Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-07-24
From he lLqrtiasJarg Sfatesmaa.l
The Fayetteville Hest TiTginia Eater
prise---lfR. EiULhNER.
Cease, Viper, You Bite a File.

tllS -tate, 10 see 4 iifgftcetH ichi"Ni'itic "a
per, upon the eve of Il State Convention,
burdening It's columns with unbu5hing and
unlounded falsehoods against one OF the pro-
posed candidates for the Democratic noml-
nation. This is the more remarkable, o. this
new strategy is directed against the hoA.
Charles j. Faulkner, gentleman who has
passed through the most fiery political ordeal
ever known in this section of the state,
without the smell of fire upon his garments,
and who has now. measurably retired from
public life. with a record of public and pri-
yate integrity to which his aSsailaut would
vainly aspire, The editor OF THIS paper has
been resident Of this District throughout
Mr.. Fanlkner's entire National career: he
has been close and keen, and at times, iii
the mutations of party, not VERY friendly
observer Of his public course, and he can
therefore speak Of it with the confidence Of
absolute knowledge And yet the Eeterprise,
professedly Democratic paper, inspired by
some INSCRIPTIONS enemy has in its last two
issues and especially the las, filed lis col
umns with charges and insinuatloGs against
Mr.. Faulkner, and has even anticipated It's
day of publication, in the vain hope OF dis
semminating Its poisonous SANDERS, and o.!
defeating his nomination for GoYernor IN the
approaching State Convention.
We shall take up these charges in the or
der of importance, which that editor attaches
to them. The first Is: that III the year 1907
and ., during the administration OF Presi-
dent Buchanan, and while Mr.. Faulkner was
chairman of the Committee on Military AZ
fairs, he reported 10 the House, q bill TO
refund Virginia a million OF dollars, for
advances made by that State to the Federal
Government, during the war of 1872 and 10;
that he strongly favored the bill, until thro'
the solicitation of Cox. Cobb, Secretary Of
the Treasury, and through the persuasion Of
President Buchanan, rendering him Office,
he was thus induced to abandon the support
of the bill, and vote against 1t, by which
vote, and his influence as Chairman OF the
Committee, million Of dollars WAS lost to
the SAFE Of Virginia, which she would
otherwise have received.
Wonderful inventive genius To say no
thing of the degrading position In which this
story places Coy. Cobb, and President Iuc-
hanan. What are the facts rs they are dis
closcC! hy the Congressional record, which We
have carefully cNsmined2 They ave, that
there never was any such bill before the
Committees wh.c h NJ. Faulkner was Chair
man; no such bill before any Committee Of
the House; no such bid before either House
of CONGRESS, curing the whole tine that Mr..
Faulkner was q rcmhcr Of Tie body. The
advances made by Virginia to TIE United
States, for Tie prosecution Of tie wGragainst
Great Britain. were refunded 20 her by the
Government in 1879, and even SO long back
as the 3rd of March, 1925. Tie interest upon
those advances were paid to her fully by the
Government Here, then, to call 1t by no
harshcr name, is q gross and pa'pable mis-
statement; Tie dream OF iunatic or mad
man. The next charge against Mr. Z. IS,
that in 1886 Ike was sent by the state OF
Virginia as delegate b the National Demo
cratic Convention hder implied instruc-
tons . cast his vote for her tayor:te Il. NJ. /.
Hunter; when in violation Of those instruc-
tons. and the BETRAYAL Of his trust, with q
view to Office. he cast his vote for James
Buchanan. This shows great ignorance OF
the history Of thGtday. Virginia, a. state,
sent 10 delegates 10 tina. Convention. The
appointments wore made from The CGngrc5-
sio.a' Districts; j. Randolph Tuckcrwa the
delegate froU this District and lie no doubt
cast his vote 81. acc5rdagca with the, then,
sentiment of this district. Mr. Faulkner
was not a DELEGATE; was 10. q me.aAer Of
that convention, and had 30 NOR 20 do, OIL
c;allv, with the nomination Of James BGc-
hanan, than tie editor Of the Enterprise,
who was then probably moving and pulling
in his nurses arms"
Tho next charge against Ar. Faulkner Is;
tia. IL order 20 become counsel Of the state
Of West Virginia, IN the controversy with
virginia, hcpalmcd himself upon Governor
Eoaguan. "a a Republican. such stuil mag
pass current in Fayettc, bu. it IS the subj
nifty Of impudeace in this section Of TIE
State. The Circumstances under which Mr..
Faulkner became counsel for the STATE %
Yves. Virginia, ar 50 " il known here, and
have been SO o!ttn aiuded 90 IN The papers.
as % leave no question on t',-t subject. Jbe
ease was in the Supreme Court Tor hearing,
the Governor was officially notified that It
would he called up for arglmcn5 in two
weeks; the leading COUNSEL OF this State,
the Hon. Rsycrdy Johnson WAS absent
from tie cOuGtrv, upon Z bret mission 10
the Court Of London; tie Governor wa5
much troubled at this cond zion OF things.
and sent fer Judge Cbapline, then a state
Senator, to confer with HIM on the subject.
Chapiine suggested that there should be Il
meeting Of the delegates and Senators from
the counties most interested, who upon con-
sn!tation would make some suggestion to
him.
The result Of that conference was a re-
commendaticn to the Governor, TO .e't
Mr.. Faulkner rs a substitute for Mr.. John
son; this was done, and we, in all this sec.
ton of country, know with what marked
ability and success that duty was performed.
1t would be Il waste OF time to notice Ihis
disreputabe attack further.
Ali of its conclusions, inucndocs, and ap-
pcals, based upon the above alleged fact,
must necessarily fall, in the light OF thc true
facts "a above set forth.
And now in conclusion, democrats OF
West Virginia, is this the style in which one
of the best and purest men of our party Is to
be villiled, and slandered, because he hai,
reluctantly and at great personal sacrifice to
himself, consented, if it be your pleasure, to
serve YOU as Governor of your STATE?
Can such assaults result otherwise than in
filing your breast with just Indignation and
sc0rn?
If You before even hcsitatcd as to your
choice, can you withhold from Mr. Faulkner,
now. a vindication against such slanderous
and malignant attacks or viii YOU let these
libcIlers and calumniators rejoice in tn
umph which they will claim to have been
accomplished by their own gross and I'M
blushing falschoods?
"Became Sound and WELL
IIatcher's Station, Ga.