The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-10-15
Governor stevenson's Defense.

card received yesterday from GoVerno
STEVENSON, in relation to the article OF
Greenbrier registration, which was cop
led by US on Wednesday from the Lew
isburg Phenir, and upon which we com
mented. That paper is the organ o
proscriptive Radicalism in Greenbrie;
county, and Doctor j. F. CALDWELL
made use of it to let the public know
why he and THATCHER had not given
up their places on the Board of regis
tration to CALLIsoN and SNEDEGAR, the
new appointees. CALDWELL and
THATCHER, it will be remembered by
those who read the article from the
Phonir, contend that subsequent to the
appointment of CALLIsoN and .SNEDE.
GAR, the Governor ordered them not tc
surrender their places. This and the
other statements of CALDWELL and
THATCHER, the Governor assures the
public, "are without any foundation
whatever in truth" This, Of courses
raises direct question of veracity be-
tween Governor STEVENSON and Doctor
CALDWELL. We may be excused for
saying that we are rather Indifferent as
to the termination of this elegant issue.
One thing is becoming apparent; a
mighty mass of corruption is being
opened up by diligeut endeavor on
the part of some who are familiar with
affairs in Greenbrier county, aud it is
our purpose and duty to hasten the
work. The Governors brief letter
throws some new light on the subject;
we therefore put it to its proper use,
As the Governor has done us the honor
of addressing US personally, we cannot
do less than reciprocate the courtesy in
our response.
You, Governor STEVENSON, request
US to believe, IS out of respect to your
high position we will sincerely endeavor
to believe, that CALDWELL and THATCH.
ER deliberately lied when they claimed
to have your authority for refusing to
give up their places to CALLIsoN and
SNEDEGAR. They being deliberate liars,
having led, if at all, under such wanton
circumstances as proclaim them experts
and professionals il that line, why have
YOU, Governor STEVENSON, retained
them in their places so longf Months
ago You were rs thoroughly CONVEX
SAINT with the characters of these
men rs you are to-day. You per,
sistent'y refused to remove them. Ioul
professions were fair enough, but you
wouldn't act. The best men of GreeH'
brier county, the best meh OF the State
and even the Republican press invoked
you to displaoe these men whom in self
defense you are now compelled to de-
nounce as liars. What was your ro'
sponse, Governor You temporized,
DELAYED, lodged. You allowed a Rev
erend rascal named CARPENTER to de.
clare in Greenbrier county that you had
promised him not to remove CALDWELL
without his consent. You made the
protests of CALDwELL'S friends-proba
bly, the most malignant and remorselcsE
villains in the limits of West Virginia
outside the Penitentiary, if you will
pardon q description of your advisers
you made their protests an excuse fol
defying public opinion and retaining
CALDWELL, knowing as you did thai
his retention meant the arrangement OF
the voting lists so as to elect members
of the Legislature opposed to the i'm
peachmeAt of NAT. HARRISON. Thus
yeu served NAT. HARRIsoN's purposes
by retaining CALDWELL and THATCHER
whom au Instinct of self-protectioI
impels you to publish as liars.
But when the Greenbrier registration
was completed, when it was too late t.
remedy the rascality CALDWELL * 20
had enacted, then, Governor, withou
one material fact in your possession
more than you had onAugust lst,yoa con
cluded to stop public clamor by giving
out the information that those men ha(
been removed. They say you revoked
the order. You say you did not
With the settlement of that eminently
reputable dispute we have nothing t.
do. We are ready to assume that you
statement is correct. As one star differ
eth from another il glory, we are will
ing to accord all honor to the frs
luminary of the registration armament
and ignore the lightning-bug cerusca
tions of CALDWELL and THATCHER
Taking you at your word, we see yo
sitting quietly down and allowing you
authority to be defed and spit upon b
this pair Of dirty devils. You knew
beforehand, and we can prove it, tha
these men intended to defy you if 20
attempted to remove them. And ye
you never made provision to enforce th
removal when you ordered it. They sa
Won recalled the order, but We assum
that you did not. Now as you were fort
warned of their purposes, why did yo
not take measures to thwart them
Why acquiesce by your inactivityi
Are the small secrets between th
, Governor and his registrars so gray
that he dare not risk their displeasul
and a possible disclosure He is ba
Executive and worse politician VII
places himself in the power of his ow
creatures. But so far as we know, yo
have not even yet taken steps to asset
YOUR authority and make good the al
nointment of CALLIsoN and SNEDEGAl
Now. Governor, let US suppose cas-
Suppose, if such case were possioi
that these rebellious registrars were
the Democratic persuasion, how Ion
would il be before the United Stat