Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1875-01-05
RhE ELECTION OF A q. S. SEN
ATOR,


the Legislature of an United States Senator
to succeed Mr., Foreman, the public interest
in the question naturally increases. For our
selves, we have refrained from expressing any
preference among the numerous gentlemen
whose names have been mentioned in this
connection. The Eastern Panhandle, always
prolific in aspirants, if not in statesmen, has
her due proportion of patriotic victims will
ling and anxious to be crowned for the Sena>
torial sacrifice. But in this instance, as in SO
many others, her difficulty consists in the
number of competitors. and the impoesibility
of concentration upon one recognized favorite.
We are well aware that in Berkeley, Nine
very respectable, and highly intelligent gen.
tlemeu have printed, Owe do not say ,critten
or conapOsed), an address to the Legislature,
in which they recommend the Hon. Charles
James Faulkner for the position. This pro-
ceediug on their part is very unusual. not to
say extraordinary. The voice Of . county, in
such an important duty, is by lap intrusted
to her representatives in the Legislature.
And yet no delegate, no senator has united in
this recommendation. Do they regard them
selves as instructed, and superseded BIZ the
Nine We hope not. Indeed we know from
their well established regulations, that they
are not men to shrink from the discharge of
their duty, because of the relief there's
from, offered them by gentlemen, however
respectable. wheln the people have not chosen
as their advisers. We believe that both they,
and the delegates from Jefferson, will prefer
as Senator any gentleman of requisite capacity
from our own section, who can be rendered
available against competitor from different
locality. Thus far, aud no farther, should
they be willing to commit themselves.
But lest the address signed by the Nine
estimable gentlemen referred to, should create
a false impression abroad with reference to the
choice of this Panhandle for Senator, we
feel justified in declaring, in the most en-
phatic terms, our conviction that Mr.. Faulk>
ner is not the choice of the Democracy of
Jefferson. His most ardent admirers here,
believe that he should be content with the
position already assigned him, and are good
deal wearied, not to say disguised, with his
Unsuitable desire to grasp every Office within
the gift of the people, without awaiting their
invitation, or considering the claims of his
peers. Neither the opinion of the Nine, nor
our own is conclusive; yet ours is entitled,
we humbly conceive, to as much weight with
the Legislature as theirs aud will no
doubt be quite as highly appreciated, when
we volunteer to that body the expression of
our belief, that in Jefferson the Hon. William
H. Travers is preferred, aud in Berkeley,
Judge John Blair Hoge. Furthermore there
are some representatives in both counties, who
are more devoted to principles, than to men,
and who are unwilling to commit themselves
to the fortunes of any aspirant, whose views
upon the subject of Finance are not in SYM
pathy with the wants and necessities of the
West and South. There are some of our DEL
| egstcs who have conscicntiously, and as we
think. most wisely and properly, resolved to
support no man who will advocate a gold re-
demption of deprecated loan, public or
private or the longer exemption from taxa.
ton of those Bonds which the Government
itself has declared to be property of the
highest tenure.
IL "Oulu nave Deeu MUCH more Satisfactory
on the part of the Nine, to have enlightened
the Legislature upon Mr.. Faulkuer's views on
these and similar practical subjects of legis>
lation. This adroit method of leaving mans
position to be defined according to the con-
tipgent exigencies of his own political fortunes,
is not quite satisfactory. OF the truth of this
remark, the pamphlet before us contains more
than one signal illustration.
In what we have here said. in the discharge
of public duty as journalists, we do not de-
sire to be considered hostile to the election of
Nr. Faulkner to the Senate. We have more
than once expressed our opinion of his great
talent, and uutiring industry. Our sole mo-
tive is to do justice to others, also, who are
equally meritorious, though far more modes,
in pressing their aspirations and to call the
attention eff Mr.. Faulkner and his friends to
the present sigui6cancy and appropriateness
of his own favorite quotation:
When could they say till now. that talked of
That her Vice walls encOmpassed but one man r
COMMUNICATED.
Mr.. Editor We understand that there is