The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-01-07


danger from without, the faithful agents
of 'loyap purposes, proceeded to place
th,ir tribunal on complete war foot
ing. Their place of business was forti'
fed. heavy armed guard was estaD'
lished, weapons and munitions of the
most warlike character were sup
piled in lavish abundance, and the tenn
pIe of registration speedily assumed
the character of an outlaws den, pre-
pared for defending by substantial force
the lawless misdeeds of its occupants
A gentleman whose curiosity led him
to personal inspection Of the formlda'
BILE condition of the registration works,
paid visit to the stronghold of the in
auisition. A big, burly, blear-eyed
bully sentinelled the entrance. Select
ed by the leaders of scalawagaire TO
guard the first approaches to the en-
treuchments of loyal" villainy, he was
the right man in the right place, a
brute, hired for a
penny, and ready to do murder for a
nine pence, and just about "as mild-a-
hammered man as ever scuttled ship or
cut q throat From either side his
greasy belt large revolver, of the most
unwholesome pattern, depended. His
right hand grasped third peace-maker
of the same description, cooked and
ready for use. His left hand toyed with
the barrel of q rusty cavalry carblne,
conveniently located. A naked sword,
curved like one-half of a wagon tire,
almest as heavy, caked with rust and
notched like q cross-cut saw, was hooked
to his hip. The handle of delicate
knife about the size and finish of a
cutter, looked out from the
collar of his immense wrap-rascal
overcoat. The limitless cavities of his
"loyap garments, seemed to servo as
the arsenal for an indefinite amount OF
arms and ammunition. Approaching
this walking magazine, the visitor re
ouested admission and finally passed
the outer gates. Ascending the stairs
be found n second villainOus looking
despsrado, similarly equipped with the
first, keeping watch over the door oi
the chamber ofinquisitiOn. After some
parley with the man-mOnltor, he Vas
usherod into the "loyap presence, where
the trusty tools of petty tyranny sat
in judgment upon the liberties of the
people. A long table was stretched
across the room, leaving narrow pas
sage way for the accommodation OF the
august tribunal which convened III
solemn state behind. Upon the table
and near one end, WAS placed a desk,
and behind and upon the desk was
liberal stock of pistols, knives and
other similar tools for the use Of the
Board. In addition to this, each Reg
istrar was armed and had within reach
a trusty musket ready for tue proper
emergency. Thus fortified and provid-
ed, the mighty ministers of the meanest
law that blots our books and disgraces
our people felt reasonably secure in the
execution of their masters business.
Soon there appeared a respectable
Young man, who had been notified to
appear before the Board for disfranchiso-
ment. The following collOquy then en-
sued between one of the Registrars
aud himself: "Can yOu take the oath
of loyalty, commonly known as the
iren clad 7" II have never seen it,"
1t was read to him and he subscribed to
it. The Registrar resumed: "Where
were you during the war;" "At col
lege." "Did you sympathize with the
Il did not" "If General
LEE was candidate for office against a
Northern man, for whom would you
vote p Tho Northern man" If an
Othe: war were to occur, upon which
side would you fght2' That would
depend upon what sides were fighting,
and what they were fighting about. |
could not take sides without knowing
the issue Thereupon tho Board de-
cided that loyal man ought to know
the tissue and promptly disfranchised
the young man. Numbers of similar
cases occurred, and in no single instance
was the examination less ridiculous or
the decision less shameful than in the
foregoing. In this way, as if in be-
leagurea fortress, without which all
were deadly enemies, did this jefferson
county Board pretract its sessions. Sc
cure against the vengeance they de-
served, the members cried aloud and
spared not, until success at the election
seemed to be placed beyond peradven-
ture. We are asked to believe that this
is enforcing the laws; we are denounc-
ed if we do not accept this action of
gang of armed outlaws as the legiti-
mate administration of Republican Gov
ernment.
Notwithstanding the cold-bloodsd,
causeless, and unprecedented proScrip-
tion enforced by the Registrars, leaving
but about four hundred registered
votes IN county that ought to cast
three thousand, the Democrats car
ried tho county, at the State election,
and chose tour out of the seven Snper-
viSors constituting the Board for Jeffer-
son. To change this awkward result.
JOE CHAPLINE, who is far less scrupu-
leus than ingenious, procured the pas
sage of the act by the Legislature for
the Encouragement of four of tie town
ships in Jefferson county. Harper's
Ferry, Democratic township, and
Bolivar, Radical township, were con-
solidated into one. So We're