Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-23
The Abuse Of Liberty.
fplueheld. w Va. Telegraph

|
1 Freedom OF speech In this country Is a
! sacred right. but II is a privilege that Is
most shamefuily abused by persons who
| profess to value II most highly. The dis
position 10 maligu public officials Is one
that Is too little curbed. During the
present labor troubles there are found A
great many men with little capacity 70
govern themselves or manage their own
affairs who are very free 20 attack not
only the policy. but the motives OF public
officers, who are administering the ai1ais5
of the people to the best Of their ability
1t often seems that the more conspicuous
an individual Is for his OWN incapacity
and worthlessncss the reader he Is 10 at
tack and denounce the position and
Judgment OF men who have all their
lives been successful and respected.
The Daily Telegraph has never felt
called upon 10 say much IN defence or
Governor O'Fcrralrs action In sending
the Virginia troops 10 Pocahontas. in
the first place, the action required no
defence II was clearly iustInabe under
the circumstances, but II in the opinion
OF the majority Of citizens II were a mis-
take would these be any occasion for
fair-mnded people 70 impugn the mo-
tyes and attack the character Of Gov
ernor OFerral2
who is Charles r. OFcrrall that the
blatherskites Of this and other towns IN
the coal belt should decry him, libel him.
and hold him up as NJ object OF con
tempt? How could a man so utterly UNIT
as Mir O'Fcrrall Is said 10 be by many OF
our wlseacres become the Governor OF
the great State OF Virginia. the home Of
statesmen and the mother % presidents?
M. -. eNs.. rfarfH
looking into.
The Congressional Record shows that
Charles r. O'Ferral. OF Harrisonburg.
was born in Frederick county. Va. Octo-
Der q. 1870: at the age Of - he was ap-
pointed clerk pro tempore Of the Circuit
Court OF Morgan county, TO I'LL va
cancy occasiOned by the death OF MS
father. and az the age Of Il was elected
Clerk OF the County Court OF that county
for six years: IN May. 1861, he enlisted
in the cavalry service OF the Confederate
States as a private. passed through an
the grades from sergeant TO colontb
and at the surrender OF Lee was IN com
mand OF all the Confederate cavalry IN
tho Shenandoah Valley. h. was eeveral
times wounded. once though the lungs
soon after the close Of the war he studied
law at Washington College. Lexington,
Va; graduated. and located at Harrison
burg where he commenced the practice
~ his profession: he was member % the
General Assembly OF Virginia, lN'l-'i3;
Judge Of the County Court Of Rockingham
county. 1Sil-S); Democratic state can
vasser 1880 1851. and lSS}; In lsS2 he was
the Democratic nominee for Congress In
the Seventh District and. according TO re-
turns. he received 1884 votes. against
l2l46 votes for John Paul the nominee
Of the Republican eadjuster-coalition
party. he contested. upon the ground OF
fraud and Illegal voting. and was seated
By the Forty-eghth Congress, May ;. 1885,,
was elected 20 the Forty-nnth, Flfueth,
Fifty-frst. and Flfty-second Congresses,
and was reelected to the Fffty-third Con-
gress as Democrat receiving loss votes.
against l0lF votes for Lewis. People s.
Then. in response 10 the peoples call, he
left Congr SIS 20 occupy his present post
Commonwealth
Here is the record in brief Of A capable
and successful man; a patriot a gallant
soldier and a statesman who has over
and over again been chosen by the peo-
pie who have known HIM all his life 70
represent them In Congress and other
important stations. As "a lawyer Cover
nor OFerrall knows what his duties IS
Governor are As man, long trained IN
public affairs and Of a high order Of In
telligence. his judgment might always be
accepted I'm a crisis against that Of the
feeble-miaded critics who have bounded
his since the opening Of the Pocahontas
incident.
A burning shame has come upon the
Flat-TOp field in this connection. Men
who should stand on the side OF law and
order and decency have. lent themselves
TO the schemes OF the anarchistic element
70 belittle and villify Governor OFerrall
Their attacks have been so grossly per
sonal and l.belous that every Nirginian
and every honest man OF every State and
every party Will blush 10 think Of the
the unfa.rness, and the I'M
manliness shown toward an executive
who has conscientiously performed his
duty.