The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-08-13
To the 4Citixsus OF. tne Tenth senator
rtai District. 'nf
NEAR BURLINGTON,
MINERAL COUNTY, W. VA, I

Sdress o. the Executive Committee OF tne
Z democratic party Of thisState, oil which
I am a member
| To iust,ce TO Gov. Jacob as we'll as
myself, desire through the columns o.
the Democratic papers OF this District
to state how far l am committed to
that paper and the extent to which l
ipdorse what is therein contained.
A rough draft Of that address was
read to me by a member OF the COM
mittee, wbereupon l suggested the pro-
priety OF pursuing line OF argument
and expressive Of my views, differing
very materially from portions OF the
address, as then read to me.
I had considerable conversation with
the gentlemen alluded to, upon the SUB
iect OF the Governors being an independ-
ept candidate, in which / endeavored 10
make my position. fully, urd erstood'
stating at the same time, that In the
event that the address (when published
did not fully accord with my views
upon this subject should issue an ad-
dress to the citizens OF my Senatorial
District, giving them at least TO under
and the position which l occupy 10
the contest betws cen johnson n. Cam"
den, the nominee OF the Democratic par
~. and Gov jacob, the independent
candidate for Governor AS my sug-
sestions have not been made any part
Of that address, now ask OF the DEM
ocratic papers OF this District this favor
Not intending to assail Gov Jacobs
private character, and desiring 10 repu
date as Tar a. | am concerned, any
thing in that address { il ouch there he)
which NAV be construed as mpugning
his motives or casting single retlrc-
ton upon him as a gentleman, Tor l
have vet to learn that his having be-
come a candidate, under any circum-
,tances whatever, gives me or any one
else the privilege Of attacking his
private character with IMMUNITY. Yet
10 the ca uacity o. a public man, it De-
comes my privilege as it Is that O.
every other citizen OF the State, to crltI-
else mis- public acts; and this l shall do
freely and frankly, but at the same
time, | earnestly hope in that spirit OF
kindness which I can only assure both
him and you l entertain toward him,
to an extent not exc-lled by that OF any
gentleman of his acquaintance, tor we
we're long associated in the capacity o.
counsel and client, and | have yet to
fiud him anything but a gentleman.
In the first place, / submit TO you,
lellow.citizens OF West Virginia
whether Gov. Jacob did not make a
great mistake, in submitting the
question az to what position be should
occupy before the public, to his private
and personal friends.
Conventions-which are but the or
CARNATIONS through the action OF which
the efforts OF the members OF the party
are concentrated in favor OF certain po-
litical sentiments-are called Tor the
purpose OF determining not only who
snail become candidates, but also the
particular offices for which they shall
be nominated,
The candidates are to be sustained in
the election by their political friends,
and they alone should be responsible for
their nomination.
II these conventions are 10 have no in
fiuence upon the action Of each indlvid-
ual member Of the party, in whose in-
rerest they are called. far better to
abolish them entirely.
Entertaining these views, / fail to see
that it could have bren regarded by any
one as q reflection upon the Admins
tratou OF Coy. Jacob, had he received
instead Of the nomination for Governor,
the nomination for . much higher and
more responsible position, to wit: A
seat upon the Bench OF the Court Of
Appeals from the State at large, for
which he had privately expressed q per-
sonal preference. ~ -. =. '...
| was a delegate to tie Convention,
aud went there fully Determined 10
support him Tor either. My own per
sonal preference had been from the first
that Gov Jacob should occupy a seat
upon the Bench of the Supreme ,Cour,
OF the State.
After declining, however, to be put in
nomination for Governor, it was under
stood that many OF the delegates who
we're not among his intimate personal
friends, favored and proposed his nom
ination for the Court oil Appeals. This
proposition, in which his public po-
ltical friends were. Interested, and
which think should have been sub
mitred TO them and acted on in the Con
ventlon, was puswiSsiy as I coRceics, sub
united to the decision Of seven Of bis
intimate personal friends, a majority Of
whom declined the proposition, and a
portion OF them now unite in his sup
port a. an independent candidate ior
Governor.
II the object of these gentlemen had
been to distract and divide the Demo
cratic party, thereby creating a new
party, with which the Radical element
| in West Virginia could unite. they
could not have pursued course better
calculated to bring ABOUT that result
and il that is to he the effect OF it,
should be glad to know what it's prlnci
pies are and what are TO be the issue:
between the Two before l unite myseI
with it.
| The programme OF the Radicals who
will unite upon Gov Jacob almost 10 6
mani is, down with the Constitution
and then notwithstanding the election
of Gov. Jacob. will be void and of nc
effect, they will hold an election undo
the present Constitution this fall, il
which their success will be certain.
need scarcely ask the INTEL gent citi
gems of this District what would be III,
effect upon the prosperity OF WIS
; Virginia were this programme to sue
coed.