The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-01-22
what . Berkeley County Gray
Jacket Thinks OF Confederate
Eecords.
MART1NsBURa, WEST VA,
January l9, 1877.

k0cOrdS.
MART1ssBURa, WEST VA,
January l9, 1877. !
Editors Register.
Having seen O number Of newspaper
articles recently sssailing gentlemen who
were prominent as Senatorial candidates.
and in the same connection commend
ing Hon. Chas. }. Faulkner 70 the sup
port ofthe Confederate element in the
legislature, because Of his record, or sup
posed record, as q Confederate chieftain,
/ desire on the behalf of hundreds
of ex Confederate soldiers in the
Eastern Panhandle who are familiar
with the war history of the gentleman
alluded to to place ourselves right on
the record, as q further silence might be
construed into an assent from OF US to
the truth OF the newspaper war biogrs-
ply given to Mr.. Faulkner. 1t is a
startling proposition to the people of this
section to see Mr.. Faulkner paraded as a
leading Confederate, when the truth IS
his sympathIes, if he had sympathies for
either side, were supposed to lean tho
other way. There has been good deal
of parade of bis amateur position on
Stonewall Jackson's staff. The truth is
that Mr.. Faulkner remained abrosd until
his successor was appointed, and re-
tuning to Washington was held as
hostage for some months for Mr.. Ely, q
Congressman who had been caught en-
loving q picnic dinner at Manassas.
Gen. jackson in 1852 offered Col.
Alex. Il, Boteier q position on
his staff. Mr.. Boteler declined because
he was then serving IN the Confederate
Congress, but suggested to the General
that he should appoint Mr.. Faulkner for
two reasons; one was that be was compe.
tent to discharge the duties of staff
officer, and the other was that by this
bait he might get Mr.. Faulkner commit.
ted to the Confederate cause. This is the
way that staff appointment came ABOUT,
and the only service Mr.. +. did IN that
capacity was as clerk to write out Gen.
Jsckson's official reports in the winter
of 1923 That was all he did up to
that time, and it Is very evident that he
did nothing to promote the success OF the
Confederacy after that time, for he swore
to the fac. when he tookthe attorneys test
oath. 1t is also well-known fact that
when the Test Oath law was passed, Mr..
Faulkner was so far in The confidence Of
tho Republicans, that for his own per-
so,1aL accommodation the time was liked
at June, 1868, If he was Confederate,
and in full sympathy with the Confed-
crate cause, his own testimony convicts
him of having deserted it on and after
June, 1863 While every lawyer in the
State who was true to the Southern Con.
federscy was debarred from practising
his profession, Mr.. Faulkner, basking in
full favor with the Republicans, was
liliing his pockets with fees which Con-
Tolerate attorneys were prohibited from
sharing in by this same Tes. Oath law
prepared for his special accommodation,
When Judge +. B. He'll was the Re-
publican candidate for Judge of this
circuit, and Judge Edmund Pendleton
was the Democratic candidate, Mr..
Faulkner, at the request of the Hepub.
licsns, went to Hampshire county (then
a part of this district) in the interest OF
Judge Hall, and thus aided in securing
the defeat of Mr.. Pendleton, the Demo-
cratic candidate. In 1868, when the
Democratic party OF this State first
made An organized fight, the Demo
cratic candidates for State offices came
to Msrtinsburg in the canvass. Mr..
Faulkner declined 10 affiliate with
them, or give them any countenance.
Yet, when Gov. Stevenson came TO
hn
bv the would. be Confederate leader
and invited to ms house. Again, If Mr..
Faulkner was recognized rs q Confcd-
crate, and in the confidence of Stonewai!
jackson why was it that in October 1870,
At the unveiing ceremonies of the Foley
statue of Jackson in Richmond, he Was
not accorded a prominent place in the
ceremony, unless it be, as reported, that
Gen. Jubal Early announced, "He want
ed no d-d deseriers around there TO dis
grace the memory of the great Conted-
crate chettain." l bear no personal Ill
will 10 Mr.. Faulkner, and have no ami
mus In writing this communication e1-
cep. to scquit the ex-Contederates Of
this section of indorsing the idea
of runningita man uPen his Con-
feder.te record who if he ever had any
Confederate proclivities, Peter like, de-
MED them IN the dark days OF our strus-
gle. do not think that a msns war re-
cord has anything TOGO with his qualifca-
tions now for position, but they are TO be
parsded, for the sake of Truth and Justice
let them be exhibited in 8 true tight. l:
the Legislature wants 70 elect man
upon his Confederate record, We have Il
score of men in this eastern part of the
state who are Mr.. Faulkner's peers in
talent and qualifications, and who stood
by the Southern Confederacy until the
great Lee furled our flag forever on the
ill.ts,ed field of Appomstto1.
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