The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-10-04

COMMITTEE with the recommends
ton that it pass. See Senate Jour
nal 1866, page lis. When it came
upon its passage Mr.. Maxwell
lodged. See page Iz5. When
the law imposing a test oath for
votes came up in the Senate Mr.
Maxwell voted aye. See Senate
Journal 1865. page los. His friends
have tried to build for him a record
for liberality on the fact that his
name does not appear among those
who voted for the Registration law.
They have overlooked the fact that
while it does not appear against the
Registration law, and that it does
appear in favor of the voters test
oath on which the Registration law
rested.
FRAUD vITIATES ALL
When by the operations of that
law, the DISTINGUISHING amend
ment was declared ratified,
it became question whether the
ratification would stand. 1t had
been incorporated into the consti-
tuition by the fraudulent disfran-
chisement of thousands who would
have voted against it. Fraud
vitiates everything. 1t became
necessary to secure the Courts.
Judge Berkshire's term on the
supreme bench was about expiring.
1t was said that he could not be
relied upon to uphold the test oath
system-Mr. Maxwell was fixed
upon as the man who could be
depended upon at all times and
under all circumstances. The Re
publican convention at Parkersburg
threw Berkshire overheard and
nominated Maxwell. When that
gentleman accepted the nomination
he left no doubt as to what his
judicial course would be on the
test oath question.
From the Uheeiisg IatrHigenee,- SEPT. "a, 1866.
Letter from Hon. Edwin Max
well accepting his nomination for
the Supreme Court of Appeals.
CLALsBuRG, Sept. IS, 1866.
Messrs. ]. c. McGrew, w. l. Bore
man, ]. M. Hagans, P. M. Hale,
T. H. Logan.
GENTLEMEN: Your letter inform
ing me of my nomination for the
office of Judge of the Supreme
Court of Appeals of this State, by
the convention of true Union men
held at Parkersburg on the goth of
August and requesting my accept
ance of the nomination is Just
received.
accept the nomination, endors-
ing the principles of the conven-
ton which nominated me-that
loyal men who saved the country
in war must govern it in peace
and tender my sincere and grateful
thanks for the high honor conferred
upon me- Yours truly,
EDWIN MAXWELL.
Now what are "the principles of
the convention, which he so hearth
ly sanctions? From the platform
of the Parkersburg Convention, the
following have been selected as
fair samples of these principles:
From the Wheeling Inteizigexee,, Sept 1866
Extracts from the platform of
Parkersburg Republican Conven-
ton, held August 80, 1866:
Resolved, That treason is the
most aggravated crime known to
our laws and that, therefore, trea-
son should be made odious, and
traitors punished; not by whole
sale pardons and the bestowment
of offices and political power, but
by the exclusion from all control
over the government, by disfran-
chisement and in case Of principal
leaders by due trial and execution.
Resolved, That we heartily en-
dorse the Registry Law and the
Acts generally passed by the Leg
stature of last winter, and that we
especially rejoice in the adoption
by the people of the Constitutional
Amendments to prevent traitors
from voting in the State, thus
making treason odious and loyalty
honorable.
This, then, was the doctrine
which Mr.. Maxwell, as candidate
for Supreme Judge SO heartily en-
dorsed; that the pardons of the
Federal Government were to be
repudiated; that prescription and
hanging were to be the order of
the day; that Southern people must
be prevented from voting and hold
ing Office and that to this end Reg
istry Laws and DISTINGUISHING
Amendments were the embodi-
ment of wisdom and the essence
of craftsmanship. To this doctrine
Judge Maxwell's letter fully COM
mitted him, and for the opportu-
nifty to prostitute. the political office
in sanctioning the rawlings of polit-
ical fanatics he blenders his sincere
and grateful thanks.
When the issue was thus made
up there was but one alternative.
Judge Berkshire was placed upon
the Democratic ticket in opposition
to the candidate who, in advance