The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-10-12
FAIRMoNT, October 6, 1868.

FAIRMoNT, October 6, 1868.
Editors of the Register
My first letter closed with the ad-
journment of the Board of Registration
on Monday afternoon. The mass OF
honest, living indignation which filled
the room, parted sufficiently to allow
the "THREE FURIEs" to pass out. No
one molested them. No threat was
made against them by any one. The
most exemplary forbearance marked
the conduct of the people. Immediately
the people, numbering three or four
hundred, assembled in the Court House,
in response to the ringing of the bell.
The following minutes of their proceed
ings have been furnished by the Secre-
tary: "Ata meeting of the citizens of
Marion county, held at the Court
House, on Monday, October ), at 21
o'clock p. NJ, Leonard Lamb, Esq, was
chosen Chairman and James Morrow, ,Jr.,
Secretary. Major Z. A. Bennett was
called upon by the Chair to state the
object of the meeting. Major Bennett
briefly addressed the meeting, admon-
ishing the people to be firm in the main
tenance of their rights, ,counseling obedi-
ence to the law, and respectful, or
derly and determined opposition to the
unlawful action of the Board of Regis
tration. He said the meeting was fer
the purpose of making an organized eff
fort to secure Justice to the people of
Marion county, whom the Board were
proceeding to disfranchise in violation
of law. The Secretary next gave sue
cinct and accurate report of the case OF
George J. Martin, which had, a few
minutes before, been tried before the
Board of Registration. The recital of
the facts of this case created intense
feeling. On motion of Fontain Smith,
ESQ.,, the Chair appointed committee
of fourteen gentlemen to adopt q plan
of action adapted to the exigencies of
the occasion. That committee was
composed of the following named gen
tlemen: Fontain Smith, Esq, Chair
man, Capt. John Fisher, John kearsley,
David Ammons, p. L. Barnes, Aaron
Hawkins, Il. Z. Conaway, j. w. Smith,
Stephen L. Gooch, S. w. Sturm, A.
Brooks Fleming, BENZ F. Shaver, Jas.
Morrow, Jr., and Jno. w. Mccoy.
"The committee retired for delibera-
ton, and during their absence the meet
ing was addressed by Major +. A. Ben
nett in stirring and spirited style, IN
which the members of the Board came
in for full share of honest and vehe-
ment denunCiatiOn.
"The committee returned, reported
progress, and asked further. time. They
urged the people to be firm, respectful
and obedient to the law, and 10 follow
up with determination, day by day, the
work which they had undertaken.
"The meeting then resolved that its
organization should remain permanent
during the sittings of the Board of Reg
istration, and then, on motion, ad-
iourned TO meet tomorrow morning at
nine o'clock.
LEONARD LAMB, President.
"JAMES MORROW, JE., Secretary"
On Tuesday morning the people again
appeared in undiminished numbers.
The Board met pursuant to their ad-
iournment of the previous day, and
without transaCting any business ad-
journed until Wednesday morning.
Immediately the Court House bell was
rung. The people again promptly as
sembled and were called to order by
their venerable Chairman. Speeches
were made by several gentlemen, and
the people perceiy!ng that the tactics
of the Board was to wear them out,
until they should fail to appear, and
then to strike them off by default, re-
newed their pledges to each other te
"labor with them" until the day of
election if necessary. During this af-
ternoon the Radicals are to be seen
counselling in groups. They manifest
much uneasiness. The honest people
are making a stand against oppression.
This appears to Radical to be great
impudence, and it evidently troubles
them. The symptom is very apparent
in the Radical visage. 1t is what the
physicians call '.tacies elORgatd."
Wednesday morning came aud with 1t
came the stardy taxpayers of Marion
county. They are anxious to have
their Cases tried and disposed of.
Again the THREE FURIEs" meet and
Immediately adjourn until morning.
The people re-enacted their proceedings
of Tuesday morning They renewed
their determination to see this thing
out. 1t is beginning to be amusing.
With the Board 1t is tragedy; with the
people kind of serio-comedy-the Sc
rious element largely predominating.
Nothing could be more admirable than
the firm, respectful, determined
demeanor of these outraged cit
liens. Not q drunken man is to be
seen amongst them; not disorderly
person. Carlisle spoke this after
noon to a considerable assembly
of Republicans and Radicals, many
of whom are very much disgusted
with the conservative views expressed
by their speaker. The honest men of
the Republican party, of whom there is
a respectable number in this county,
are beginning to denounce the action
of the Board of Registration. But their
denunciatioss are gentle, and have lit
tie effect. However, there are many
Republicans here who desire only fair
execution of the Registration law. But
there are certain effice holders and Office
seekers in this county who lin the
classic phrase of Donnelly) ARE afraid
the public COW is about to kick so high
that they will lose their hold of the
teats." These gentlemen, it is believed,
Justify and sustain the Board in all its
iniouities. Not one of them has mag
nanimity, or greatness OF soul enough
to 90 before the Board and ask, on be-
half of his fellow-citizens, a fair and
impartial execution of the law. Such
an act would have secured their own
election, and would have enshrined
them in the esteem and affection of all
whose esteem is worthy of regard.