, for which he gave check on a Bank
in Hagerstown in payment, knowing at the
same time that he had no money on deposit
in said Bank, and that the check was repudi-
ated By the officers of the Bank, when pre-
sented. This charge we can prove, and 9TH
er acts equally damaging We have yet in the
background, and which shall be forthcoming
in due time. We have charged Joseph T.
McKevitt and and Anthony Turner with un-
principled conduct in the discharge of their
duties as members of the Board of ReCistra-
ton of this county. Does any one doubt our
ability to prove these charges? Let the is
sue be made, and we are ready to meet it.
We have charged Byers, ranting hypocrite
OF the Northern Methodist church, with bay-
ing, in the excess of his piety, punched out
the eye of bull and attempting to trade
a horse which he knew to be unsound. This
Is true to the letter, and we are ready to fur
nish the proof. We charged John Spangler
with having exhibited himself to Gov. Wise
as olive Know-Nothing" Hundreds are
willing to testify to the truth of this charge,
though it is not known that he ever repeat
ed the exhibition. And so throughout the
whole series of articles published by US, there
has been nothing said about these radical
leaders that cannot be sustained by compe-
tent witnesses in a court of justice-and this
they themselves well know.
And these are the "loyal' men who arc to