Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-02-06
Communicated.

The declaration of Hon. w. l.. Will
son to the Register correspondent, that
he would be candidate for renomi-
nation has created some surprise
among those who best know him,
and who are capable of approaching
the qualities with which man should
be endowed before asking to be made
the representative of sixteen counties
in the Congress of the United States
That Mr.. Wilson is a pleasant and
agreeable gentleman, no one will de-
ny; but this Congressional District
has hundreds of just such whom no
one ever thinks of mentioning for
Congress. That Mr.. Wilson is totally
lacking in those qualities which Pc
culiarly fit man for the position of
member ofCongress, we think is clear
ly shown by his record in that body
for the past two years, and generally
admitted outside of that very small
class whom he has served in getting
"places for" He has drawn his salary
promptly, that was for his own benefit
but will he or some friend OF his rise
up and show us where he has ever sue
ceeded in doing single act for the
benefit of any man, woman, or child III
the Second Congressional District of
West Virginia. If this cannot be
shown, why should he longer presume
upon the generosity of the people of
this District. We say generosity for it
was that alone which placed him
where he is. Let us see: Mr.. Wilson
resides in the county of Jefferson. He
was in the Confederate army, which
fact alone should have greatly aided
him in his political ambition in that
county. Yet he aspired to be prosecu-
ting attorney of the county, and was
defeated for the nomination by a
Democratic carpet Dagger from Penn
sylvania. Again he was candidate
for the nomination for Judge of our
Circuit Court, and defeated. Thus
thwarted on all sides by his own inn
mediate people, he retired to the
shades of the University at Morgan
town, till in 1882, when all seemed
hopeless to his party, he was taken up
as a compromise candidate for Con-
gress, which fact resulted in the over
throw of his party in District which
but two years before had given Judge
Hoge majority of two thousand. 1t
is true that he obtained his seat in
Congress, but how? upon the UOtes Of
tacentysir colored Republicans at Charles
tom who were deluded into voting for
him Hence we say that to the ge,se''-
osity of the people of the District, aid
ed by Republican roters, he owes his
whole success. How had this pleas
ant and agreeable Mr.. Wilson appre-
ciated favors thus shown? We answer
first, by an entirely indifferent career
in Congress secondly, in becoming
one of the most bitter partisans, and
prosecutors OF Republican in the State.
His whole time for the past ten months
seems to have been taken up in re-
moving postmasters. He recommend
ed and urged the removal ofthe post
master at Martinsburg, simply be-
cause he. was Republican. He re-
moved the postmasters at Harper's
Ferry and Shepherdstown,w when moth
ing even ola partisan character could
be alleged against them, and so all
over the District. Surely services of
such nature will hardly justify him
in posing before the people of this
large and intelligent District as one
who should be continued in position
so well and creditably filed in the
past by such men as VIM. Lucas, Hen
ry Bedinger, and Chas. J. Faulkner.
Unless we very much mistake the
temper of the people of the District,
next summer Mr.. Wilson will be rel
egated to that private retirement,
from which he so suddenly sprung, a
useful man to himself, and a more
useful one to the people and interests
of the District