The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-03-08
A Matter OF Consistency.

The Point Pleasant Register, after
indulging some criticism of the INTEL.
L1GENCER for it's advocacy of the suf-
frage amendment, says:
We confess we are surprised to see
the INTELLIGEECER take sucn polu
stand in regard TO this amendment
Heretofore it has remained neutral on
nearly every important question that
has aSitated the public mind. Part1c-
ularIV SO, was it IN the recent Senator
iaI contest in this State. Then 1t re.
fused to support any one of the numer-
Gus candidates for that position, until
it found out day or two before the
election that Governor Boreman was
the strongest man; then it came out
strongly in favor of him. And we can't
for the life of us see what influence was
brought to bear upon the editors of that
paper to make them take such an in
dependent course on this question.
We should not feel called upon to
take any notice OF this but for the fact
that the Register is reputed to be the
mouthpiece of Mr.. Polsley, who has
just retired from Congress-who, it may
be added, voted against the Amendment
when it first came before the House,
and who found it convenient to be at
home when the vote was taken on the
final conference report whereby the
Amendment was adopted. Knowing
this, we have no: been surprised at the
Registers opposition TO this measured
though we do not see that it has any oc~
casion TO impugn our motives in advo-
eating it or to make untruthful and Of
fensiVe statements about our course on
other questions. Now, if the Register
please, we are not aware that the INTEL
LIGENCER "has remained neutral on
nearly every important question that
has agltated the public mind" and
shall beg leave to doubt it unless the
indictment is more specific. AS to the
Senatorial election, it is true that we
declined to devote our editorial columns
to the interests of any ofthe gentlemen
who were considered candidates, though
we freely gave them our others; but it
is not true that we came out strongly
for Governor Foreman day or two
before his election. The only thing in
our columns that could be tortured into
such a meaning was this, referring TO
Governor Boreman's nomination by
the R9puOlcan caucus:
The election will take place Tuesday
next, at which time the election of
Gov. Foreman is matter of course, 1t
being already virtually ACCOMPLISHED
Having received the unanimous vote
of the Republicans in caucus, Governor
Brennan will doubtless receive every
one of the sixty-One Republican votes
when it comes to the ballots next Tues
Consolidating how EhaFnlV the
elections of Senators Van Wrinkle and
WILEY were contested and that he will
he the ii rst candidate for that position
TO receive the unanimous support OF his
party, Governor BOreman may we'll be
battered over yesterdays result.
This is mere naked statement of
fact. Having secured the caucus nOmi-
nation; the Governors election was as
sure as any human event could be;
and it was matter of course that he
would receive the full party vote be-
cause the caucus bound it. We consid-
cred the achievement of that nomina-
ton political coup dc grace over which
any man might we'll feel hattered, and
we think so still. II that is coming out
strongly in favor of n man, we have no
more to say OH that point.
Now as the course of the INTELLI-
GEHCEK in regard to the election OF
Senator seems to have troubled some
gentlemen good deal, and it having
been charged 10 our accOut by some of
Gov. Boreman's admirers in the recent
contest for Public Printer, we will say
for the satisfaction of all parties that
we did not regard that election, and do
not now, as ian important question
that agitated the public mind" because
it involved no principle or party issue
whatever. The Republicans having 61
votes out of IS, it was not possible that
anybody but Republican could be
chosen. The contest was therefore
purely personal one between our
friends. We did not, and do not admit
that all the manly virtues, all the capa-
city, all the devotion to Republican
principles, all the long and valuable
party service or trustworthiness for the |
future, was confined to any single one |
of them. We did not, and do not re-
gard the claims of any one of themso
Overpowering as TO exclude all the |
others from the privilege of candidacy. |
ne eueCG OI tue CAUCUS WAS u 10 luis. |
The caucus compels the minority to
vote for a man they do not prefer or be
denounced as unfaithful TO pnrty. This
party slavery can be endured when it
is necessary to secure party triumph,
but where there is no such necessity |
it is simply abOminable and ought
not TO be tolerated. In the pre-
sent case nobody pretends there was
any such necessity. The election of
Gov. Foreman was, therefore, not es-
pecially triumph for the Republicans
because they were bound to succeed
anyhow-but it was a personal triumph
for himself over his Republican COM
pelitors. The INTELLlGENCER not be-
ing the creature or mouthpiece of any
man, we did not feel called upon to
throw up our caps and sing the praises
of any one of tho aspirants for the SEN
ate; because much as we respected |
thep all, we respected ourselves quite
as much.
Regarding the anxiety of the Register
toknow "what influence WAS brought |
to bear " upon the editors of this paper |
to induce US to advocate the Amend |
ment, we can do nothing to relieve our
friend except to say that so far as intlu-
ence was brought to bear at all, it was
all on the other side; but we trust he
may live long enough to learn that the