Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1890-10-21
sent Whitehead the following supple
mantal latter of instrnntinns.


have thought of thousand and one
things l wanted to say to you since you
\ left for West Virginia. Don't forget to
see Mr.. John Cooper. I think you will
find in him good friend and one who
can and will be of service to you.
You can talk unreservedly to him, and
want you to be guided by HIS advice
Aud, for Gods sake, be careful to whom
| you show the letters you have in your
possession; be sure your man is all right
| and that he is perfectly reliable and safe
/ in every way. Also see Mr.. j. d. Hew-
ett, of Bramwell; w. S. Edwards, of
Charleston, and James S. Mclean, of
| Wimbledon have letter from him,
which gave you with the other letters.
Our West Virginia friends say that they
are all reliable and can be trusted
Don't show your letters to any
but these and those they recon-
cautiously, and remember that you
have a matter of great i'm
pOrtance in hand, and upon your action
depends in great measure the success
| or failure of the enterprise. Be par
| ticular how you talk and to whom you
| talk. And for my sake and your sake
and the sake of our friends don't touch
one drop of intoxicating liquor of any
kind or character. 1 am not afraid of
your getting drunk and making an ass
of yourself, for this know you will not
do, but Il single drink often causes a
man to say things that he forever re-
grets. The only safe way is to touch
not, handle not and taste not the dam
nable brain destroying stuff.
expect to leave here soon for Con-
necticut. l will advise you of my go
ing and when to write to me. We will
have to stir pretty briSl1ly, for 1 want
to have not less than two Thousand good
men in both West Virginia and Con-
necticut within the next eight months
and then we will turn our attention to
Indiana. We have six months longer
to operate in Indiana than we have in
West Virginia or Connecticut; that will
give us eight months to work in that
State, and within that time we must
place four or five thousand there While
we will have to take the bulk of those
we carry to West Virginia to the Third
district, am exceedingly anxious to
place three or four hundred in each of
the other districts to help cut in Con-
gressional way. So do your best to
find homes for this number in each dis
trict.
Push the work, keep moving and
keep me posted. Act discreetly and
promptly and ali will be we'll. Yours
very respectfully,
d. Med. LINDSEY.
Whitehead was very energetic, and
covered good deal of ground in the
next few days. Under date of Septem-
Der 10 Lindsey despatched another let
ter to his lieutenant, as follows:
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Sept. 10, 1890.
". Va.
Ny DEAR SIR:-Yours of yesterday
has just been received. L am glad to
hear that Mr.. Edwards and our friends
approve of our enterprise. l can't see
how any one who desires the success of
the Republican party can do otherwise
than approve of the scheme, for it will
beyond doubt save not only West Vir-
ginia, but Connecticut and Indiana also.
Push the work, don't be idle or stay
in one place too long. When you leave
Charleston l think it best for you to go
down to Bramwell, in Mercer county. /
want you to talk with the prominent
men in each locality. / mean the lead
ing Republicans, and get them interest
ed in the work. Get Mr.. Edwards to
give you letters of introduction to prom
inent Republicans in other sections of
the State, such as he thinks will Coop
crate with us. and when you see those
to whom he gives you letters get them
to give you letters to others.
Don't forget my pension business as
you go along. Act discreetly and eau
tiously, and talk to no one about your
business that you do not know to be
perfectly reliable.
Write me daily, and keep me posted
about your movements, sc. Be very
careful to whom you show the letters in
your possession. Yours truly,
ID. Med. LINDSEY.
WILL THEY CARRY OUT THEIR SCHEME?
One of the first men seen by White
head was w. S. Edwards, prominent
lawyer of Charleston. Whitehead bore
letter of Introduction to this gentle
man and was evidently well received,
Judging from the tone of the following
note addressed to him by Edwards:
WILLIAM SEYMOUR EDWARDS.
ATTORNEY AND COUNSELLOR AT LAW.
CHARLEsToN-KANAw w. VA.
Sept. &c, 1890
j. B. Whitehead, Esq.
DEAR SIR-In reference to the vote
OF the State of West Virginia. it is only
necessary to call attention to the follow
ing facts: In 1876 the State went Dem
ocratlc on the Presidential election by
about $1,000 votes; in 1880 the State
went Democratic by about 10, 600 votes:
IN 1884 the State went Democrotic by
about 4, $50 votes; in the Congressional
elections OF 1886 the State was Demo-
cratic on total of about 500 votes. In
the Presidential election of 1888 the