Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-01-12
Editorial Correspondence.
LEwIsBURG, GREENBRIER COUNTY,
West Virginia lon 9Th 1850

| AsCSAoeA oVAoA 0utA &AOSOOuAA6S'
IF it be true that misery loves company, y
it would be well for other citizens Of Virginia,
like ourself, to pay occasional visits to West
Virginia As one simply under military arrest,
guarded by soldiers, feels that his condition is
not as bad as it might be when he sees another
not only bound but gagged by Infamous scala
wags, so a citizen of Virginia whose State has
| been degraded by Radical rule to mere mill
| tary District, governed by the bayonet, feels
| that the condition of his fellow-citizens, or
| rather fellow subjects, is fortunate when COM
pared with that Of the citizens of West Vir-
| ginia, who are bound, gagged and tortured by
| the most tyrannical, diabolical and fendish set
of scaawags whoever established their titles in
fee simple to homes in the torrid regions of the
damned The condition of the better part Of
the citizens in West Virginia shows what that
of the citizens Of Virginia would be, if the
present military Government should, unfortu-
| nately, be exchanged for that under the Under
| wood scalawag Constitution, or one similar, in
obnoxious restrictive features to it, except that
| in Virginia the ills attending the black plague
of negro suffrage would be super added, which
would operate present degradation and injury
to the whites, and ultimate ruin to the negroes.
Ii the deluded negroes had the prescience to
foresee what the ultimate effect of the exercise
of the franchise by them would be upon their
fortunes, they would shun it as the worst curse
which could be visited upon them-they would
rather be clothed with the spirit of Nessus
than with the privilege of franchise. as.4e
Though Virginia is territory, denied the
rights Of State, and governed by military
commandant, yet the citizens of Virginia are
fortunate as compared with those of West Vir-
GINA, though the latter are citizens of loyal
State, SO called, in the Union. No benefit at
taches to being in the Union, if the State Gov
eminent be in the hands Of scalawags, and
Virginia had better remain territory out of
the Union and be governed by military author
ity till the last syllable Of recorded time
than to be in the Union as State governed by
scalawags. The Government of West Virginia
establishes this fact beyond controversy.
The scenes which have been enacted here
this week show with what kind of Govern
ment the people of West Virginia are cursed
The proceedings of the Board of Registration,
composed of three members-two being pres
ent and acting-whieh were had in the Court
house of this place this week need no COM
u1ent-they bespeak most forcibly and eloquent
y their own outrageous character.
Any attempt to give such description of
the proceedings which took place as would give
those who did not witness them anything like
a correct idea of their character would be fu-
tile, and [ will not attempt to do SO. will
only furnish such a sketch as will enable the
readers of the Spectator to form some idea of
the manner in which the rights of the citizens,
are registered, loyal citizens, of West Virginia
are ruthlessly and outrageously trampled upon
by the Boards Of Registration I will confne
myself simply to a plain, unvarnished, unem-
bellished statement.
10 enable the readers better to understand
the character Of the action of the Board of
Registration here, l will state that, by the lows
Of West Virginia, adopted by the Legislature
in violation, I believe, of the Constitution of
the State, Boards of Registration are response
BILE to no power or tribunal whatever-their ac-
ton is fnal--no appeal under the laws can be
taken to any other tribunal, however arbitrary
and outrageous their action may be. They
WELD power unprecedented in the annals of
Republican Governments, having the power TO
prevent any citizen, hoa0euer loyal, from voting
and holding office, and, being irresponsible
bodies, and the members of them being gener-
ally INSCRIPTIONS men, who have no respect for
the rights of Others they abuse their power in
the most shameful and outrageous manner.
Though citizens may have taken the iron,
clad oath and been registered as voters-though
they may have served throughout the war in
the Federal army and been honorably dis
charged therefrom at its termination-though
they may have been consistent members and
office holders Of the Republican party, yet if,
on any occasion, they should fail to vote for
the members of the Board of Registration for
such Offices as they may aspire to, Or vote in
any way or for any person that suits not the
members of the Board they are liable to be
summoned by the Board to appear before that
body to establish their "loyalty' in the sense
in which that body CONSTITUTES the term. The
test of that kind of loyalty is, voting for the
members of the Board Of Registration, or for
such other candidates Of the extreme wing OF
the Radical party as may be supported by the
| members of the Board The registered voters
thus summoned are required to establish that
kind Of loyalty by the testimony of witnesses
| who are themselves recognized as loyal by thai
test. They are required not only to establish a
negative-that they have never done any dis
| loyal act, or entertained a disloya thought, OF
| felt throb Of disloyal sympathy-but they are
required to establish it by witnesses who vote
| to suit the Board of Registration Ali others
| are considered disloyal, whose testimony the
| Board viii take against, but not in favor Of the
| party thus summoned for trial This rule OF
conduct in these trials was publicly proclaimed
and officially announced by the President OF
| the Board of Registration here this week =
Ihe testimony Of unregistered men aUiN be taken
AGAINST, but NOT IN FAVOR Of the party on
| trial
The party accusing the voter of disloyalty is
| not made known to the party accused, and all
| knowledge of the specific charges preferred a.
| gainst him is withheld, so that the party &C.
| cused is denied both the right of meeting the
charges preferred against him, and of confront
| ing his accuser What chance has the accused
to get justice before such a body? None what
ever The reader will now be able to form
some idea Of the character or rather want Of