Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-02-12
Letter From Washington.

dS u ClTCuS.
Letter From Washington.
Mr.. FAULKNER's VoTE AGAINST
THE CENTENNIAL BILL Hrs
EARLIER STUMP UTTERANCEs
AND RECoRD-HIS SENATORIAL
PRosPECTs-How AFFECTED By
HIS COURSE IN THE HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, d. O.,
February 7, 1876.
1t was perhaps noticed that in
my last letter. although it was
written after Mr. Faulkner voted
against the Centennial Appropria-
ton, i made no reference to that
vote. / was not silent because 1t
pleased me, but out of friendship
for Mr.. F., and because Isupposed
he haal more satisfactory reasons
for his sscurious' vote, as you have
characterized il, than such as have
been given in his behalf in the
communicati0ned signed "a Citi-
zen of Berkeley" I'll know any,
thing about the feeling which pre-
walls among the larger pant OF tho
people who helped to send Mr.
Faulkner to Congress as the nomi-
rec Of a party to which they are,
as their fathers before them were,
opposed on the very grounds that
Mr.. f. is Aaid to have based his
vote upon, his apologist has not
succeeded in satisfying them that
he stands excused for doing as he
has. The
GIST OF THE REASONS
assigned by "a Citizen of Berke-
ley" is this, t'iat the appropriation
was in the nature Of a "subsidy,u
and for that reason Mr.. Faulkner
voted against it. Now, il is hard
ly fair to class it thus. Although
the association which primarily
undertook the immense enterprise
of the Centennial Exhibition is a
Joint "stock association y it is cer-
nanny very s(l9iIc l0x
road or steamship scheme got up
for the express purpose OF enrich
ing its stockholders No person of
reliable foresight dreams that there
will be any great pecuniary prof
its realized from the Centennial
scheme. If it pays the salaries of
the army of men necessarily en-
ployed in conducting it, along with
the enormous expenses of the
buildings, &C., it will do as much
as any discreet outsider has ever
anticipated.
AS the former President of the
Berkeley Agricultural and Me-
chanical Association, Mr.. Faulk-
ner is too much experienced In
such matters to really expect the
usual results of q subsidy from
the Centennial. 1t would be an
INSULT TO HIS INTELLIGENCE
to 81, pose he took stock in the
former with the expectation of Pc
cuniary profit thererrou. He did
it doubtless to promote he 'sgene-
raj welfare" of the county. And
he having taken stock in the Cen.
tennial association, would not in.
suit aman of his financial foresight
to insinuate that / supposed he
had been controlled by anything
like "great expectations" in doing
so. / only compliment him when
l draw the inference that other
and higher motives have controll-
ed him in the one case as In the
other =
Now the words which / have
quoted above c.the general well
fare") are from the United States
Constitution, which Mr.. Faulkner
has sworn to support. 1t is from
it that the majority. who passed
the Centennial bill in spite of the
.'curious' opposition of
MR.. FAULKNER AND HIS COLI
LEAGUES
for they are allin the same boat
found justification in that phrase.
They had come to anticipate the
promotion OF the general well
fare" Of the country, net only ma
terially considered, but politically,
bringing together as the Centen-
NAL reunion will the leading men
and women Of sections Of country
erst arrayed so fercely against each
other, and inspiring them with
sentiments of amity and love Of q
reunited country whose grandeur
they will behold at Phiiadelphia
as in mirror, and as never before.
Is this the same Charles James
Faulkner whom T used 10 hear, in
my later boyhood aud earlier