The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1868-11-11
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A. McGREGoR, EDITOR.
From the Greenbrisr Independent ]
West Virginia Despotism, -

= We have been surprised more than
once at the want of information
abroad, even in the adjoining States,
concerning West Virginia despotism.
It is a fact of easy demonstration,
that even the Southern States, ruled
as they are by the sword, are more
free to-day than the always loyal
State of West Virginia.
In this State there are not less than
twenty-five thousand disfranchised
citizens. No, not "citizens !" for the
amended constitution of the State
declares that they can never become
citizens although they were born on
her soil have lived here all their lives,
and are heavily taxed to support the
municipal. State and National Gov
ernments. They are aliens on their
native soil, as far as the State consti-
tuition can make them aliens.
In this county alone, there are !, 400
disfranchised men, comprising the
wealth, intelligence, public spirit,
and moral worth of Greenbrier.
In this town, with a population of
200, there are only eight voters and
yet in this county there is not one
disIoyal man, excepting the Radicals,
who are all disloyal. In West Vir-
ginia there are not less than $4,000
men who cannot hold any Office, sit
on jury, or teach a public school.
In West Virginia there are not less
than %, 900 men who cannot obtain
judgments upon old debts due them,
or enforce contracts.
In West Virginia the taxes for
county and township purposes are
eight times heavier than before the
| the war.
In West Virginia we have fiYe paid
officers now for one before the war.
In West Virginia the salaries of
county officers are double. and some
of them treble, of what they were
before the war.
In West Virginia, especially in the
border counties, the officers are, with
few exceptions, filed by the. most ig-
norant and vicious of the population.
In West Virginia three men in
each county, known as the county
board of registration, are actually
licensed, by an act Of the Legislature,
to enter on record that their fellow
citizens are peEjurers!
In West Virginia the county boards
Of registration have entire control of
every Office in the State. The Board
of Registration Of Ohio county can
unseat Governor Boreman by merely
scratching his name from the list of
registered voters. The Board of Reg
istration of Monroe county can unseat
Judge Nat. Harrison in the same
way. No man can hold Office unless
he is a voter. No man can
be voter unless he is registered. No
man can register, or remain register.
ed, without the consent of the county
boards of registration. Scratch Bore
mans name or Harrison's name from
the registry, and the septre of power
drops from their nerveless grasp.
Did such a state of things ever be-
fore exist in any civilized communi-
ty? Has as mean, contemplate,
sneaking, eowardIy, brutal a despot-
ism as that of West Virginia ever be-
fore rejoiced the hearts of devils. or
called for the avenging bolts OF
heaven?
"Mountaineers always free !" Oh,
what a mockery of a noble sentiment
What brazen-faced lie! There is no
freedom in these mountains, except
the freedom of ignorance and villainy
to lord it over intelligence and hon.
esty. .-a. 3D..