The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-09-30

of preventing a registration, and will
either disorganize the Board again OF
disfranchise the legal voters, as may
seem best to defeat the will of the peo-
pie. When the Executive, upon frivo.
lous pretexts, thus retains q set of scoun-
drels in power, In opposition to the
whole weight of public opinion and in
defiance of every consideration of duty,
there is no reason left for the hope that
he will attempt reform in such cases
as that mentioned by the Democrat.
Doubtless the Governor comforts him
self with the reflection that the people
do not detect this juggling and double
dealing. And, indeed, he would have
reason for congratulation if he could
persuade the masses who want reform
that he is reformer, and yet give full
scope and force to prescription. But
the public cannot thus be deceived.
Three facts are well understood that
there is a vast amount Of corruption In
the Boards of registration that the
Governor has full power to WORK
reformation, and that no reformation Is
being worked. The Executive may as
well understand that an inevitable and
uncomplimentary conclusion is rapidly
being reached by the people, the masses
of his own party included.
Another state of facts the Governor
would do we'll to consider. There Is no
ground for believing that the FOREMAN
game can be repeated successfully. The
whole drift of public opinien is in favsr
of removing all disabilities. Let his
Excellency note the resistless force
with which liberalizing ideas are tax
ing possession of the public mind. Let
him observe how prescription has been
crushed in Virginia, annihilated IN
Tennessee, and how it is even now a
stench Ia the nostrils of West Virginia.
Let him learn that his proscriptive ad-
visers no longer represent the senti-
ments of his own party. If he will but
observe how the arrogant and defiant
tone of that party has entirely disap-
peared, how prescription has ceased to
be defended, how apologies and explain
ations have succeeded bitter denuncia-
ton, and how the Republican leaders of
West Virginia are no longer devisins
means to give rigid enforcement to the
proscriptive policy, but are casting
about for some plan to get rid of II
without absolute ruin, he may be able
to form some estimate of the fate which
is reserved for his present policy. He
may gather few useful facts right
here in Ohio county. His Re-
publican friends are about to attempt
the election of three candidates to the
next Legislature. They start the cam
paign on what they call a liberal or "let
up" platform. But his course has al
ready hung a milestone about their
necks. His proscriptive acts are con-
tinually contradicting their liberal pro-
fessions. They are responsible for his
Administration, and so odious has that
become that we serious
" doubt whether three respectable Re-
publicans can be found to meet that re-
sponsibility and undertake that hope
less candidacy which would await them
If the Republicans in Ohio county are
W orse beaten at this election than ever
before, it will be solely for the reason
that their Governor perseveres in the
outrages which they confess ought long
since to have been abandoned. The re-
suit will be the alienation from him of
the men who have always furnished the
Republican party with it's best material
and most substantial support.
As in Ohio county, so throughout the
entire State. The Governor cannot
carry the people with him; as result
he will find himself chained to the dead
body of prescription, when the progress
siye masses shall have left the decaying
fortunes ef the played-out politician
far in their rear. 1t is simply senseless
to suppose that wholesale disfranchise-
ment can be successfully continued, for
no policy can be enforced which is not
backed by public opinion.