Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-01-19
From the Greenbrier Independent.
Another Grand Pow-wow-Lovaltv Passes
Through a Satanic Fnrnace

From the GIeenbrier Independent
Another Grand -wow-Loyalty Passes
Through Satanic Furnace.
On Monday last, the Triumvirate of Green
brier county, 1.-THE Board of Registration, held
one of their characteristic meetings-Old
Scratch and his Man Friday, of Williamsburg
township, on the bench.
About one hundred and sixty of the register
ed voters-most of whom were suspected of
conservatism summoned to prove their
loyalty. Most prominent among the number
we noticed John Erwin, ST., President of the
Board Of Supervisors George a. Lewis RE RE-
corder ofthe county; VIM. 4. Anderson. As,
SCISSOR for the Lower District; Ed. Sehon. ESQ.
States Attorney for the county; Capt. c. 4.
Sperry, an ex Federal captain, now a practicipg
attorney at this place, and Justice of Iewisburg
Township; Alex. Walker, Esq, also a lawyer,
and now Supervisor elect of Lewisburg Town
ship, and Col. Joel Mop herson, Clerk of the
Circuit Court, and late Recorder of the county.
We were therel yea, verify, uusummoned,
unlimited, and unwelcome, we were there
where in royal state the mighty monarch
sat- p soJ .4 a.
Really, it is too much Of tragedy to be
laughed at; but it was so farcical a tragedy.
that we Will defy any man to keep his counte-
nance. n,
There be sits, King Joseph. Poor Old Joe
Ii We were not sure that he is as crazy as bed
bug-stark mad-we would feel like calling
down imprecations upon his head. But what
ever he may have been, he has got beyond hate
now. We can only pity man made lunatic
by his own malevolence. As for poor Thacher,
he has never been able to rise high enough for
contempt, and has this for his justification that
he was born in another part of this land, where
tyranny is an accomplishment, and was not,
perhaps, treated as kindly as he thought he
ought to have been, in days gone by. Nature
cannot be charged with unfair dealing with
either Of them; for she has marked them so
plainly, that somebody would know his own any
where. et G.as.z .e =
The summons had gone forth, and nearly all
the conservative, and some of the radical voters
of Greenbrier we're summonedto be and appear.
They were there to stand their trials. The
question now to be settled was whether they
had been loyal during the war-and this they
were to prove. No charge was made against
them. They were to prove a negative.
The first person examined after we came in,
was Mr.. Caraway. He had been know as a
Union man from the beginning had been reg
istered, but was obnoxious, and they were striv-
ing to find something against him. 2. )
The following questions were propounded to-
d
b. Are you registered voter? go
What party do you act with? ..r.
Who did you vote for? 6aaes.f
What party does Mr.. Caraway act with now
Did he run for Office during the war?
Did he buy mules? Ia
Do you think be was loyal? as,s
Another was brought forward. He was our
bluff old friend, Col. George, who has been.
known always as a Union man of the deepest
dye. The Colonel had been run by the oonser-
vatives, for overseer of the poor. The Colonel
protested that he had never had his loyalty
impugned, and had not sought the niger shin
Office which he had, which be did not want;
that he had rather be a cat hunter 4.A
Mr.. Anderson, another rampant Union man,
who had lost many friends for his devotion to
he loved not wisely, but too WE'LL was arraigned.
One question disposed Of him: !; ar3H
Did you take the test oath ? aq s'Gt4aA
No, sir; but can prove my loyalty by hun
dred men. .a 'a y sf9ll
You did not take the test OATH Stand aside.
His son proved himself to have always been
unlonist had always voted and held Office
Old Scratch said to his father, who was wit
ness:
Did you know that your son sought Office
from the Republicans, and then ran for office
on the Conservative ticket9
Yes, know that.
In vain young Anderson proved his record.
He and the old father, who had been exposed
to the peril which threatened all men of his
politics are to be deprived of their franchise by
man who was far away from all danger, and
who, it report is not liar, was engaged in very
questionable enterprises
Another came. Again the same enquiries
but this time Old Scratch met his match
Who did you vote for?
That's nobody's business but my own, and I
shant tell you.
You shall. sd&
| shant
Then, stand aside. eai aHs-
Capt. Sperry wanted to know what effect
vote for Seymour would have on evidence?
= Old Joe.-if see dog killing a sheep, and
afterwards see the same dog smelling sheep,
[ am afraid of him.
Capt. Sperry Please explain. Who did
you mean by the dog? We might differ in O.
pinion. a4Ii
The second day was the first repeated with
amendments Quite stir was produced,
when MIR. Crookshanks, who had been in the
Federal army, was called. Old Joe wanted him
to prove his loyalty. He produced his discharge.
Old Joe wanted his witnesses. Capt. Sperry
begged that he might read the law. Old Joe
refused to hear it. Sperry insisted, when Old
Joe ordered the constable to remove him
which he did. He returned, and after awhile
was permitted to read the law
Old joe Capt Sperry seems to think we
do not know the law. We do, and we intend
to abide BY it.
Sperry.-I read the law, sir, to Judge Har-
rison and to the Court of Appeals, and / GER
talnly have right to read it here for | know
you know as little law as any man in my know
ledge. T9-
Old Joe. You have not seen any reason to
think injustice will be done
Sperry. have not seen anything else
Old Joe. Take him away, Mr. Crist, for in
sulting this Board.
About this time window shutter slammed.
MIR. Wise, said the old man, arrest the man who
fired that gun.
A general laugh followed at the expense of
the Board -
The main case was that of Col. Mcpherson
who has been an office holder under this govern
ment from the beginning. 1t was the known
intention Of Old Joe to play Williams on him,
to get his name off the roll, and get the Office
for somebody else. 8 y. .s,..-..
Captain Sperry wished to appear as counsel.
Old Joe said he would not recognize Captain
Sperry as counsel. Then said he could, but not
until after the witnesses were examined.
Capt. Sperry asked for charges. The Board
refused to produce them. -..a..
Capt. Sperry asked that Colonel Mcpherson
should confront the witnesses OF the State. The
Board refused
Capt. Spery asked to read the law. The
Board refused tt.543
Captain Sperry wished to file bill Of excep
TONS The Board refused to permit him.
Old Joe proceeded to interrogate witnesses,
and first he had Governor Price, as pure and