Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-11-28
Shephesastewn, West Va:
sATURDAY.....".....NOv. %, 1874.
A TAlsA WITH HON. CHARLES
JAMES FAULKNER.


George Alfred Townsend has had
conversation with Hon. Charles James
Faulkner, and writes to the Chicago
Tribune as follows -
The only man of the old Pierce and
Buchanan Administrations, with ma
tional reputation, to reach Congress, Is
Mr.. Faulkner, of Mar,insburg, ex-Mln-
lister to France, who was mysterlousiy
arrested by Simon Cameron on his re-
turn. and thrown into Fort Warren,
where he messed with Mason and Oil
dell. 1t is since proved that his arrest
was for no betrayal of his trust, but III
pioue and hostageship for the captive
Harry McGrath, friend of Cameron.
Sent out of the lines, Faulkner became
Chief of Staff for Stonewall Jackson,
and wrote nearly the whole OF his battle
reports. After the war he threw himself
into active life, developed the town Of
Martinsburg, resumed his practice, and
acquired another fortune.
To-day he called on me-a man OF ~
Two generations ago he addressed the
legislature Of Virginia in favor of vol
untary emancipation. lie was in Con
oress from the IIarper's Ferry District
At the time of the John Brown raid.
We, his hair is dark, his eyes bright,
and his ambition and industry equa! TO
lads.
81 am the only one of my set who
has cot mp through the revolution, he
said; Bob Hunter, Bocock, Wise, bote-
Ter and the rest have not been able to
break through the new crust. But
always believed that, while there was
life, there was hope . :,
Mr.. Faulkner said that the Civil
Rights Bill and dissatisfaction with the
personnel of the ofliceholders defeated
the party.
"'The third term entered into the
contest. ALSO" he said, "but L don
think it was resentment at Grant, so
much as at the result and continuance
of his ofliceholders. The regime, the
constabulary, had become separated from
the agitations Of the people. The use
of troops, too, in the South, was not
approved by the Republicans,
The candidates Cor the United States
Senate in West Virginia will be Cam
den, late regular Democrat candidate
for Governor: Walker, editor OF the
orcan at Charleston; Faulkner, and half
q dozen Others, none Of whom have the
industry and experience of this old gen
tleman, who is Bocock's father-ln-law.
From what | hear, the Democratic
party will first attack the National
Bank system, and advocate a system OF
banks of deposits, secured in Treasury
notes.
"The currency question was minor
one in our State" said Faulkner.
"There are few men there holly for
more currency. who go about all day
proselytizing for it. But the bulk OF
neople seem to think that we have
enough money, if it would only come
ont. The money has retreated from
the people, not from existence. In
Massachusetts, where they have S4O,-
600 900 more than their share, 1t Is
boarded up, as with us. In Old Viz
pinia the State does not pay interest on
its debt. know that, as bondholder
WHY not? Because the people will
not pay their taxes. They can pay
them well enough, and if the State
would collect the taxes and pay off the
bondholders, credit must expand in
Virginia. But the people solace them
selves with the reflection that they lost
their slaves, are poor, and not able to
pay the Commonwealth. Hence negll-
gence makes panic worse.