Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-05-20
An Injurious Misrepresentation Con-
cernlng q Well Known Gentle-
man Rectified.
Special Correspondence Of Vheeling Standard.
WASHINGTON, May y, 1876.
H., larrecfeJ


WASHINGTON, May y, 1876.
a misunderstanding Corrected.
Some DAYS Since wrote few notes concern
ing the approaching Senatorial contest 10 West
Virginia. in which | referred, among others,
to two distinguished West Vireinians in terms
that do not seem to have met with their APP
prevail. These two distinguished West Nir-
ainians are Hon. Charles James Faulkner and
Hon. Henry G. Davis. The terms which do
not seem to have met with their approval
were such as were suggested by an indepen-
dent view of the gentlemen with neither desire
to please nor intent to displease, upon my part.
hope. however, that my observations concern
Mr.. Faulkner will not have beer construed in
to detrac.;on Of the established character and
honorable career Of that gentleman. man
who has borne a spotlcss nome IN public lie
for well upon sixty years who was the con-
temporary and friend Of John Quincy Adams.
Calhoun, Benton, Webster, Clay and Jackson;
who has honorably represented his nation at
the court of the third Napoleon who has an
untarnished military record as a member OF
Stouewall Jackson's STAFF, record made more
illustrious by the fact that the reports Of this
great chieltain to President Davis. Of the
Southern Confederacy were in the handwriting
and pure diction Of the gentleman under dis
cussion. and by the additional fact that he has
lauguished behind the bars of Yankee
bas,ile" for the sake Of his sentiments, but
was finally exchanged for New York Con-
gresham; who helped TO make the Constitu-
ton. under which every man, woman and
child in West Virginia now lives; who has a
long and ansullicl record as a representative
of his people at Richmond and Washington,
and who was SO couiiied in by the Legislature
of the Mother State, that at All carly age OF
life he was trusted with the important commits
sion Of proceeding TO England, and searching
the records of the British throne for evidence
upon which, aud solely upon which, to deter
mine an important territorial controversy be-
tween the Old Dominion aud its neighborng
Commonwealth, Maryland who Is identified
with the int. rests of bis native Berkeley. aud
is President Of the Berkeley County Mechaui-
cal aud Agricultural Associations who was
chosen aS the most suitable Of between three
and four hundred American Statesmen TO con-
stitute the head ofone the mostimportant Con-
gresSioual CommitteeS-thato Of Foreign Rela-
lions and who is cultured and self-made
man from the start, is not TO be undcr-cStlina-
ted or borne down by newspaper article,
however severe in ils tone. a man who has
this front record to look back to is a statesman
in every desirable sense of the term-natonal
as well rs locci or State. There is no man in
American politics, however or IN the politics
of any other nation for The matter Of that,
who cannot be held up TO the mirror of crIti-
cism, and be made to exhibit defects that may
properly form the basis ofnewspaper comment;
but when man is viewed with reference TO the
highest standard Of craftsmanship, and escapes
with tie adverse statement that lie is posse. sed
of no more than moderate moral courage, in
tellectual ability, and discretion in political
policy, he may be regarded as more fortunate
than the average public man would be under
like circumstances Without Hrrogating to
myself the capabity of exercising censor
ship in accordance with this exalted standard,
however, will suggest that my recent mild
structures upon Mr.. Faulkner, in common with
several other men in public life, should not be
accepted in an overestimated serse.
n %
Colonel Wilson's health is about stationary.
fear, that he will never recover his strength
sufficiently to be of any service either 10 HIM
self or his constituents. The field in the First
District may thus be regarded as diSencumber-
ed Of at least one element Of Democratic
strength in the coming Congressional contest.
| observe Representatives Hereford and Faulk-
ner almost constantly in their seats or in COM
mittee, and It's likely that no State in the
Union possesses two more watchGul and ener-
getic workers than West Virginia has in these
two gentlemen. +. c. i.