Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-05-15

Swartz, Staub, Hannis, Hammond,
Kilmer, etc., (brether Logan, tell
me, if the Newkirk mill, around
which you played in boyhood, Is
still running.) Meanwhile | will
pass on to an anecdote of a Pine
hitler, which / had in mind when
/ commenced this Renaissance.
Under the old constitution of the
Ola Dominion, the mode of voting
at elections was not by a ballet as
now, but Uira goce. At their choice
of candidates in the august pres
ence of the full bench of magis-
trates justices of the peace now
more commonly called, suppose)
who sat around in their charmed
circle on the high bench that used
to grace the courthouse. After
wards election precincts were ar
ranged similar as to that single pur-
pose to the present townships
One of these was at Hedgesville
There was an election for represen-
tatives in the General Assembly
for what else / do not now recall.
Then parties were divided as Clay
Wings and Jackson Democrats
(those minifiers of big men, the
newspapers, had not as yet taken
away so much of the personal pow
ers of party leaders as since) and
the candidates for State officers
were classed accordingly. Being
the son OF Clay Wing, / have re-
membered who were the candi-
dates on that side, but not their
opponents. But that circumstance
does not damage my anecdote.
Among those who had been in
duced to come down from the pine
hills to vote, was an old man nam
ed Plotner, Teuton in lineage, as
his broken English indicated
When the honest-hearted old man
went up to cast his vote, one of the
Judges of election two Magis-
trates had been detailed for each
precinct) asked the usual question::
Who 10 you vote for, Mr.. Plot
ner?"
Well, who ish der ganderdates?'
he inquired.
They were named for him. But
the old man did not catch all of
The names. He asked again, with
the same answer and the same re-
suit.
please hurry, Mr.. Plotner =
There are others waiting to vote!'
came from the Judges.
After considerable delay, caused
by Democrats making efforts to
enlighten him in the interest of
their side, his proclivities being
pretty well understood, the old
Pinehiller sang out somewhat i'm
patiently " l shays / don't know
who der ganderdates is. / knows
Golston (Col. Edward Colston) and
Snodgrass, (Col. r. V. 81 but net
dem edder ganderdates. But /
goes for dem what goes for Clay,
anyhow, and not for Schackson no
how! !"
A loud laugh followed, which
was joined in as heartily by DEM
0crats as Whigs-not even the
grave and reverend Seniors pre-
serving their dignity. When this
subsidized, one of the Wing Judges
inquired what disposition had bet
ter be made of Mr.. Plotner's vote
'Oh put it down for Colston and
Snodgrass,' said the Democratic
Judges. So it was recorded, in the
spirit of equity, if not in the letter
of the law.
While this anecdote will serve
to indicate the blankness OF the
Pinehillers as to even events of
current history, owing to the lack
of newspapers in the hill country,
(but few papers were. indeed, taken
elsewhere at that day. ii will
serve another purpose. it will IL
lustrate the difference between the
workings of the present secret ball
lot system and the viU0 Uoce one
of the olden time. Whatever
might be said for or against the one
or the other-and it is not within
the plan of the writer of these
sketches to go much Into an argu-
ment on any point-it Is pleasant
to reflect that under the present
system, no one, at least, has right
to demand Infringement of pc
litical or personal preferences. AS
beautifully conceived of by Whit
tier, the ballot may do its work as
silently and effectually as the snow
fake executing the will Of God, as
it falls upon the sod, there being
of right no one to dictate to him
who casts it as freeman's choice,
as to how or for whom he shall
vote. j. Il. S
WASHINGTON, d. G.