The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1872-07-11
WEST COLUMBIA, W. Va.
JuIy9, 1872.

ln the issue Of the Mason County Jour.
nat Of the 9Th inst, there appeared an ar
ticle over the signature Of" VISA Soldier, :"
ii which the author manifest deep sympathy
and great solicilude for the Uuion soldiers,
and labors hard to create the impression
on the public mind that their claim for Of
Gee has been entirely ignored by the
Democratic party. WAS Soldier
says "but, the County Convention did
not give Federal soldier nomination for
any Office" to which | answer BY saying,
there was not 40 Office 10 the gift OF the
people Of Mason County, which o Federal
soldier desired. For the last three Or four
years | have taken no part in politics, and
was congrniula,iDg myself that my pane
would not be used in this canvass, but
WAS Soldier has the. presumption 10
drag my name several times into the AZ
ticle above referred to, hence | take the
liberty ofreplylug, not with q false sigma.
ture, but with my o~n
In the FIRST place, he charges inc with
having been Union Soldier to which
charge | proudly plead guilty secondly
be charges that | was member Of the
Legislature 10 1866, and voted against
Constitutional amendment, Test Onihs
Registrations lars and all proscrip''re
measures, to which | also proudly plead
guilty.
When took my seat in tn, Legislature
ofWest Virginia, | took an oath to support
the Constitution of West Virginia, aud the
Constitution of the United States; and
had | voted fora Legislative law over-ri.
ding the Constitutional law Of our State,
thereby DISTINGUISHING large number Of
our respectable aud intelligent fellow cili.
zcas, | would have knowingly and wi|lful:
y committed perjury, and fdealt With ac'
cordiug to tue laws Of our State, would
have been indicted by Grand Jury Of my
coun!rymen.
WAS Soldier whilst he. nor any Of
the party be represents, voted for me,
Union Soldier as | had been, with perhaps
quite as fair record as himself, when |
was a candidate oa the Democratic and
Conservative Ticket of this county, seems
Just now to BE- very sore and much mortified
thattbe Democratic and Conservative party
10 late Conventions gave me no nomination.
Here, "w4 a Soldier" let me say to yoe
that time ana again,and again have | becn)
earnestly requested by the party ofwhich D
am proud to be q member, to permit my
name to be used as candidate for office.
but have as often declined, except on the
two occasions when | was persuaded that
the use Of my name as o candidate would
give some strength to the ticket, but |
did not desire then, nor do I now desire,
any political office, If | did, have now, as
have had oflate, every assurance from
the Democratic party Of Mason county
that my ambition would be grati6ed, but
Lhave had quite as much Legislative hon
or asI desire, and want no Office Of any
kind, at least for the present
Permit inc "Wns Soldier to make q
suggestion here, since you seem so very
sure and so very much mortified at the late
action Of the Democratic party With re.
gard to Union soldiers, 20 Jacobs and
others on them, aud affect that you have
b:en strongly and most earnestly solicited
by large number Of friends Of both
parties to become an independent candi.
date" &c and trot out under your own
Signature, and let US judge Of your record
"Was a Soldier" and see what the
friends Of both parties will do for you,
and We venture the assertion that on and
after the 22l Of August, 1872, you will
cease, and forever, your grumbling.-
The action Of the Convention that nomu
sted Captains Eastman aud Walker was
Just as it should have been-one having
been Captain in the Confederate army
aud the other having held similar posi-.
ton in the Federal army. As Mr.. East.
) ham seems to be the object Of attack
supported him because | knew him tc
be an intelligent, educated, high mind.
ed honorable gentleman in every way
qualified to discharge the high and re-.