Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-04-30
A POLITICAL OUTRAGE.

Mr.. EDITOR Il ask the space in your
valued paper to criticise the action of the
Democratic Legislature of last winter,
1891. What necessity demanded, what
Justice supported, what equity underlies
this UNANIMOUSLY black hearted robbery of
our franchise rights this numbering of
our citizenship Are we degenerating :
Are we going back TO barbarism A
thousand times worse is this infamy than
the proposed Lodge election bill which it
was their pleasure to characterize as
force bill because it asked for the pro-
lection of the suffrage rights Of as they
claimed, an uneducated and illiterate peo-
pie, fearing the imaginary danger of the
change of office holders to those who
would likely lose their positions as poll
ticians. 1t presented very strong case
of unconstitutionality in their opinions.
and then characterising it as force
measure and unconstitutional enabled
them to defeat the bill. Whilst the mat
ter was fresh in the minds of the West
Virginia politicians it must have occurred
to them either through revenge or preju
dice that they would try an experiment
on their own people for the purpose of
making practical and forcible demon
stration of what they were capable of do
ing. very much nearer the domain of
Massachusetts than the Lodge Bill was
intended to work. We can only base a
CONF fusion upon conjecture on this point
however, but one thing we do know. that
if the enfranchising clam of that bill
was objectionable, unconstitutional and
of the character of force. the act of the
legislature of w. Va. deprives and robs
an intelligent, enterprising and indus
trious white race Of their rights and priVi-
leges on earth. the boon of highest value
to mankind When we emerged from
the late civil war. when the passions and
preiudices of men were aroused by the
incidents natural to war. those men en-
gagged in the strife to destroy the govern
ment and perpetuate human slavery
were influenced by the same political
party that to-day has committed this I'M
holy. inequitable and unwarranted en-
actment OF disfranchisement and taxa
ton without representation, similar acts
at one time in history caused the tea OF
King George to be thrown overheard. J
1t was very natural under the circum
stances for the successful party in the
contest to bar those engaged in the at
tempt of the destruction of the govern
ment from their franchise rights for a
time at least. but the radical element I'M
der the influence of such illlberal minds
as Jonathan Strine, Arch Stanley, VIM.
Markle and others. that could be named.
by refusing the men who sympathlsed
with those engaged in the rebellion to be
likewise refused registration. The re.
suit of such work aroused the sympathy
and work of the entire element of con
sentative men in the community. and in
stead of those engaged in the rebellion
being barred citizenship, they likewise
enjoyed the privileges under the revolu
ton of sentiment that very naturally fol-
lowed the proscriptIve enactment of the
radicals, What heinous crime have we
committed that our representation should
be reduced, or what has the Deighboring
county of Morgan done that she should
be absolutely robbed of representation
1t looks to me as it would be a right nice
point under the circumstances to alter
nate even senatorial representative
from Morgan Co. from constitutional
standpoint. however | do not claim tC
be a constitutional adept This act to be
entailed upon law abiding community
that is in the enjoyment of profound
peace is as uncalled for as it is unwar-
ranted. unjust and unrighteous. As
dDDtdlcu W suCD lItLl dS Lyle NdIuDUGIl
VIM. Dorsey. Commodore Boarman
Bethuel Kitchen. John Lamon. Hiram
McKown, C. NJ. Shaffer, VIM, Beard and
others in that case to assist in attempting
TO stem the tide of radical prescription in
our midst. now appeal in all sincerity
to the conservative element of our com
munity, irrespective of party prejudices.
to protest against this unholy condition
aF ..ff FIJI l,41ly - -,
such tone and numbers as there can be
no installing the sentiment of our people
When in the history of Berkeley County
prior to this did any political party dare
10 assume such an unreasonable position
60 enact such an arbitrary and despotic
law? When in the history Of our State
did Berkeley have but one representative
prior to this timeF What necesstates
it? Is our population on the decrease.
or our intelligence retrograding that we
must have jefferson Co. to act as our
trustee or guardian in the election of our
representatives Is this true form of a
genuine republican government We
were admonished a few weeks ago
through communication in democrat
&c organ that free governments were the
hardest to manage. Can it be that this
move is the first step to ignore the sys-
tenn of government that we all have
labored SO constantly, so earnestly and
at the dearest of sacrifices to build and
to transmit to unborn generations. re.
peat. can it be that this effort is to ami
hilate republic and embrace with open
arms monarchy, and if not. then ap-
peal in all eaTnestness to dethrone this
monster by your suffrages that we may
enjoy civil government in that shape and
spirit that are imbued in the teachings of
bygone days, when every effort of a true
American was to build in perpetuity a
government that every patriot of the
land irrespective of party prejudice could
point to with pride, aud in truth say that
our system was the bulwark of our
strength and admiration of the world.
April 20. 90 JOHN I. JANNEY.