The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-09-23
A Card from Doctor J.F. Caldwell.

/
GENTLEMEN:-In your paper of the
9TH inst, you, with remarks, introduce
and insert letter from Alexander
Walker, whom you endorse tc
be "a gentleman of high stand.
ing in Greenbrier county and an
undoubted member CT the Republican
party" This is, indeed, ners to the
members of the Republican party in
Greenbrier, but they will require better
evidence than your endorsement to
Influence them to believe it. You are,
from no acquaintance with, or knowl-
edge of this man, as ignorant of his
"high standing" as was the Irishman
uncertain of his owa.beight, who, when
questioned about it, said he was "eitber
eleven feet five inches, or five feet
eleven inches, but which or both he
could not tell" Your writing over his
name, this man is su undoubtrd mean
Der of the Republican party" viii leave
his standing" as indefinitely establish
ed and more in doubt than that of the
instructive writing of the Dutchman,
who had painted the picture of viper
and goose together, "Dis one he bite;
dis one he hish; he snake, toder goose"
/ AS you publish proof that A. w. can
both "bite and hiss" it makes him liza
BILE to be classed with either. But l am
|invulnerable to the virus from his fangs
Or the gas Kissed out by his tongue.
The statements, which you represent
as facts, in relation TO the proceedings
|of our Board of Registration, myself,
&c, are not true. We are strangers to
each other, aud you can personally
tpow nothing of me; but notwithstand-
iag we widely differ about political
matters, / cannot believe that you are
disposed to misrepresent or knowingly
do me any injustice, and will allow
me to reply through your paper in
refutation of the falsehoods and mis-
representations of A. Walker. In refer
eflce to him, will only act on the de-
fensive to refute and repel the charges
which he has preferred against me.
You state that Boreman, you have been
lisformed, removed me four times as
registrar. Tell me, sirs, who informed
you of this deny it; it is news to me.
He did not do it once. The registrars,
you should know, are not appointed by
the Governor. Nor did he ever remove me
as Commissioner of the Board of Regis
tration. But to A. Walkers letter state
ments He represents of me that "there
are hundred of our best men, most
substantial and truthful citizens living
within mile of him, who have known
him long and well, and who, upon their
oaths, would say that in any matter in
which he is interested they would not
believe him on oath. The community
at large would say the same thing, but
saint and sinner regard him with utter
adherence and detestation, not because
he is a Republican, but because eff his
utter corruption aud mendacity."
Walker surely was looking in a mirror,
and has mistaken his own face reflected
for mine. He relies on his pauper con-
dition for impunity and considers his
brags, mendacity, arrogance and impu-
derce his most useful qualifications, and
these are his only perceptible chattels
ard stock for his TRADE and confiding
in his responsibility to secure him for
uttering this gross libel. But l defy
aud challenge him or any other of my
enemies to name case or cite an act in
which they can prove me to have be-
haved dishonesty. "The whole head
and front of my offence in department
has no more extent than this:" | have
aided to apply tho law which excludes
persons from political powers who had
participated in the rebellion. Though
| may be charged with it, it cannot be
proven, in any case or instance, that |
have ever acted contrary to the in
structions of the law.
At the first session of our Circuit
Court, after the war, the lawyers at its
bar-and they are as able as any to be
found anywhere-had been leading reb.
els, and they assured the Judge that a
sufficient number of loyal men to com.
pose a grand jury could not be found in
the county. Mr.. Wallace Robinson, the
Sheriff, informed the Judge that he had
got together the necessary number of
proper men for the jury of seventy
three, but when these men, after being
sworn to answer questions, they all but
three were found by their answers un-
qualified To act as Irors, from having
participated in the rebellIoA aud "a
large portion of these men, summoned
by his Sheriff Robinson, had aided the
rebels and were in tho habit of boastInS
of their deeds, aud a. VI, K. well knew.
The Judge then inquired Ot me # II was
not possible 10 lind cough loyal .hcn to
compose the g'and jaIy. | answered
yes, aud gave MN a hist t persUus, who
were then Summoned, out Of whom the
jury was made up. These lawyers
would laugh exceedingly when any
answered in this examination that they
had given too much aid to the rebels.
And after the act of registration went
into operation, these same lawyers pre-
dicted that fifty men could not be found
that could take the voters test oath.
But when they found out that more
than that number had done it, they
spoke of those who had registered as
the meanest and most unprinclpled OF
men; but ascertainipg that some hun
dreds had registered. these lawyers
changed their programme, and have
since been coutending that all, notwith
standing they had aided the rehels, could
be registered and that they ought to do
so, and that the voters test oath is un-
constitutional, and that persons taking
it could not be punished for perjury for
taklRg it, even if they had aided the
rebellion. Mr.. Walker knows that those
who assisted the rebellion are preju.
diced against me, and relies on it to in
fluence them to sustain his false charges
against me; but he nor they can prove
anything that have done to be contra
~ to right or law. But all any of them
can say against me is:
DO not like you, J. F. Caldwell,
The reason why can't state OF tell
But this know sure and quite full well.
do not ike you ]. +. Caldwell.
Just before the rebellion, Rev. +,
Shelps, of the NJ. f. Church Of the Bal
timore Conference, which had occupied
the ground of this section of our State
for upwards of sixty years, was here as
an Elder, and was exceedingly popular
until the commencement of the war,
but as be was loyal to the Union he,
with all the other loyal preachers, was
compelled TO leave this, when the min.
| listers of the VI. +. Church South took
and held DossessIon of our church urop.