Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1880-12-04

lIduc pIOHtaOic " StI'S ~ ..
contract with railroad, and while 1t Is
true That it was comparatively easy to
make money during the war, still 1t re-
CURED a certain kind OF talent,
or business thrift to take advantage OF
passing events and coin into money the
troubles of n nation.
But, while we give MIN full credit for
what he has done, we are bound 10 say
that he IS conspicuously unit for the
Senate. lie has been engrossed all his
life in private enterprise and has not the
slightest training or experience for this
place. He has never turned his attention
to public affairs. lie has never given
the slightest indication Of an aptitude
for politics. He can neither speak nor
write; in fact, he has never acquired
any of that education and information,
without which man must necessarily
be mere cipher, mere locker on, IN
the Senate. 1t is safe to say, there are
one hundred merchants in Wheeling
far better qualified in every respect tor
this office, than Mr. Camden.
Again, he is not supported, so far as
we know, by single intelligent and
thoughtful citizen who has the welfare
OF this country at heart. On the con
trary he has been industric usly pushed
forward as candidate by class OF cor
rupt, selfish, scheeming pot-house polit!-
clans, who are dependent upon his prl-
vate charity and who expec. through
him TO obtain some subordinate place
in Washington. 1t is unfortunate Tor
the best interests of the State, that we
have no leading and trusted democratic
paper of general circulation, to explain
this matter to the people, and hence,
these men are able toeXercise great IN
fuenco with the Legislature, while the
Press, TO a much larger extent than is
generally supposed, is subsidized to sup
press the information which is necessary
TO ar intelligent public sentiment on
this subject.
But again, Mr.. Camden has one very
black spot en- his record, which, if he
is elected, the Republican papers will
publish throughout the North aud et-
tcctualy destroy what little influence
he might otherwise possess. Untortu
natcly, this record cannot be denied,
palliated or hushtd up; it has been pub
iished in a book, and is in all the larger
libraries, especially in the library Of
Congress- We refer to his bribing Bur
dc,t 10 leave the money ofthc State on
deposit with the National Bank OF
which he was President We copy a
correct account Of this transaction which
was published several months ago and
has never been questioned.
CAMDEN's RECORD.
Although of recent occurrence, many
persons are not accurately Informed OF
the magnitude of the wrong perpetrated
by those who corrupted our State Treas
urcr. We will present the case briefly.
The public money, being our accumula-
ted taxes, were deposited in different
banks until needed to pay the expenses
of the State. 1t was the duty OF the Treas
urer to check upon these deposits so as
not to discriminate in favor OF any partlc-
ular bank. Each bank wanted to retain
its deposit as long as possible, because II
il was left undisturbcd for a fixed period,
il could be loaned out TO the people for
10 and y per cent. Observe, the profits
of banking consist in lending out dcpos-
its, and the remarkable spectacle was
presented of people paying usurious IN
tcrcst FOR THEIR OWN MONEY. Mr.. Cam
den, President of the National Bank of
Parkersburg, paid Burdett Il bonus to vio-
late the sacred trust rcposed in him as
Treasurer, and his bank thereby secured
adeposit of some $4,000; u per cent on
which was $4,000. There is no possible
room for escape or palliation. Burdett
was entrusted with Il certain duty which
lie was sworn to perform; he betrayed his
trust, lie violated his duty, because Mr..
Camden paid him money.
OF course this most corrupt arrange
ment between Camden and Burdett was
kept silent ana secret rs death they used
every precaution to escape detection;
Burdctt drew his draft on this Bank Pres
ident for the thirty pieces of silver in Il
cabalistic phrase : (Wecopy the draft')
CHARLESTON. July II, 1873.
At sight pay to order of self $40, RENT
DUE oSFARM and charge same TO account
of W. II. BURDETr.
To Hon. j. N. CAMDEN, Parkersburg.
The occult meaning of the cabalistic
words, ''RENT on FARM" was this: that
Camden had bribed Burdctt to rent him
the accumulated taxes, like one rents q
farm.
Mr.. Camden directed his cashier to pay
this draft. Here was gross and horrible
conspiracy to plumber the unsuspecting
people. We thought we were paying
taxes TO meet the demands upon the State
whereas they were being used as bank
ing-fund to enrich Mr.. Camden and his
co-stockholders. CThere can be no dispute
about the facts; they are all admitted and
published. Anyone can obtain copy of
the trial of Burdett by writing to the Sec
rotary of State, or to any member of the
legislature of 1880
Never before iii all history was there n
parallel to this most Ubiquitous bargain;
it involved n moral turpitude without
precedent and without palliaton. But
Burdctt was far less guilty than the mill
lionairc banker who paid the bonus
which seduced the Treasurer to violate
his duty Burdctt may have been victim
70 his poverty, but Camden has nothing
to extenuate his guilt except an inOrdi-
nate cupidity.
The representatives of the people, as
court of impeachment, by 4 vote OF 10 to
declared that Burdett was unfit to be
trusted in public affairs, because he made
such a bargain as we have described and
he was ANONYMOUSLY expelled from Of
flee. This judgement wrs universally APP
proved throughout the State. Four short
years roll by, Burdett remains in obscur-
ity and disgrace, while his partner is
about to be selected for the Senate the
very highest post of honor, trust and re-
sponsibility known to orr laws. If the
judgment against Burdctt was right, then
Camden is not a proper man for Senator.