Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-11-08
cHARLESJ. FAULKNER

CHARLES FAULKNER
Charles ]. Faulkner, who acted as Min
lister to France from the United States
during the last year of President Buch-
anan's Administration, died at the old
BOYD homestead, Boydville, near Mar
tinsburg, West Va, at $3.50 Saturday
morning, Nov. LIST, 1884, after a lingering
illness, in the seventy ninth year OF his
age. Mr.. Faulkner leaves widow and
a large family of children. among whom
are the Hon. E. Boyd Faulkner, a leading
LAWYER of Berkeley County, West Va. ;
Judge Charles James Faulkner, of the
Circuit Court of West Va. Mrs. Thomas
s. Bocock, Mrs. Joel w. Flood, and Mrs.
w. s. Love, of Virginia Mrs. McSherfy.
of Martinsburg; Mrs. J. p. Campbell, OF
Kentucky, and Mrs. Pierce, of New York.
Mr.. Faulkner was born in Berkeley
County. Va, in 1906, and lost both his
parents when very young. He studied
hard. however, and in 1929 had succeed
ed in qualifying himself for admission to
the Virginia Bar, of which he was after
ward to become one of the most promi-
nent leaders. In 1889 Mr.. Faulkner first
entered public life. taking his seat in the
Virginia House of Delegates President
jackson had Just issued his famous PRO
elamation of force, which boldly assert
ed the supremacy of the United States
Government over that of any State, and
young Faulkner, seeing in the temper OF
the political factions the seeds of con-
test on the slavery question, submitted to
the Legislature and advocated a PROPOSE
ton for the gradual abolition of slavery
in Virginia, by declaring that all child
rem born of slave parents after July l.,
1910, should be free. His proposition
was voted down, but it did not prevent
his reelection in the following year.
The abolition crusade began in 1888, and
Mr.. Faulkner than became bitter OPP
ponent to the Northern idea. He declin-
ed a reelection to the Legislature, and,
after marrying daughter of Gen. Boyd,
retired from public life, and devoted him.
self steadily for the next eight years to
the practice of his profession. in which
he at once took and maintained q COM
manding position.
In 1841 Mr.. Faulkner again entered the
arena of politics and was elected to the
Virginia State Senate. He resigned how
ever, in 1842, and it was not until 1846
that he returned to public life. That
year he was again elected to the House
of Delegates, and introduced bill that
was passed and sent to Congress, which
became the famous fugitive slave law of
1850. He next became member OF the
Virginia Constitutional Convention of
1850, body IN which he devoted all his
energies to an advocacy of the rights and
interests of the western part OF the State.
In 1851 Mr.. Faulkner ran as an sindepen-
dent candidate for Congress on a plat
form sustaining the cause of union and
opposing further sectional agitation. He
was elected by good majority in dis
trict that was largely Democratic. Two
years later, when Gen. Scott was can
didate for the Presidency, MI. Faulkner
refused to support him because he repre-
scented the Free Soil wing of the Wing
Party, and, with other Southern leaders.
he once again joined the forces of the
Democracy. with which he always after
acted. This change in his politics made
him popular in his State, and he was re-
elected to Congress for four successive
terms. In 1856 he was member of the
Cincinnati Convention which nominated
Buchanan. and when Mr.. Buchanan was
inaugurated he rendered Mr.. Faulkner
office because he would not disturb an
old personal friend, the Hon. John Y
Mason. who then held the position. Mr.
Mason died, however. in 1859. and the
mission being again rendered to Mr.
Faulkner he accepted it and took up his
residence in Paris.
While acting as Minister to France Mr.
Faulkner secured the admission for thu
first time by the French Government O
the right of expatriation, and through hi
efforts naturalized citizens of this coun
try were accorded the right to visit thu
land of their birth without molestation OF
fear of military espionage. During hi
service the armed conflict between thu
North and South became imminent, ant
the sympathies of Napoleon were early
enlisted on the side of the South. Mr.
Faulkner and his friends have Away
claimed that during this delicate periot
of his diplomatic career he was skillfu
enough to give no reason for the charges
of disloyalty that we're being made
against him at home, but President Lin
coin when he assumed the Executiv,
power early in 1851 recalled him, ani
the Hon. William L. Dayton, of New
Jersey, was appointed to succeed him
Mr.. Faulkner returned Washington after
the war had been in progress for some
time. After settling his accounts witt
the Government he was about to leave
for his home in Martinsburg, Va, wher
he was arrested and thrown into prison
He appealed to the Secretary of War tx
know the charge upon which he wal
arrested. and received from bluff ole
Simon Cameron the following straight
forward reply:
You are held as distinguished cit
zen of Virginia as hostage for James
McGraw, State Treasurer of Pennsylva
mia, who. while searching for the dead
body of friend on the battlefield Of
Bull Run, was taken and thrown into
prison by the people of your State now
in rebellion against the authority of the
Government, and, SO help me God, you
shall never be relieved until James
McGraw and his party are set at liberty
and are safe"
After being confined in Washington
for month, Mr.. Faulkner was transfer
red to Fort Lafayette in New York Har
Dor. While imprisoned here he was Of
fered his liberty on condition of taking
the oath of allegiance to the United States
He refused to accept release on these
terms, insisting that as he had beer
guilty of no offense he would submit tc
no conditions. As result of this he
was transferred from the custody of the
Secretary of War to that of the Secretary
of State as political prisoner, and re
moved to Fort Warren, in Boston Harbor
After quite long confinement Mr.. Faulk
ner was finally exchanged for Congress
man Ely, of New York, who had been
captured by the rebels while spectator
at the battle of Bull Run, and was held
prisoner in Richmond. Then he Joined
the rebel forces as staff officer of Gen.
Stonewall jackson, and served with this
Confederate officer until the close of the
war, which found him near Appomattox,
when Gen. Lee surrendered to Grant.
The State of West Virginia had been
carved out of the old Dominion when