Year: 1868

PUTNAM Co., w. Va, Aug. 3, 1868.


Editors of the Register:


Perhaps it may not be without some
interest to the many readers of your
excellent paper to hear something from
the people in the Ksnawha Valley


what interest they are taking in pol
itics and how they feel toward the can
didates of both. parties. have con-
versed lately with many persons whe
have voted the Republican ticket
straightforward for eight years, and /
now take pleasure in stating that among
the people in this section great change
is going on-a change which speaks of
the happiest results. The Radical ranks
are daily diminished, and the Demo-
cratic ranks are daily increased. The
scales which have so long shut ont the
light Of reason are dropping from the
eyes of the people, and they are begin
ming to see things in different light
to what they did year ago. They now
discover that thatparty which they have
so long supported and kept in power is
working not to their advantage, but to
their disadvantage and destruction.
The laboring men begin to understand
why they are working harder than they
have ever worked before, and at the
same time are living harder. Althou. b
they rise early and work late, still they
find their families wanting many of the
necessaries of life; their food scanty,
and their clothes Indifferent. When
they learn that the clothing they wear,
the Hour, coffee, sugar, and bacon they
eat, and everything else. which they eat
and wear, is taxed 1T an enormous rate
to uphold the taX-exempt bondholder,
and to sustain the Radical party ia its
unconstitutional measures, they pro-
claim boldly that they will not only
withdraw from that party, which is en-
failing so meny hardships and difficult
ties upon them, but they will oppose
ank vote against it.


Many of the most bitter opponents of
the Jacobin party to-day are the Union
soldiers, and well they may be, because
no set of men has been deceived more
than the soldiers. Actuated by patri-
otic motives they enlisted in the armies
of the United States for the mainten-
anCe of the Union. When President
Lincoln proclaimed that the war was
waged only for the restoration of the
Union, they believed him. WithIwil-
lingness they went to endure the hard
ships of the camp and to face the bayO-
nets of the enemy, believing that duty
to their country badc them do it, but
after performing nobly and bravely
their part, how have their rulers and
party repaid them' BY legislating to
make the negro their superior. BY
loading them with taxation. BY pay
ing them in deprecated money. BY
giving the public lands to rich capital
lists, instead of retaining them for the
land warrants of the poor soldier. BY
paralyzing the Industry of the country,
which should give them employment to
support their families. Has the great
object for which they risked their lives,
the restoration Of the Union been ac-
complishcd' No. They have seen their
brave comrades fall, crimsoning the
ground with their life blood, all in vain.
Aud instead of fighting for the Union
of the States, as they supposed, they
have fought to bring poverty to their
own doors, ruin upon their country, and
of their fellow citizens in
the South to the rules and domination
of negroes and carpet-baggers.


The impassioncd appeals of the Jaco-
bin stumper to the soldiers are to no
purpose. They may cry, "wolf! wolf"
The soldiers hear, but heed not.


Experience has taught the soldiers.
and the people, how to distinguish the
voice of truth from the cry of dccep-
tiOn. Reason is again about to regain
her supremacy. Party prejudice is for
gotten, when the very existence of our
our form of republican
government and our liberties are at
stake, and every effort is being made
by the friends of Democracy i'll this
valley to achieve complete victory
over the Radicals and tho minions who
now sway the destinies of our young
State.


Our State, rich with the abundance of
gifts-fertile soil, salubrious
climate and valuable minerals-would
become one of the wealthiest little
States in the Union if we had system
of bene6cent laws, administered with
wisdom and moderation. But capital
lists will not develop the mineral re-
sources of the State, and emigrants will
pass over our fertile valleys and 90 to
less fertile but freer lands, as long as
the government of the State remains in
the possession of those who have no in
terest in the prosperity of the State,
only to the extent that they may be
paid for misruling and making uncOn-
stitutiOnal laws to oppress the majority
Of the people in the State.


Our rulers and legislators, possessing
all the ferocity and inhumanity of old
Draco, but without his talents and
wisdom, have fettered the progress of
the State from its very beginning, and
they will continue to do SO as long as
the people are so unreasonable rs to
keep them in authority.


But the corruptions, injustice, decep-
tions, aud intrigues of the Radicals
have become SO great and so palpable
that their overthrow is fast approaching
They cannot stand against the tide of
popular Indignation which is sweeping
over the couLtry. The voice Of justice
demands that their rights shall no
longer be disregarded, and the people OF
this section will respond in October and
November to the demands of justice
and liberty, by giving large maiorities
for all of the Democratic candidates.


Ysurs, &c, >.