The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1869-09-13
Is THERE NO REMEDY:
THE REASON WHY OUR STATE
CANNOT PROSPER.
The Right Of Suffrage Reg
uIatcd by lsasCaIs.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES!

/
DEAR Sin Having promised you
while here to furnish you with n state.
ment of facts in reference 10 the proceed
ings oflhc Board of Registration of this
county, during the last year or two,
avail myself OF the present opportunity Of
fulfilling my promise, hoping that it may
have some influence in bringing to the
knowledge of the people in your section Of
the State, and particularly TO the officials
belonging to my own party, the anamalous
condition of affairs in this county. The
Board is composed of DR.. j. L, Caldwell,
! President, DR.. G. a. Thatcher and John
! Williams. DR.. Caldwell has been resi-
den, cf,hi. county, for, believe, SOME
/ forty years, and during that time has
earned for himself the reputation Of being
an unmi'iga'ed >couudrel, totally devoid
Of ole spark Of honesty, political or othcr-
wise. There are hundred Of our best.
most substantial aud truthful citizens, liv-
ing within mile ofLim, who have known
him long aud well, who upon their oath.
would say, that in any matter in which he
is interested they would no, believe him
upon oath. The community a, large
would say the same thing Both saint and
sinner regard him With utter abliorrence
and dctestution, not because he is re-
publican, but because Of bis utter corrup-
ton and mendacity.
DR.. CA. Thatcher. another member Of
the board, is q bitter partisan, but | canno,
say Of ms own knowledge. that lie is dis.
posed to act dishonesty. lie is a man Of
very moderate intellect and if he ever
makes any resistance TO the mandates Of
the President Of the board (of which |
know nothing, he has at last to yield to
the stronger will and acquesce in what
ever the president determines. OF Mr..
! Williams, the remaining member, know
but little. lie sits bu, seldom upon the
Board and appears to care but little about
the matter. So you perceive that j. +.
Caldwell in point Of fact constitutes the
Board. The proceedings before the board
are conducted without any regard to reg.
ularity or fairness or propriety, and pain.
fully impress the looker-on that each case,
MS it comes up, has been already disposed
of in secret session before any evidence is
heard. The examination appears to be
conducted, not for the purpose Of ascer-
tanning whether tue party accused was
guilty Of giving aid and comfort to the re.
belli0n, but to ascertain what political
party he belongs to, whom he voted for, IL
what church he belongs. and questions are
frequently asked By the Board to ascertain
these facts. The Board will allow unrcg.
1 istered men to testify against = party on
trial, but Il not ALLOW them to testify in
lis favor. None can testify for him bu
registered voters. No fair record Of the
pr c.edings Of the Board is kept, aud
When they pretend to take down the evi
dcncc given on any trial, it is CARRIED, anc
such parts as do not suit the Board sup
u pressed. The accused knows nothing Q
the charges against hin, nor what he la'
to con,roycrt lie is simply summoned
to prove his loyalty, and that not Only
} once, but in maay cases persons have beef
summoned from remote parts Of the count!
three or four times, bringing large mum
! bers Of witnesses. at heavy expense, 70
this samc purpose. ln short, the Boart
appear to act upon the suppcsition tina
they are amenaLe to no law, and hcyont
the fear Of auy punishment, no natier hos
gross their outrage upon individuals o
, the community. Their actions in man.
| cases are without warrant or law. uujus
(and aillfully SO, aud outrageous to ey
cry sentiment ofhonor and faHness. Me-
WHO are clearly entitled to be registered
, arc denied The privilege. because, ci,hG
{ they arc in the way OF the political prefer
! ment Of the President Of the Board, be
[ longing to the SANG political party, 0
, Lcc4use he wishes to visit his n,alignit
8 upon them for some act done or word Ut
tered which does not suit him ; while 9th
, crs, who have no right whatever unds
+ the Law TO be registered, arc registered
! nevertheless, because Of some adyaiItng
t expected to be gnincd BY him for 50 doing
. One man, to my own knowlcdg', was reg
! stered lns. kll' on the consideration tia
| lie would vote for j +. Caldwell for III
: State Senate. for Which Office DC was q
, that time al independent candidate. Til
same members Of the Board, as hav
been crrdibly nforintd, threatened, Will
member Of tire Grand Jury of tl,i
county. to strike from the list Of voters q
those Jurors who would not concur in nal;
luz an Indictment which lie was anxiou
to make, aud directed some one to tak
down their names for the purpose
Whether the indictment was made OF NOT
| do not know. or whether any Of III
names Of those jurors were stricken froH
tho register Ct voters | cannot tell.
\ / will give you a few among the man.
instances Of fragrant and willful wrohi
and injustice Of which this Board has
becn guilty. The case. prup'bfy thc MOS
palpable aud gross, isthat Of John Erwin
ST., highly esteemed citizen of III
county, about eighty yearsofase, who wa
known before and during the war as no
only n siaunch Union IMAM. but US nn out
spoken one, and who for the utierance o
his Union sentiments IN or near rube
camp, was taken prisoner aud carried L
| "a a = I'll