Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-04-09
THE COUNTY SEAT.

selfish radicals who have their residences in
the neigLborhood of the present court house
a place rendered famous, if not classic
~ holding within its boundaries the person
Of many distinguished and highly honor
able - luminarics of '' the Foreman concern
out at Wheeling"
One Of. these, who signs himself "[II,'' las
inflicted upon the readers of the Shepherds
town Register long communication, the eff
frontery of which is only equalied by its dis
play of ignorance. We cannot afford to en-
fer into any discussion with ~" or any of
his set, upon any subject involving points of
laC:, either constitutional or legislative. lie,
being au adhcrcnt of the Foreman concern
and in favor of the transfer of Jefferson
county to that concern, is necessarily so blind
TO al law, all justice and all right-So entire
j an advocate of power over law-that even
il we should succeed in opening his eyes to
the many violations of both federal and State
constitutions which were had in the formation
of his State. and its extension of Jurisdiction
over this county he would Immediately plant
himself upon the might which the brave,
West Nirginiaus exhibited i'll 1868 and 'G5.
under the protection of the army OF the Uni
ted States. We must content ourselves with
renewal Of cur suggestion to tie Supervi-
sors- IF they order the election to obtain
the sense of the voters upon the question of
locating the county scat, and Gin the event of
that election resulting in favor of a change,
r Al.
latter will then be put in such form as will
nab!c OK and his friends to test the legali-
Of the change before the properly consti-
ted tribunals; and, although we have not
particle of confidence in the wisdom which
habits the bench of West Virginia, we have
great confidence in that wisdom being wise
according to the way in which the radical
Iotc may be developed.
IS to the remark of ''N'' upon the proba-
ity of removal of the county seat being
but equal to that of taking the county
Dhck to Virginia, - where Northern officers
force Southern gentlemen to Go the bid
Of the shouder-strap gentry We can
u but laugh outright at the sublime i'm
guidance displayed by the writer. Every
body i.HoTTs that if it had not been for North
c-n officers forcing tie Southern gentlemen.
inlabi;inS that part ot the State now known
rs West Virginia, to do the bidding of men
jaT JTorse than the shouider-strap gentry.
there never would have been any annexation
Of this county to West Virginia, FOR any for
nation OF that State itself To US here in
Jefferson, who were cs:oppcd in our move
mcnts, which would have clcctuaily kept the
county in Virginia, by the strong arm Of Ma
jor Genera! Enlo-y's division OF United States
troops called into service at the Liddiu" of
Arthur l foreman and who as far bacI, as
1853 we're kept fronl :le polls by strong
Inc Of FEDERAL military picicts, as well az hy
the cheats Of FOREMAN and his radical broth
coD, Ills comes with peculiar and refreshing
force. Eut we might as wei! now and here
Soy to - and his set. that no matter what
my be the fute of OLD Tirginia-no matter
how nauch she may be oppressed by 'the
shoulder strap ecntry''-po matter how great
may be the confscation Of the property OF
her citizcns-ro matter how lar;-cSinay be her
debt to lie provided for, nor how oncrous the
taxation, w want TO share that fate; her peo-
pie arc cur people and We want to join hands
with them in veal or Voc.
ne do not admit the truth of the state
I!cnt of''N" that the taxes are heavier in Vir
:.inia than in this State. We know that some
Of on" people are now paying to West Vir-
GINA more money for taxes than thcY did to
lrginia at any time prior 10 the war; and
thai with no mere real, and far less personal.
IEcpcrty-and with the real property dimin-
1shed in value by the armies of the United
States. And VIC also know that in the case
ii the school tax this county has paid into
the treasury at Wheeling, in 1SG5-GG, up
wards OF 81 ,O0O-a very small part of which.
probably not more than a fourth, has been
expended for educational purposes in the
county.
We are not sufficiently posted upon inter
nal improvements TO he able TO state with any
degree Of accuracy how much money the Old
State subscribed to works in what is now
called West Virginia; but VIC know enough
TO enable US to deny Ks statemant that the,
old State ''ncver fostcrcd internal improve
ments at the expense OF the State in its west
ern counties so lar, at. least, as Jefferson
county is concerned. There is no railroad in
the whole State which has received more aid
from, and been more "fos:cred" by the State,
than the Winchester & Potomac near two
thirds Of which is in Jefferson, We do not
know how the case stands with two of the
three turnpikes in the county, but to the
CAarlestown & BerryvilIe road the State sub
fcri6ed the usual proportion of the original
stock, and, afterwards WHOM the company cot