Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-10-01
OUR POST OFFICE ADDRESS.

We hear frequent complaints of delay in
the. transmission of mail matter from the
East TO this point Letters addressed to,
"Char'eston, West Virgins" frequently go,
to Charlestown, Jefferson county, whence
they have to be forwarded here The mis-
take is natural and entirely excusable. The
town Of Charlestown is on the list of post.
Offices. while Charleston, the metropolis of
the State, is only known to the Post>ofice
Department as Kanawha Courthouse. The
capital of the State is only recognized Official
iy by the Federal Government. as the seat Of
county. This is the only instance in the
United States in which metropolitan dignity
has been thus ignored. The annoyance al
ready experienced will be intellectually multi>
piled when. by the completion of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Railroad, daily. if not hourly.
communication with the East shall have been
established. and our correspondence with that
section proporticnately increased Our peo>
pie are unanimous in deploring the existence
of the inconvenience complained of, but
there is violent Opposition, especially among
the elders to the only remedial expedient yet
suggested, viz a change of the corporate
name of the town, from Charleston to Kama
VIVA City. or something else. Why Charles
ton was named Charleston Instead of Johnston
Ut Williamson We don't know, aud are ready
to excaim with Miss Betsy Trotwood, t.In
the name of heaven ! why Rookery?" New
erthelcss, we appreciate aud sympathize with
the sentimental conservatism of our reverend
fathers, who, having sprou.ed, hudded. b'os>
s0med and rlpened in the town OF Charleston,
now protest against being planted in the town
OF Kanawha City.
We do not question that the desired and
Duchsneeded relief may he obtained by the
very simple and wholly nnohjectionable means
of a petition to the Postmaster General. pray
ing tina. the name of the po>tof6ce may be
changed from Kanawha Court House to
Charleston. IF it should he objected that
Charestoo and Charlestown are iu'en, sonnns,
the answer is ready at hand: AS the matter
now stands, all the Inconvenience falls on us;
while it we were put upon fair and equal
foolins, it would be but short time before,
from the strength Of the current in this direc
ton. mistakes. if made. would be in orr favor.
and our friends in Charlestown would he pe>
'itioning to have the name of their postofice
changed to Jefferson Court House.
Will not some public spirited citizen take
this subject in hand and prepare q petition
setting forth the facts and PRAYING the needed
relief? The number of subscribers would.
we believe. he limited only by the number of
our popu"tion.- Charleston Courier
AS there is no especial reason for the CAPT.
tai of West Virginia having been named
charleston instead of Johnston or Williams
ton we are rather disposed to think it would
be better to give the place some other name
than, for the sake of the convenience Of the
denZens of that town, to change the name of
Charlesto,Cn "a name for which there is
reason, and which at this time is far better
of the Very new capital Of the very new State
of West Virginia Our town was named after
its benefac.or. Charles Washington, and under
its present name has not only become known
throus bout the length aud breadth of the land,
bnt, il for nothing else than as the scene of
the trial and execution Of the infamous John
Brown and his uccompIices, has acquired an
enviabe name in the history of the rise of
zens Of Charleston object to a change of
name for which there was never any especial
reason, and t" which associations have at
tached. except perhaps in the minds Of its
own cit 'zens, how much more should we, of
Charlesiown, object to losing name far which
there is not only reason, but around which
there are association, both historic and ind-
vidual. To change our name would not only
he unpleasant to the Heirq, hut actual injus.
tice to the dead Charles Washiuyton- brother
of the Father Of his coun,ry-who gave to
the town much Of the land upon which it is
now built.