Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-09-02
TUESDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER ?, 4sss.
OUR REPRESENTATION in CON
g, s.se.. ,GRESS, =.


aished an article under the above caption, i
which, re-echoed the gloomy representations
sof an anonymous correspondent in reference
to the the first .and second
congressional districts Of this State in the Con-.
sgress, of the:U States
The writer Of the mysterious letter in5uues.
ttion says that, s.it seems to be well understood
lin Charleston that j. j. Davis, and J.. Mar
shall Hagap, will be recognized by the Clerk
tof the House of Representatives, as entitled
ITO their seats at the opening of the next ses-
sion of Congress, and that their names will
appear on the'rollat the calling of that BODY
There is OF course no saying what course the
Radical party may pursue in the interest Of
its own organization. Had Governor Jacob
performed his duty, the matter would have
'been relieved from all embarrassment but
'since his shameful betrayal of his trust, there
may possibly be some cause to apprehend-
not that Hagan will obtain Ethe,seat from this
sdissrict-but'that.C Congress may declare the
'seassvacant, and order anew election. Such
q deplorable result, should itibeconsummated
will in no wise, nor in any degree, be attrib>
'utablerto our able representatives eleot, the
Hon. B. F. Martin. That gentleman, as is !
we'll known, concurred in the calling of the J
Convention of august Sth, 1872, at Grafton, |
'as recommended by the Democratic> Conserv.
.stive State Executive Committee We were
ourselves opposed to the calling of that Con-
'vention for reasons which we then assigned at
considerable length in these columns. Our,
judgment, however, was overruled, aud we
'acquiesced. When the Convention assembled
however, although we had rthcught the moves
ment unnecessary, we urged nomination by
it, as we doubted whether as large, and full
representation could be secured in an adj
journed session. Our views were again over.
ruled, and no nomination was made
Between the calling and assemblage of the
Convention, the Hon. Charles James Faulk>
ner, prominent candidate for the nominal
ton, had written an able letter to prove that
the 9Th of October and not the 22d of Ans
gust, was the legal day for holding the cleo
ton, and that, upon this point, there was no
room for cavil. This letter was copied, and
h
out the district, and contributed more than
any other cause to propagate the belief that
t1o elections were wholly unnecessary, if not
entirely inexpedient And accordingly. when
the Convention assembled, the movement to
adjourn until later day originated with, and
was secured by the friends of Mr.. Faulkner.
BIZ. Martin took no part, individually, and
snajority of his friends, we have always un-
derstood, were willing togo into nomination.
AZ all events, the committee on organization.
composed of such men and lawyers as Samuel
Woods, Joseph DuckwaH and Thomas C.
Green, unanimously recommended an adiourn>
ment. and tie motion was uonia,ouszv carried.
An attack, therefore, upon this movement is
an attack upon the whole party of the district,
as there represented, and assembled.
These being the facts of the case, as the
record proves, how unjust. and untrue are the
following remarks of the Statesman:
ut was best therefore to vote for renre.
sentative in Congress at the August election.
even if another election under the law shonld
be held in October.
hese views seemed to be entertained by
majority of the delegates present in the
Convention and would have been acted upon
but there were some there, who had axes to
grind, and the complex tiou of the Convention
did not suit their purposes. It was nothing
to them that the 2nd District should he rens
resented by Conservative. unless thew Them
selves had the choosing. The great material
and political interests involved were NOTHING
unless their personal ends were accomplished"
xpo e
statesman had consulted Mr.. Faulkner in
reference to the history of the movement
which he undertakes to condemn. we should
have been saved the necessity of this vindi-
cation of Mr.. Martin, and of the whole party
OF the district, from this most unjustiiable
assault. Mr. Faulkner, Mr.. NJ. S. Grautham,
Mr.. Legg, or any other participant in the de-
alterations of the Convention, could have dis.
abused the mind of the Statesman of the un
just, and censorious impressions into which he
has been betrayed. Neither the interest of
the party, nor of any individual aspirant, can
possibly be promoted by such gratuitous and
unfounded aspersions as contained in the
article which the Statesman has, we hope
Inadvertently, admitted into its columns.
@ The Washington Chronicle has pub
Iished a long communication from Judge Ad-
yoeate Joseph Holt, accompanied by numer-
GUS letters, in which he denies the statement
that, after the sentence of Mrs. Mary Il. Sur
raft to death on the charge of being concerned
IN the assassination of President Lincoln, he
(HolD when presenting the record of her
trial 20 President johnson, withheld from
him petition, signed by five members of the
Court recommending in consideration of her
age and sex, a Communication of her deaths
sentence to Imprisonment for life in the Den,