The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-10-31

We should think that the writer of a
communication signed ''Kanawha,'' in
the Charleston Republican of the 24th
inst, the day before election, would feel
rather bad over the result in that coun-
~. He appealed to the two young men,
McWhorter and Cracraft, who were the
Union candidates, to retire from the field
and allow Judge Summers to be elected
by general consent. He said it would
be ga graceful and disinterested act'' in
them to doso. Nothingwas said of how
the act might be regarded by the Union
people who nominated them. That was
a consideration that evidently had no
weight with the writer. His ostensible
reason for wanting the Union nominees
to retire was that Judge Summers, be-
ing man of great experience, learning
and ability, would become "the leading
man" in the Legislature, If elected, and
that he would be able in all probability
to secure the Capitol for Charleston. AT
all events he would secure the improve
ment of the KanaWha and Elk rivers
at the expense of the State. "With
Benjamin a. Smith, KanaWha man,
as Governor, and George w. Summers
in the Legislature" says the writer,
1--WE may regard the location of the
Capitol at Charleston as fixed fact"
1t was certainly very unfortunate in
the writer to make the location of the
Capitol Mt Charleston contingent upon
such improbable conditions as the
election of either Smith or Summers,
and least of all of Smith. The voters
of Knnawha county, at all events, SO
far as they were concerned, were not
willing to pay the price named for the
Capitol and the improvements aCore-
said. They preferred, 1t seems, that the
Capitol should go elsewhere, and that
the KRnAWha and Elk rivers should re-
lnain unimproved, rather than cast
their votes for the nominees of the cop
perhead party, be they Smith, SUM
mers, or '0ny other man." When we
consider tho great personal prestige of
Judge Summers, and especially that
his name has been a tower of strength,
not only In the Kanawna Valley but
throughout the State, in times past, we
can appreciate the Significance of the
vote against him ON last Thursday. It
shows that with the people men are
nothing in this contest, but that princi-
pies are everything. It shows also
that no man, DO his antecedents what
they may, has power to mislead them
as'tO the true character OF tho contest.
Let who will fall by the way, or defect
from the right, the people will not fol-
low him.
Judge Summers was the strongest
man the Cnpperheads could have nom
mated. His position toward them was
somewhat doubtful. By many Union
men he was charitably regarded. They
were disposed to give him the benefit
of their doubts for the sake ofi"Auld
Lang Syne." Hence the Copperheads
relied with great confidence on his
availability among the Union element.
But the result proves that they were as
far wrong as ever in their calculations.
1t proves also that under no disguise
can the true men of Kanawha be seduced
into voting for any man who occupies
even an equivocal position in the trou-
blesthat beset the country. All honor to
them for thus resisting appeals to their
sel6shness-for discarding all personal
predictions, and for standing firm
against every adverse influence. They
deserve and will receive the thanks OF
every loyal man in the State.