Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1875-01-30
FROM CHARLESTON.
CHARLESTON, w. VA,
January 26. 1875.

January rs, 1879.
TO The Editors ofthe Independent:
/ made bare mention of the Sem
atorial contest in my last two let
tiers, believing, as / then did, that
the matter would be settled before
the letters could reach you. The
centestistill goes:on, and this morn
ing am not prepared to even pre-
dict the enc. There has been three
meetings ofthe caucus and fourteen
ballots, up to this and the sit
uation remains unchanged. To-day
the Legislature is required by the
Federal Constitution to vote for
not elect--a United States Senator
The ballot will be taken in each
House separately, and tomorrow,
if no election is had to- day, they
will vote for Senator in joint ses-
sion, and continue the vote--not
less than one ballot each day-un-
til they elect, tor the session expires.
/ hardly know what to say of the
situation this morning. 1t begins
| to look very much as ifa minority
candidate would be chosen. Wal
ker and Camden have been the
leading candidates, and 1t was gen.
orally conceded that the choice
would fall on one or the other. l
now very much doubt if either will
be elected 1t is rumored that the
opposition are furthering a scheme
to prevent an election by this Leg
islature, and in case of success, a
Senator will have to be appointed
to fill the vacancy after the fourth
Of March, when Senator Boreman's
time expires. The arrangement is
that Governor Jacob will then re-
sign the Governorship, and ID. ID.
Johnson, President.of the Senate,
would then become acting Cover
nor, and as such, would appoint
Jacob TO fill the vacancy In the u.
S. Senate from this State. This is
quite a nice arrangement, and al
though only rumored, looks quite
! plausible: The Senatorial question
at this writing, like the old lady's
yarn, is slightly mixed, and con-
fess my inability to untangle it and
get at anything like a probable So
luton.
No bills have yet passed into
laws. The House yesterday agreed
to Senate joint resolution providing
for geological survey of the State,
also to create q joint committee to
examine State offices. The follow
ing Senate bills were read and re-
ferred, to provide against evils of
sale of intoxicating liquors, con-
corning reassessment of lands, &c.
A bill was introduced in the House
providing for compulsory educa-
ton also a resolution to appoint
special committee to examine in
to the financial affairs of the State
from its organization to the pres
ent time.
] have forgotten whether or not
l alluded, in former letters to the
application ofthe Public Printer to
the Court of Appeals for writ of
mandamus to compel the Auditor
to pay certain bill which he had
presented. The facts are as follows:
Mr.. Gentry, the Public Printer,
made out bill for printing one
thousand copies of Teachers blank
reports, on the order of the State
Superintendent of Public Schools.
The bill was certified as correct by
the State Superintendent, but it
was so enormous and unprecedent-
ly exhorbitant, that the Auditor
refused payment, and hence the
application for writ of manda-
mus. The application came up for
hearing before the Court now in
session here, yesterday, and after
some little argument on the par
of Mr.. Gentry's attorneys, the apt
piication was withdrawn. For
printing one thousand ofthe blank
reports referred to, Mr.. Gentry
puts in a bill OF over nine thousand
dollars, He attempts to justify
it by counting the meas
urerment as rule and figure work
for which he charges double price,
and charges blank space as "solid
matter" having certain number
Of Qualifications" But even al
lowfsg him this measurement, it
weuld be impossible to run up
such bill as he puts in, without
fearful stretch of honesty. Any
printer in the country would be
glad to do the work for which he
has charged ever $4,000, for the
sum Of $500, and then make mo-
nsy. Ihde ed, learn that Gin
cinnati printing house some time
ago offered TO contract to do all the
printing required by the State Su-
perintendent of public SC hools, for