The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-01-20
Governor Message.

AoiO Sh VIZ SSDAS'
Adjourned.
Governor Message.
Gentlemen of the Senate and Of the Hous
Of Delegates:
In proceeding to comply with tha
provision of the Constitution which re
quires the Governor to "commuDicat,
to the Legislature at each session there
of the condition of the State, and re
comtnend to their consideration suct
measures as he may deem expedient,'
am happy to be able to say that the laws
are now being executed in every portion
of the State, and that there is more o.
peace and harmony within its borders
than at any previous period since its or
ganization. AS was anticipated, how
ever, by the good and true men of the
State, the eradication of the spirit Of
insubordination engendered by the late
rebellion has proven to be work oi
time; and during the past Summer and
Fall it manifested itself in few coHn
ties-as ii had before to wider extent
in open opposition to the execution Of
the laws and i'll demonstrations of in
timidation and violence toward the Off
Ieers.
1t was made manifest to me that the
officers in Cabell and some of the Other
counties in the southern portion of the
State could not perform the duties i'm
posed upon them without other aid and
protection than such as could be given
by the civil authorities, and, as was my
duty, / applied for and obtained small
military force for this purpose, and
theuceforward the laws have been exc
cuted.
On Tuesday, the 9th of October, l was
informed by written communication re-
ceived from the Board of Registration
of Marion county and by the represent
ations of other citizens of the county in
person, that on the preceding day the
Board had attempted to hold the regu-
lar session prescribed by law for the
purpose of disposing of the cases of such
persons, claiming to be voters, as might
come before them; that they were met
at the Court House by large number OF
men, who were much excited, and a
majority of whom were armed; that
several persons claiming to be a com
mittee representing this rlotous assem-
blage, laid down certain rules for the
government of the Board in the busi-
ness before them and demanded that
they adopt the same, and stated that If
this was done the committee would see
that the Board were not disturbed, but
if tho rules thus prescribed were not
adopted the Board would be left subject
to the violence of the mob. Under
these circumstances, and against their
convictions as to the legality as well as
the propriety of the demands thus made,
the Board unwillingly assented to the
terms proposed, and proceeded to try
and decide one of the cases before them;
the decision was not satisfactory, how
ever, and was Immediately followed by
the hootings and jeers of the crowd and
by such threats and demonstrations OF
violence toward the Board that they
could proceed no further and were COM
PEELED to adjourn until the next day.
The rioters then held meeting IN front
of the Court House, when intiammatory
speeches were made and resolution
adOpted TO return the next day. On
Tuesday the numbers as we'll as the vlO-
lence of the assemblage increased, and
the Board were not allowed to trans
act any business on that day. The
same thing occurred again on Wednes-
day. Meantime, | was in correspond
ence with the Board and other citizens,
and on Wednesday evening Adjutant
General Duval, by my direction, went
to Fairmont to investigate the matter
restore order if possible-and report
the facts and his action to me. He re-
NAMED there on Thursday, was able to
accomplish nothing with the mob, re-
turned and made his report. This re-
port shows that the number of the riot
Grs had increased to not less than three
hundred and fifty, tnat many of them
were armed, and further corroborated
the previous information that their
threats and violence were such that
the Beard could not proceed in the per-
formance of their duties without pro-
lection other than that afforded by the
civil authorities; and the Adjutant Gen
eral recommended that troops be sent
there for that purpose. With these
facts before me, showing open defiance
of the laws and lawful authority of the
State, and total disregard of the peace
and good order of the community,
should have been dereliot indeed in du-
ty had l failed to provide such means
as would compel respect and obedience
to the laws and extend protection to its
officers. | therefore went to Washing
ton, applied for, and obtained compa-
ny of u. s. troops, who remained at
Fairmont until after the Presidential
Elanfinn Wha, fnryl haf l.
itary protection would be furnished the
mob at once dispersed and the laws
were executed without further oppo-
sitiOn. | submit herewith three sever
al communications received from the
Board of Registration as this affair pro
greSsed and the report of Adjutant Gen
eral Duval above mentioned.
While this company of troops were
stationed at Fairmont, Lieutenant Hal.
loran, the officer in command, reported
TO me that several boxes of United
states guns had be n brought into Ma
ron county on private account and
that he had captured one box and found
IL TO contain twenty-three guns, with
Day onets, accoutrements and ammuni
t,ou' MS communications in regard tC
the matter will be found herewith. II
IS dlhcu!t to divine for what purpose
these arms are imported into our State
at TINS tlme. If Intended for ordinary
sporting purposes why the the bayonet:
and accoutrements used only in war
Yet there are certainly no copsiderabl,
number of people in our midst VIII,
would now be guilty of the madnes
and folly of armed resistance to the con
stltuted authorities. Imake no recon
mendation on the subject but presen
the facts as having transpired in tn
State within the year.
All these local demonstrations in op
position to the rightful authority, an,
tending to the disturbance of the peac