The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1894-11-30
The First Shot.
How the Civil War Began.

A few days before the first
shot was fired at Fort Sumter, a
Mr.. Beers-a noted Abolitionist
made the remark, in my hear
ing, that the American people
had no conscience on the slavery
question, and would never strike
a blow against the South, no
matter what took place. Yet on
the night Of the day that shot
was fired an uprising took place
the like of which / haze never
seen and never expect to see
again. The people went wild,
and the armory, near which l
was employed, was beseiged by
men waiting to be armed for the
war. shall never forget that
day. AS the practical foreman
OF a daily newspaper, l received
all the letters from the Associat-
ed Press-the editor at that time
having all he could do to write
the editorials and look after the
local matters. One of those let
tiers contained a few sheets of
manifold, paper, and on the top
of the sheet marked mo. l." l
read these words Fort Sum-
ter Fired INTO / can see it now.
] read it to the hands with the
remark to one of the boys. Go
tell the editor l want him. and
Boys, hurry up and get out an
extra y What happened ? In
less than a minute only the edi-
tor and myself occupied the com
posing room, for the boys had all
rushed out and bought up com
mon American flags and were
parading the street. Discipline
was out of the question. My
employer, Mr.. Spooner was
somewhat angered. 1t was one of
the greatest importance that an
extra should be gotten out quick
ly. AS a last resort j went out
in Orange street and asked the
boys to get out the extra and
then enlist if they felt SO dispos.
ed. They marched back to the
office, tied their flags 10 their
cases; got out the paper, and
then left a few of US to print it.
All night the excitement lasted,
and next day it was almost i'm
possible to get out a decent pa;
Talk about excitenena
that was the night 81 nights.
The people Of the State after
State awoke from their slumber,i
intense indignation took the
place of peaceful passiveness;
patriotism glowed in every eye;
and a nation stepped in slavery
shook itself for a supreme effort
to array itself in the CARO- of
freedom.
Men by the hundreds went TO
the newspaper offices and de.
manded the exhibition of the
American flag where not seen.
One editor appeared at a window
and declared that unfortunately
he was not the owner of a flag.
"Pelt him with stones y was
heard from all over. In about a
minute he appeared with a paper
flag that was worth about two
cents. AT the sight of which the
people cheered themselves
hoarse. l think it is due to that
editor to say that in few
days thereafter he enlisted and
went to the war.
Foronce the voice of the PEG.
pie was right. They yelled bet
ter than they knew. A wave of
patriotism had struck them-not
a love of human rights. nor even
a disposition to do what was
right toward the Negro race.
Since the war have had great
confidence in the people when
once aroused. Just before that
time the Abolition vote had near.
ly died out. All kinds of com.
promises were being talked Of,
and even that awful decision that
Negro had no rights that a
white man was bound to respect
had been officially pronounced.
But, with the firing into Fort
Sumter, that decision had been
set aside by the voice of the PEG.
ple.-G, r. Scott il .Nem York
Witaes&.