The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-11-09
Betore The Board Of Public Works Of
I'VE Vest Virginia. n

Rtfore The Board Of Public Works of
.. n Ret Virginia. III
ARGUMENT OF +. G. CRAcRArr, ron THE
DEFENDANT.
Gentlemen Of the board of Ptblic Works:
10 tho young and inexperienced law
yer Of ordinary practice, such proceed.
ing rs this brings no inconsiderable en-.
bArrassment. The fact Of its great inns
portAnce is calculated to cripple his en-.
ergies, and the apprehenSions that con.
stantly beset him lest no fails 10 do full
Justice 10 his cause and himself, adds
greatly 10 that embarrassment. would,
therefore, in the outset, ask your kind
indulgence for the many imperlections 70
be found in the argument 1 now submit
10 your consideration in behalf Of my
client.
A few weeks ago charges OF the gravcst
character were laid before you by MesSrs.
Storer and Maxwell against the Official
conduct Of Mr.. Ferrel, an officer Of your
appointment. Those charges nre familiar
to you. An investigation Of them was
demanded by those gentlemen. OF course
it was granted. Scores Of witnesses were
summoned before you, and their testi
mony reduced 10 writing. Four days
aud a portion Of two nights were busily
occupied in, tho examination. Your pa,
tience was well nigh exhausted, and,
together with the plainneSs OF the case, I
felt il needless to protract the cause for the
preparation Of any argument. was not
willing either To employ any unnecessary
defamation, or to seek notoriety by any
published argument, when l know It was
not required, and if done, it must DO at
the price Of pain md modification 10 the
feelings of the authors Of this prosecution,
as well Us 10 my client, who must be
abused in order 10 bolster up their peak
cause. However, Mr.. Stanton, the at,
torney for thecomplainants, most earnestly
prayed for IN argument, md your char.
acteristic kindness would not let you
deprive tho Governor Of this pleasure.
His argument has been elHborately pre-.
pared and printed. lam therefore driven
to the necessity Of making some reply.
Sirs, under the law you have been
constituted tribunal to hear and deter.
mine causes Of this character. 1t was
perfectly right that when complaint was
made against Mr. Ferrel certain rules Of
proceeding should be observed by you.
You wisely decided that you should be
governed by the principles applicable to
all courts OF justice in like cases. Speci.
iic charges were required. They were
made by Mr.. s. under the advice Of the
complainants. They should not have
been made, nor should conviction be asked
unless their proofs were sufficient to jus.
tify it. Now, whether or not this Office
Of Mr.. Ferrel's is created by you, or
whether no is removable from TINT Office
al your pleasure, is no question with you
on this trial. It may be true that il Mr..
L. lacks tho industry, the capacity or the
honesty necessary for an efficient discharge
of the duties Of his Office, and it is salts.
factorily shown to you, it is in your dis.
cretiou to remove him. But let these
facts be made to appear in the testimony.
In this case charges of the most com.
promising character are filed against Mr..
s., and IN examination Of them is de.
manded; among which is included the
above charges Of incapacity, &c. Evidence
is adduced upon them. Now, sirs, what
is your duty in these premises? What in
this trial is the only question for You to
decide2 In justice TO him who has enjoy.
ed your confidence so long-in respect
for the principles Of law and human
character-you are TO consider the evi.
deuce alone, and lit warrants conviction,
you should remove Mr.. F. lift does not,
you are imperatively bound to exonerate
him from all guilt under these charges.
You cannot convict him Of slight neglect
of duty upon charges that would com
promise the little remnant Of honor in tho
meanest convict OF our State prisons.
The public will make no allowances. |
trust that this will show to your satisfac-
ton that we have not Inexperienced the
"object Of this proceeding" nor asked
any favor for MI. Ferret not allowed by
the plain principles Of law and justice.
And whether there are proofs before
this court "abundantly sufficient 10 sus.
tain nearly, if not quito all Of the charges
against Mr.. Ferrel, you must judge from
the facts before you Mr.. s. docs not
wish you, l know, to DO governed by the
testimony. This is plainly apparent to
every ono who has taken the pains to
peruse his Argument. He ignores the
evidence given for the defense, and be.
trays marked disgust for his own, except
the evidence given by Mr. Lunsiord, one
of Mr.. Ferrel's most bitter enemies. He
hugs this portion Of tho testimony with
more feryor than discretion approves Of,
trusting upon il alone to lit him out ofhis
tribulation aud disappointment. /, I had
almost forgotten to mention how tendetly
he, dWelt upon the strength Of his oton
observation, and how. he omitted saying
that he was not q qualified witness. Let
US ask by way Of DEPRESSION, is it not o
little discredLtable to take the part Of an
advocate and witness (for he makes this
case from his otsn obSerrGtion) and com.
ment on his own testimony? l now do.
sire to call your special attention to the
frequent representations Of Gov. Stanton,
that this prosecution islWaged solely on
account Of public interests; TINT DR..
Storer and Mr.. Maxwell have, by the IL.
stitution Of this prosecution, merely indi.
Gated the wishes Of q majority Of the
respectable citizens living along that Dor.
ton ofthe National Road over which
Mr.. Ferrel is Superintendent; in short,
that these prosecutors are aetuatcd by
pure and patriotic motives. Every oppor.
tunity isseized with aYidity by MIS-! to