Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-02-08
THURSDAY, January 81, 1870.
senate.

Gsf
Mr.. Golf appeared at the bar of the Senate
and announced that the House of Delegates
requested the return of House Joint Resolu>
ton No. 2. The request was complied with.
A Message from the House Of Delegates
announced that the House had passed Senate
Bill No. ], relating to the charter of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Company, and
Senate Bill No. g to incorporate the Shenan
doah Bridge Company.
By MIR. CODA petition from W. II.
Mathews and &c other citizens of Berkeley
county, asking the establishment of branch
of the normal school at Martinsburg. Re-
ferred to committee on Education.
By Mr.. Young-Senate Bill No. Il, to
prevent drunkenness and to punish persons
for adulterating Intoxicating liquors and regu-
iating the sale thereof
Senate Bill No. II, bill to prevent drunken
ness and the aduIteration of liquor was read
first time.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
The following resolutions and petitions were
presented and properly referred:
By Mr.. Hasser-Petition of w. j. Will
liams and seventy one other citizens of Clay
county protesting against the removal of
Judge Nathaniel Harrison. Mr.. Hassler
stated that he presented the paper out of de-
ference to the wishes of the petitioners, but
that he was not to be understood as at all
committing himself upon the merits of the
case.
BY Mr.. Bowyer-Inquirng into the ex-
pediency Of changing the road law so as to
make Su supervisors er obfcio inspectors of roads,
and jointly responsible with Road Surveyors
for the condition Of the roads
House Bill No. 6, prescribing the oath
hereafter n m tnk hv and
pealing the lawyers Test Oath, came up on
its third reading.
Mr. Wheat explained that he regarded the
Test Oath as just, but great many ex~
cmptiOns had been granted, so that rebel
lawyers were practising without taking the
Oath while Union men were compelled to take
it, he would vote for repeal The Test Oath
had become partial and discriminating" aud
lie consented to its abolition.
Upon the passage Of the bill, voting in the
affirmative were "a Nays, none. Not voting,
Messrs. Ropp and Price.
House Bill No. "a repeating the Test Oath
for Sutors came up on second reading. The
bill ordered to enGrossment and third reading.
Mr.. Carpenter under suspension ofrules,
presented the following letter from Judge Nat.
Harrison, which was referred to the special
committee appointed to investigate the char
ges against that individual:
TO the Honorable House Of Delegates Of Vest
Virginia:
Grave charges affecting my judicial char
acter have been preferred against me bv your
body, whether justly or iDjustly, whether
prompted by considerations of public good or
private malice, is for you to determine. In
to my private character, except in necessary
connection with my public duties, the Legis-
lature, presume, would not care to institute
any inquiry. l was first appointed Judge of
the Ninth Judicial Circuit by Governor Bore
man, on the 18th of July, 1865. In 1866
was elected and commissioned as Judge of
that Circuit for term which expired on the
1st of January, 1869. In the Fall of 1868,
under the new arrangement of Circuits. | was
elected Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit
of West Virginia, to take effect from the 1st
of January, 1869, which Office now hold.
As removal from Office is the utmost penalty
which the Legislature could infict upon me,
and as I cannot be removed from an Office
which I no longer hold I respectfully submit
that the charges preferred against must
necessarily be confined to my real or supposed
delinquencies as Judge of the Seventh Jul
dicial Circuit of West Virginia, and that all
beyond that is simply cordm non judice Into
my public conduct as Judge of the Seventh
Circuit, I shrink from no Legitimate scrutiny,
TO which the Legislature may desire or think
proper to subject me. Nor do I wish to be
understood as Directing to any proper inquiry
into my conduct as Judge Of the Ninth Cir
cult, except upon the ground that it would
be an idle expenditure of time and money to
engage in the investigation of charges which.
whether true or false, could not properly be
drawn into the present issue.
Very respectfully, N. HARRISON.
WHEELING, w. Va, 9th Jan, 1870.
Adjourned.