The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-09-24
The Imperial order.

the State, Governor STEVENSON has
found out some rather unpalatable !
truths The people Of the State don't
look upon him with reverence and awe,
don't greet him with triumphal process
sions, don't grow very hoarse in shout
ing his praises. Radicalism is not very
jubilant in West Virginia, and feels
some premonitory symptoms OF ap-
preaching defeat The Governor has
found that his own calling and election
are by no means sure, and that some
hing must be done. q
He has accordingly issued his lmpe-
rial Ukase to his faithful henchmen, the
registrars, and, in effect, orders them to
strike from the list of voters a 5ufli-
cient number of Democrats TO leave the
State still bound under Radical rule.
His circular of instructions we publish
in another. column OF this mornings
paper, Accompanying this circular
the Governor sends to the Boards Of
Registration a copy Of Judge BONDS
decision in the MeILwEE case, and the
telegram of the Attorney General order
ing General Corr to dismiss all prose
cutions under the third section OF the
act to enforce the right OF citizens Of
the United States to vote in the several
States OF this Union, where the offence
is not the distinction forbidden in the
second section" Also another "opin
ion" from our distinguished friend, the
Attorney General Of West Virginia, in
structing the officers OF election 10 re-
ceive the vote of negro, whether reg
istered or not while they are in no case
to receive white mans vote unless
his name appears upon the register.
We say this circular il an effect an or
der 10 the Boards 0; Registration TO
strike from the list whom5oevcr they
will, The particularly with which
the Governor tells the Board that they
must be satisfied Of the quail ifications OF
the voter, and the stress he lays upon
the fact that the oath Of the appli-
cant for registration is not 10 be re-
garded; that whatever the voter may
swear and whatever proof may be sworn
to hy other witnesses in his behalf, or
whatever testimony he may produce, is
not to be regarded BY the Board; affords
evidence that the Governor wished to
cav in plain terms the words, Strike
of 1ohoD.sotesr and rs n,any as yo,t irish;
for this Is the plain meaning and obyi-
Gus intent This intention on the part
of the Governor has been fore
Swallowed in his speeches during this
campaign. He said at Wellshurg that,
for every Republican whose name was
Improperly upon the register of voters,
there were nine Democrats also that
he would say to the Democrats who
were bowling about abuses of the regis
tration law that they would howl louder
still before this campaign was closed
In the light Of these facts, we are JUST.
fled in the belief that Governor STEVEN
son deliberately intends to defeat the
will OF the qualified voters of the State
and by the systematic and wholesale
disfranchisement Of legally qualified,
citizens, force himself upon
u suffering and indignant people during
another Gubernatorial term
But we believe that in the present in
stance, it will be found that the Cover
nor has reckoned without his host
Weary Of this continued prescription,
ashamed of the corruptions and rascal |
ties of the little men in high places in |
West Virginia, disguised with the pref
erence bestowed upon ignorant negroes |
over educated white men, there are
hundreds of citizens heretofore acting
with. the Radical party who will, this !
fall, support the Democratic ticket. But
this is not all Notwithstanding Judge .
BoNDs opinion, Notwithstanding the |
Attorney Generals telegram, the white |
voter who is illegally stricken from the |
list has remedy which will be enforced .
BY the District Court. The Board of !
that strikes from the list ,
any legally qualified voter will be made .
10 suffer therefor, notwithstanding all of I
Governor STEwNsoy's instructions, and .
ali the circulars he can issue be-
tween this time and the day OF election |
md the officers Of election who refuse
% receive and count the vote Of the
egally qualified voter whose right 10
,ote, the Board of Registration has de-
lied, will also be answerable in dam
ICES for the injury they infiict.
This is no idle bravado. We speak
~ the card, and we mean just what
We Gay. The Boards Of Registration
Who strike off the names of legally
qualified voters, will certainly be prose
uted and punished under the act of
congress 10 enforce the right of citizens
# the United States TO vote. They
nay AZ well understand this now.
Hon. J.J. Davis Appointments.