Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-10-19
THE NEW ERA AND TIE NEW
M0VEMEMENT.

has an article in which it charges upon us an
alliance with the Berkeley Union in support |
of the Koonce- Wisner Radical ticket. This !
charge has no foundation save in the imagi- |
nation of the editor of the Era-an imigina-
ton which seems to be dstempered to an ex>
tent that renders fair dealing out of the ques-
ton We have no disposition to permit the
Era to place US in false position, which it
is evidently trying to do, and therefore notice
the article referred to, which otherwise we
should pass without attention. We do not
deem it necessary to engage in any lengthy
defence against so unfounded a charge, because
it is we'll understood BY the people of Berke-
ley and Jefferson counties, that we have never
wavered in our opposition to radicalism, as
developed in the government of West Vir>
GINA and to day We have as little sympathy
for the tyranny that grinds down an unwilling
people as tie editors of the Ns,o Era them
Aselves, or their favorite candidate, Kitchen.
\ We have been crying out against these enor-
mites for four years, and have done as much
to expose the party rascalites of radicalism,
as any other paper in this end of the State.
IlS l0SlJ VIC PASSOAASp NLS SN4'SAS "a NV 80 ~
will not pretend to deny.
What then is the offence for which we are
now arraigned? Simply the expression of an
indifference to the contest between two can
didates for the State Senate-oae the nomi-
nee of q radical convention, the other an iu>
dependent, yet supporting the administration
of Gen. Grant--if anybody knows what the
policy of that administration is.
We have said nothing about Mr. Nisner-
have never before, to our knowledge, printed
his name in our paper-wOuld gladly see him
defeated, and hope he may behave under
any and all proper circumstances, opposed the
principles which he advocates, and expect to
do SO, and yet the Era charges that we are
, supporting the ticket with which Wisner's
\ name is connected. Now, this looks to us
like direct, willful and premeditated misrepre-
sentaton and so it must appear to every I'M
,prciudiced mind. We have done nothing
3more than to declare that we felt no encour-
ngemeut to support Mr.. Kitchen. And why?
Because we are unable to place our finger on
single act in his whole political career, that
gives him the slightest claim to the support
Of any friend of free government, unless we
take his present professions, which may or may
not be sincere, as circumstances may suggest
or policy demand. Have we any ground for
this statement? Let US see-and here we
must call to our aid the editors Of the Era
BE kind enough, gentlemen, to turn to your
files of the fall of 1866, when Mr.. Kitchen ,
was IA candidate for Congress. You viii! find
published in those files an cath voluntarily
taken by Mr.. X. in 1861, to support tie
Southern ConGederacy How he kept that
oath, let his subsequent conduct as politician
answer. In the Legislature Of West Virginia
he supported heartily the EXTREMIST measures
Of radical legislation-even to the amendment
to the Constitution of the State, which pro-
vides for an eternal disfranchsement Of every
man in the State who had any participation
in the rebellion. Entering Congress in De-
cember, 1866 the record which he made was
one of undertaking support Of every measure
introduced into that body to Cypress and de-
grade the people of the South. The abomi-
naLle law for forcing negro suffrage upon an
unwilling people, found in him an earnest, if
not able supporter. When President john
son sought to remove an Objectionable Secre-
tary-whose name to-day is hailed everywhere
with Kissing and reproach-Mr. Kitchen, re-
gardless of the rights which pertain to the
Executive department of tho government,
; voted 10 impeach the President, and contribu-
! ted his mite to have him arraigned at the bar
of the Senate. Coming down to a later pc
;oI within tho of
grace, what do we find to be one of the last
Congressional acts of this present champion
Of an oppressed people? Is his vote not re-
corded in favor of that Infamous measure re-
curing the States Of Virginia, Mississippi
and Texas, to approve the Fifteenth Amend
ment before they should resume their position
IS restored States of the Union We think
it is-in fact feel confident Of it.
We take 10 pleasure in bringing up these old
scores, but when VIC arc charged by the Era
with supporting radicalism, selfjustifcation
impc!s US to show to the world the political
character of the candidate supported by the
editors of that journal.
So far as the platform is concerned, upon
which the contest is being fought in this
State, it has our approval to a certain extent,
and no further. We should rejoice with ex-
ceeding Joy, to sec the removal of the political
disabilities which exclude from the jury box
aud the ballot, SO numerous and influential
class of the citizens Of the State; but when
this has to be done by coupling it with negro
suffrage, our political stomach revolts at the
dose Men may talk and editors write as they
will abont uonrrel suffrage being a fixed