Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-04-17
Card From c. J. Faulkner, Jr.

HdS. INDEPENDENT:
/ ask the privilege of using your
columns to correct a misapprehen-
sion which may exist in the minds of
some of the Democratic and Con-
servative party, as to my action as a
member of the Executive Commit
tee, resulting from the partial re-
port of the proceedings of that COM
mittee, as published in the Statesman
of the 18th instant, over the sigma
ture of the Chairman and Secretary
of said committee. l feel compelled
to ask this favor of you for the fol-
lowing reason: The editor of the
Statesman, and Secretary of said
committee, has Intentionally omitted
in the official proceedings of the
same, the resolutions offered by me,
as a member of that committee, and
at the same time has assumed the
authority to allude to them, and
publish the votes by yeas and nays
taken on the motion to adopt, as
called for by myself, as shown by the
following extract: ~
kas,sG Cd. Fanlknaxs frsys snhmisfsll 4sssaas
tons to change the delegate county con-
vention system of nominations for ONCE,
to that of primary elections, suppoftin !!
his proposition by a few remarks. DR.. r.
M. Davis, J. Syester, s. ". M Peters, w !.
H. Kilmer, r. s. Eicheiberger snd others
spoke in opposition to the plan submitted
by Mr.. Faulkner, and upon the vote being
taken, resulted ssr follows:
YEAs-C. J. Faulkner, Jr.
NAYs-Dr. F. NJ. Davis, ]. Syester, H.
J. Seibert, VIM. Fl. Kilmer, @ Stump, s.
W. NJ. Peters, VIM. H. Kilmer, NJ. s.
Grantham, R. s. Eichelberger
When the committee was called to
order by its chairman, i stated to
them, that from articles which | had
read and conversations which / had
had with members of the Democratic
party, believed there was dissatis-
faction existing among certain MEM
bers of that body, resulting from the
defects in the primary convention
system, for the domination of coun-
ty and other officers; that those who
were dissatisfied with that system
claimed, first, that it did not give
full expression to the wishes OF the
people In each district in the nomi-
nation of candidates, as few attend
ed them, and the time for their meet
ing was limited to particular hour.
Secondly, that one or two active
friends of o particular candidate,
could, by posting ten or fifteen
OF his supporters to be at the place
designated, promptly, at the hour
mentioned in the call, organ
ize the primary and select the dele
gates in the interest of any particu-
lar candidate, as sometimes ten, and
always fifteen or twenty, would
compose a majority of said conven-
ton. Thirdly, the votes of the mi
nority in said convention, could find
no expression of opinion in connec-
ton with the same sentiment exist
ing in other districts of the county.
FOurthly, that in years when 1t was
necessary to nominate sheriff, the
wishes of the people, even in those
small primary conventions, In the
oCiCCtlOu VI tIlO1 uCaCSotCo, WAC q
test of the wishes of the majority
for the nominee for sheriff alone,
and no expression of their wishes as
to who should be the nominees of
the party for the other twenty off,
ces to be filed. Fifth, they claim
that when the delegates were select
ed and attended the county con-
vention, influences were brought
to bear upon them, which frequently
resulted in their failure to represent
their constituents by their votes in
said convention. Sixthly, that there
was a ring in the party, who by their
manipulations, both in the primary
and county conventions, succeeded
in forcing nominations upon the