The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-02-28

/ ~ss' SHA HAhASHSSSAAA PuSVSA tAA0 w A9oA-
ing 1SrELIIaEScER of Monday, the 2Sd
instant, is letter headed, "Talk with
Senator Faulkner" by "Gath" in the
Cincinnati Enquirer. The letter contains
the following paragraph:
wonder that when John ~. Garrett and ID
ward n. stanton and Henry Winter Davis made
West Virginia 80 that the Baltimore & Ohio rail-
road could step from Maryland 70 w.st Vlrglnia
they did not unite West Virginia with Maryland,
and thus make commonwealth which would
extend from tho Seaboard 70 the Ohio.
can assure the readers Of the INTELLI.
GEHCER that Messrs, Garrett, Stanton and
Davis, or any one Of them, had not any.
thing whatever to do with making "Weit'
Virginia so that the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad could step out Of Maryland into
West Virginia" Nor did they, or any
OF them, have anything to do, directly
or indirectly, in making the boundary
lines Of the State. The statement that
these gentlemen made West Virpiaia
has no other existence than in the fertile
imagination Of Gath. He appears to
have desired 10 say something smart to
show his knowledge Of men and the
secret tmovementso of past events. Doubt
less he bad been writing about the Nj
kinley bill and had lost all sense OF re-
sponsibilty for statements not founded
on facts. Not content with libeling his.
tory himself, he proceeds TO place his
friend in ludicrous and unenviable pre-
dicament by making our junior Senator
say:
My father was tho chief instrument in adding
10 that State the two valley counties Of Jefferson
aud Berkeley, which include Harper'S Ferry and
MArtinSburg, and which arc pen h4ps, the best
agricultural counties In the whole State.
II our junior Senator did say what
Gath reports, it shows deplorable
vanity and Ignorance on his part. l
hope he did not sar it. Bat Gath, by
reporting it further, shows his ignorance
OF the facts connected with the history
Of Weat Virginia. II he had known the
foundation for our junior Senator's re-
mark, "ThRt my father was the chief
instrument in adding TO the State the
two valley counties," he would not have
published it to the discredit Of his friend.
l think ! hold proper estimate OF
Mr.. Faulkner, deceased, and would do
nothing to detract from his just honor.
II he we're living and were to see his
sons remarks, as reported, be would pity
the ignorance oftheboy, though he might
admire the filial devotion Of the son.
Mr.. Faulkner, sr., had nothing to do
with the adding OF the two valley coun.
ties to tho State. He was not in tho
boundaries OF the State when they were
added. He certainly took no part in the
political movement. Some years after
the State OF West Virginia was admitted
into the Union, Virginia brought suit in
the Supreme Court OF the United States
claiming the two valley counties, asked
that the jurisdiction Of West Virginia
over these counties be Rnnulled and the
counties be returned to Virginia. Tho
ground OF the claim was very iully
stated in the bill. West Virginia ap.
peared by counsel as defendant and de-
INJURED to the bill. The Supreme Bench
of judges was not full when the demur-
rer was first argued. The judges present
were equally divided, The case was set
for second hearing before full bench.
Mr.. Faulkner appeared on the second
argument with the two counsel who
first argued the case. In the decision
the absent Judge concurred in opinion
with the four judges who on the frat ar.
Eument were IN favor OF sustaining the
demurrer. Those who were in favor OF
overruling remained, on tho second ar.
gument, OF tho same opinion. Whose
argument convinced the fifth or add.
tional Judge? Was it the argument OF
anybody or the intent Of the judge to do
his duty according to the law as he un-
derstood it, that led him to act with the
four judges who had decided to sustain
the demurrer on argument when Mr.,
Faulkner was not present. Eut II the
demurrer had been overruled, IL by nc.
means decided the case against West
Virginia. 1t would have turned ont,
on the final trial, that all the other allie.
cations referred to the vote Of the people
Of these valley counties. The consent
Of Virginia was there for the division
embracing these valley counties. The
act OF Congress- was there admitting the
State. This voting had nothing 70 do
with the Case-it was entirely a side
issue. The Constitution OF the United
States requires no vote Of the people OF
State 10 be admitted as q State into the
Union.
What does the junior Senator mean
when he gays: my father was the
chief Instrument" It would not he
surprising that, II our junior Senator
should make another ten-hour speech In
the Senate and get another Gridlron din
ler, he would claim that the Fauik-
ner family made the division OF the
State. In that case Gath would for.
got that Garrett, Stanton and Davis
made it"
1t is right that those gross misstatc-
ments, ag facts connected with the his
tory Of tho foundation OF West ViT-
ginia, should be corrected. The future
historians Of the State will Consult the
Wheeling INTELLIGgNcER for facts for
dis history. have waited, hoping
,Ume one would reply to the GATH
letter. None has been made. This is
my only apology.
am respectfully,
F. Il. PRRPoNT.
FairmOnt, ". Va, Feb. 20, 1891.