Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-09-15
WHAT ARE WE DOING2

We mean what efforts are we putting forth
to rescue this county and State from the vile
c urse Of radicnlism We complain of the
tyranny that Expresses us, and sometimes al
III ost swear that We will not longer tolerate
it, and yet VIC end in sound and fury, and
permit the most shameful outrages. We have
speeches made in our midst to stir up the
people, and we get them to that point where
they are ready to demand their rights, and
then for want Of concert and dircctness Of
aim, we drop back TO the starting point
Like the toad in the we'll, we climb three
feet in the day, and slide back, three at night
and that is the sort Of progress we are max
ing in Kidding ourselves of the yoke that
few miserable, unprincipcd men have fasten-
cd upon our necks. We have had two coun-
ty conventions during the past summer, in
both Of which there were bold, defiant speeches
/ made, and bold and defiant resolutions adopt
ed Individually, we rejoiced at the out
spoken expressions of what we took to be the
popular will. lie thought that it meant
something, and that we were about to see
radicalism nuihiated-wiped out Of exist
ence, so far as our own gallant little county is
concerned. Having fought the tax gatherers
and money changers for nearly three years,
! almost single handed and alone, aud having
| incurred the uurighteous hate of all the
| thieves who were preying upon the vitals Of
the people, riotous!y wasting their substance,
We felt, when these conventions adjourned,
IL I I l 81.
! hcncefo nth We were 10 have the assistance Of
trained band Of veterans to fight for the
overthrow Of mongrcl;am and the restoration
of the principles Of the constitution.
BY way of pcrfccting our organization, and
drilling the conservative forces for the grand
contest upon which they were entering, a
County Executive Committee was appointed
at the first convention held in July. Upon
this committee was to Geyo!vc the work Of
mapping out and conducting the campaign in
the county. Seven gentlemen composed that
committee-one from each township. For
inf ormation, We make the inquiry, is that
committee still in existence? If it is in ex-
istence, what has it done, and what is it doing?
Does its chairman, or any one of its members,
know anything of the condition of the party
in the county? Now, We have no desire to
find fault with those whom We want to regard
as friends and allies, but have you, gentlemen
of the Executive Committee, been doing your
duty? Have you made any effort to concen-
trate the strength Of the party in the county,
and to have it registereG and brought to The
polls More than two months have passed,
since you received your appointments in
county convention, and if you have done any
thing we have never heard Of it. Only lit
tic over one month is left between this and
the day for holding the State election, and if
you intend to do anything you ought to be
about it. You have been sleeping long
enough, while the temple Of liberty is crumb-
ling around you. You may not realize it
now, but when the enemy has you bound
hand and foot you will awake to the truth
that you have neglected the golden opportu-
nifty, and have rivcted the chains that bind a
people who pant to be free. In our own
township-pcrsccuted and spit upon as her
people have been, since the transfer of this
county to West Virginia, by former Boards
OF Regis tration-the crowning act of intamy
and outrage has been reserved to the present
year. heretofore, those who could comply
with the severe requirements of the registra~
ton law, had their names placed upon the
list OF voters, even if they were stricken off
by an irresponsible Board but this year,
they are denied even that poor privilege, and
arc left without township registrar. Ought
not the Executive committee have prepared
for such an emergency? They knew the foe
they had to deal with, and they knew that !
every species of petty mcanncss would be
rcsorted to, to retain control here. And yet |
they did nothing to thwart the Vaccinations of /
Borcman's pimps, but left them free to pursue |
the course which their own evil inclinatiOus
prompted.
BY this very inaction, not less than fifty !
votes are likely to be lost to the Conservative
ticket in this county. Can We afford to throw |
away that number of votes in such u crisis .
We cannot, and we appeal to the committee /
to 90 to work, and get these voters to visit .
Shepherdstown on Monday next, where in .
body they may confront the Board Of Regis
tration that has thus tempered with their .
liberties In the name of all that is just and
rj"ht anpesI to the Board of Registration,