Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1880-09-18


Mr. Editor-Seeing the name Of Hon.
j. NJ. Mason mentioned for the House
of Delegates, aud as was present
when he represented our county in 1873,
l want to say in all fairness that l am
going 10 inform you of some OF the
things | know that he did. Ashe would
not obey the dictations of the West
Virginia Ringleaders, the newspapers
suppressed his merits, to prevent him
from making reputation. He had the
name of being the hardest worker and
most fearless man in the legislature; he
did not hesitate to expose their tricks,
SC, when time and opportunity afford
ed to do SO, and was always fully pre-
pared to explain any question CT diff
Guilty. He has such an excited way of
speaking and is So earnest that he does
not DO himself justice, but no one was
listened TO as attentively because his
speeches were always full of sound
sense and information,I am sure that no
member exercised more solid influence.
Everybody at Charleston in 1875 re-
cUgnized that his speeches against Cam
den and Walker (who thought they
had the slate fixed up) caused their de-
! feat and elected Mr.. Caperton. Those
who were present well know that he
was the recognized head and front of
the impeachment Gu fact | do not be-
lieye had Mr.. Mason not been in the
Legislature, there would have been any
impeachment trial, and let me say Just
here if we had few such as him i'll cur
last Legislature Johnson Camden would
have had TO make amends for his con-
Tempt to the special committee of the
leglslature.) All our leading papers and
politicians were trying TO brake the i'm
parchment down, but his speech settled
the matter. ! appeal 10 the record and
assert that he opposed every measure
of extravaganza, notably the appropvia-
ton of $4,000 to the Centennial, |
remember he bnpfissd the bill ga bill
to advertise the shop keepers OF Phlia-
! delphia, and his speech on that occa-
sion actually changed thirteen votes.
They choked him oil by the previous
question or lie would certainly have de
teated the bill am free to admit he
has some eccenlrcities but no one had
more friends and he managed, some
how, to carry his points aud it Jefferson
sends him back they can congratulate
themselves, that they will have two
honest and faithful workers who cannot
/ be bought by the West Virginia money
mungers and railroad corporations and
with the indomitable energy of these
men, we will have law passed to make
the courts settle the railroad questions;
this tell you is what you wait, q law
yer who is honest in representing the
people. Mr. Mason | know was well
and truly tried, and ;he best proof OF
: his honesty OF purpose is the fact, you
Will iud none Of the ring who has 4
word of good to say for him. Ii he was
not able TO do what he proposes and it
/ he was not formidable man, why do
so many politicians and newspapers try
SO hard to keep him dowu-no one can
honestly aud truly point out "A single
thing he has said or done that is not
entirely approved by all fair minded
people With Il knowledge o. the fact
that some very important legislation
must necessarily come up in our next
session of the Legislature it IS important
to the people of Jefferson to have such
man as Mr.. Mason there who is able
and with his passed experience will
watch carefully all their interest; with
his ability as a lawyer | believe he will
be OF more Use TO US thar any ten men
such as are usually sent to the legisIa-
turc. | know there is clique i'll this
county who are against him not because
he VIII not make creditable represen'
tatiye but it is because he cannot be
used by them against the interest Of our
people as class.
ONE WHO WAS PRESENT.