The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-02-18
A Card from Thomas G. Fdrnsw,Orth,
To The Editor Of Ms hteaIgn@r:

cd A traitor ana LB uCtAuu. Al IINt
article l am held responsible for tho dc.
feat Of House Bill No. 81, amending the
registration law. III aiding TO defeat that
bill am charged with treason to my con,
stitucnH. In support Of the charge ol
treason made by the editor, Mr.. Walker
who was found in tho House Of Delegates
one day Inst week, so bcastly drunk that he
was not able 10 report for his paper, there
by disgracing the honorable profession
OF which he is an unworthy member
this imp Of saten In human form attempts
10 sustain Ills infamous charges by pub
fishing letter purporting 10 have been
written by John L. Nelson, signed by HIM
self, N. ]. Fogg and Others, requesting me
10 support u certain Democratic platform
Of principlcsif If elected. At the bottom oi
the letter find the following:
GENTLEMEN ~ endorse and approve
the sentiments set forth in the above letter,
(Signed) "THos G. FARSswoRTH."
Now, sir, to the facts in the case: Some
time before the October election, ex.rebel
Colonel, and late editor Of the Upshur
County independent, John L. Nelson, came
10 NC in my store, desiring me to sign u
letter pIedging myself to support
the Democratic party, and the said
party would secure my election. l
remarked to Mr.. Nelson that l was the
candidate Of the Republican party without
opposition, l was under no obligation to
him OF. his party, and did not wish to be.
In short time after Mr.. Nelson left me,
nv cousin Thos. ]. Farnsworth, approach.
cd me on tho same subject, | gave him
about the same answer l had given MIR.
Nelson. A few days after, l was cOmpell-
cd to be absent from home for several
dayR. Taking advantage Of my absence,
J!'L. Nelson, J. r. Blair and a. NJ.
Poundstonc, circulated the report that lllad
sold out TO the rebels. The Republican
party Of the county became alarmed. and
called a convention for the first day OF
Court A. NJ. Popndstonc, who was so &c.
tive in traducing my character rs Re-
publican, had his packed delegates ready
10 secure his nomination in convention.
All this was done whilst was not present
odefend myself Iarrived ut home about
noon Of the tlay, on which the convention
was to be held. Ihcard with great sur
prise what was being done. l repaired ut
once to tho Court House where the con.
yGntion was in session, and had bomb.
shell burst in their midst, my enemies
could not have displayed greater COnster-
milton than they did at my appearance.
l at once, in the presence Of some two or
three hundred persons, defined my POSI-
tion as 4 Republican, dcnouncing my ira
duccrs and demanding that they produce
the letters and pledges that ] was charged
with signing, for the inspection Of the
company there assembled; all of which
they failed 10 do. -
fthen declared that l depended on the
Republican party for my support, nnd on
them alone. I submitted proposition to
take a vote Of all the Republicans in the
House, the man receiving tho greatest
number Of votes to be declared tho candi-
date of the party. My proposition was
agreed to by tho chairman Of the caucus
and largo majority Of tho persons pres
ent. About that time, the one.horse law
ycr A. N. Poundstonc, sprang TO his feet
CRYING out: "Thc proposition is unfair;
BIckhannOn may have one hundred men
present, some other township only lorty."
iTc ut once called together his packed cNtl-
Gus, and proceeded To take the vote by
delegations. ItlIen announced TINT ! had
been unfairly and foully dealt with, and
would not abide the decision Of that cor
rupt caucus but would appeal to the pcO-
ple, pledging myself il elected, to use my
utmost CndCav0r to unite and hNrnOnizc
the Republican party.
All Of my pledges made to the people |
have faithfully kept to the best Of my
ability. Instead Of tho "rcd hot curses"
OF my constituents, ! have the assurance
that my course meets with their hearty
appreciation.
Now, sir; MS to owing my election to
democratic votes 1t is entirely false. We
have hut two democratic townships In our
county, both Of these gave my opponent,
A. NJ. POundstonG, u majority vote, whilst
the four Republican townships gave me
n majority vote. The more radical the
township tho greater was my majority.
These are facts TINT none can 'leny, MS the
poll books will prove them true.
Now, sir, desire to present a few facts
in regard to the character oftllc author Of
the famous letter, Ex.RcbCl, Col. John L.
Nelson. He is n poor, low, degraded,
drunken wretch, often found wallOw-
Ing in tho gutter. AT, ono time
he was not allowed to enter any
one of our hotels, but had to seek
lodging in the hay mows or in the street.
l have seen him so beastly drunk and so
lost to all moral dcCency us to expose his
person in n public place. This'pOor, pitt
iul sneak, owes me now several dollars
(somc twenty or thirty for -four, groceries,
Sc, furnished his family, while he was
drunk, wallowing in the dirt, "worSc than
an infidel," falling tOprOvide for his house.
hold. ..
As 10 Mr. Cozad, ! give him but pass
ing notice, As FIR as he Is known, he.
licvc all know him to he dirty black
guard. The other parties whose names
arc annexed to the letter, arc all rcspecta-
BILE citizens of Upsllur county.
In due time will produce the certificate
Of one Of the men whose signature Is Mt
tachCd to that letter, certifying that the
letter was promulgated for the express
purpose Of defeating my election, on nc
count Of my extreme radical procllyities.
This letter was used against mo in the
campaign last fall, by men who were then
and are now strongly In iavOr Of cnfran-
chiSing every rebel In the State at once.
For want of space, I will close for the
present. THos. G. FARNswoRTH.
WHEELING, Feb. II, 1870. -a