Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood
Undated
May 1863

Palatine, W.Va., May 25, 1863.

Editors Intelligencer:

The Government has come to our aid at last. The prayers of the loyal people of this community have been heard and a wholesale shipment of traitors to a warmer climate is, we hope, about to take place. - Seventy-six arrests have been made in this county and the evidence adduced against them for aiding, abetting and encouraging their friends in the recent raid, is most ample and conclusive. Nothing can save their transportation unless it be the interposition of authority higher than that of the commanding General of the Middle Department. Some of those arrested, we know, have monied rebel friends who have worn loosely the garb of Unionism expressly to exert an influence to save their friends and relatives in case an emergency like the present should arise; but the time has come when the real Union men have determined to test the question of occupancy and tenure of the State of West Virginia. Conciliation and "appeals to judgment" are played out. They may suit your locality, but out here, where the Union men have been tried by fire and the loyal sentiment thoroughly sublimated by the mechanical agency of raids invited and rejoiced in by home rebels, we have made up our minds not only to stand our ground and fight the armed rebels again, should they come, but also to send those anxious to see them south, where they can enjoy constant intercourse with the lousy chivalry and bold cavaliers who ride stolen horses.

The government detective who has made the arrests and taken the testimony is just the man we should have had here a year ago. He don't wear kid gloves nor simper, halt nor hesitate in the discharge of his duty according to his instructions. Certain weak-kneed, chicken-hearted, half-milk and half water, original "no coercion" men, who have rebel wives or rebel sons and daughters, and who are themselves strongly suspected of rottenness, have tried to palaver and blarney the Provost Detective into a policy which would "let alone" the wealthier and more aristocratic portion of those arrested. But this attempt utterly failed. He soon ascertained who the real Union men of the place were, and counseled with them and engaged their assistance in making arrests and collecting testimony. In short, he has given entire satisfaction to the Union men for his impartial, straightforward and vigorous policy, and we hope he will be sustained by his superior officers and kept in his present field of operations until every disloyal person in the State has been removed.

Too much credit cannot be awarded to Mr. J. W. Cromwell, for his energetic and untiring efforts to make thorough work of the matter and have every person, against whom treasonable practices could be found, arrested and brought to judgment. Mr. Cromwell is a prominent candidate for Sheriff of this county, and if his activity in having these Davisites sent South is an index of his efficiency as Sheriff, he is just the man we want. We hear that some half dozen of the aforesaid weak-kneed individuals, who were at first his supporters, have declared their intention not to vote for him on account of the prominent part he has taken in these arrests, but we hope that what he loses among the would be-lords of Fairmont, will be more than made up to him by the Union men of the country districts.

We learn that a small petition, with one name on it, has been circulated for the commutation of the sentence of Bill Compton. This petition was only passed around among the Copperheads; no unconditional got sight of it.

Things are working all right here and treason will soon be crushed out, unless justice is defeated through the money connivance of the half and halfs.

PALATINE.

Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: Undated: May 1863