The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-07-19
The Congressional Contest over the
River,


The Congressional Contest Over the
River.
Tho contest for the Republican Con-
gressional nomination in the district across
the river grows more interesting. The
Belmont county delegates, thirty.one in
number, ore solid for DANFoRD. Accord
ing to the figuring of the steubenville
NenS, the contest will be between DAN
FORD and BINGHAM, and the votes Of
Noble county, notyet heard from, areex.
pected to decide. We must confess, US an
outsider, that our sympathies are with
DANFoRD. II the geographical argument
IS ever worth anything, it is good for Bel.
mont county now. Belmont gives much
the largest Republican vote Of any coun.
ty in the district. She has been electing
BINGHAM now for some sixteen years; and
her own citizens, Of whom there have
always been o number as capable and
deserving as he, have time after time
yielded TO his demands for reelection. In
1866 Mr.. BINGuAM's friends pledged him
not to be candidate again il the Con-
vention would give him just one moro
term, and Col. PooRMAN who was the
candidate Of the Belmont delegation, with.
drew on the strength Of these assurances
In 1868, as We have been informed by q
gentleman who heard him, Mr.. BINGHAM,
make the same kind of pledge in
speech to the Convention. We are in
formed he did the same thing again in
1870. Now it is not strange the people
of the district, and especially those who
have some aspirations themselves, should
be getting little tired of these repeated
and broken promises. 1t is not doubted
that Dir. BINGHAM is prepared to repeat
his pledge at Bellaire, il the Convention
will give him just one term more
Inspite Of his disregard Of his pledges;
Mr.. BINGHAM has made good Congress.
man and has won distinction. Latterly
though, it is apparent he has been losing
the high position he had reached two or
three years ago. The country has wearl-
ed somewhat OF his ornate and stereo.
typed rhetoric, and his colleagues Of his
querulous, irritable temper; and an i'm
preston has obtained, not only by his
course at Washington but by his persis-
tent seeking Of the place and the equivo-
cal means he employs each recurring two
years to perpetuate himself in it, that he
is thoroughly selfish, and cares nothing
for the success Of the organization that
has so long kept him in Congress as COM
pared with his own, or for the promotion
ofyounger men in the district who with
equal capacity unite greater personal de-
serving than he can show.
Mr.. BrNaHAM's persistency in forcing
himself on the district as a candidate has
more than once imperilled Republican
success. Now the district is quite largely
Republican but the same course may en-.
danger itagain. We believe i! is the Bel,
mont Chronicle that thinks at least five
hundred Republicans in Belmont would
vote against the nominee if it should be
BINGHAM. With a similar state of feeling
in the other counties, and Liberal like
Poorman, say, on the other side, it is easy
to see that the district might be lost.
We shall be glad to see the Bellaire
Convention nominate Capt. DANFoRD.
he is gentleman Of genuine ability and
qualifications. He would reflect credit on
the district; and rs brave soldier and
faithful Republican who has spent years
in the ranks, he deserves the honor. And
we shall not be sorry to sec Mr.. BINGHAM
rebuked for his persistent efforts to keep
himself perpetually in Congress in disre.
gard of the pledges upon which he has
been repeatedly nominated, and for his
utter disregard of the claims Of others to
whom he owes SO much for his position
past and present,