New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-10-21
VEST VIRGINIA POLITICS.

ANOTHER ELECTION ON OCTOBER M-PRESI-
DENTAL PRosPECTs-THE STATE CERTAIN
FOR GREELEY.
tFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OP THR TRIBUNE
WHEELING West Va, Oct. 10.-Some con-
fusion has arisen concerning the proper time Tor sue
election Of Representatives In Congress from TINS oac
Under the existing OF the Legislature members Vi
Congress have heretofore been chosen at the o VI 'no
general election the fourth Thursday In oo'oOor "
fixing different day for the election OF State officers
this year, the schedule to the new COL sutuuoh "ho
euumeratine the officers 10 chosen made no mention
OF Representatives in Congress 1t was contended ny
some that as members OF Congress were required py ia"
10 be chosen at general election they snouu DO
voted for In August at the time OF the election OF tne
state of1oers Tho weight Of the best legal opinion
in tho State was In favor OF the election OF
Congressman in October. 1t being held that the
now Constitution aud schedule did not change the law
relation TO these representatives but left them 10 DO
elected on the day provided by act OF the LEGISLATURE
II was feared however, that some aspiring individual
might procure the casting Of few hundred ballots for
himself at the election In August and, having thus
color of title would present himself In Washington at
the opening of next Congress and claim the seat
The good people of West Virginia felt unwilling 10 run
the risk Of q wrong decision on such claim Accord
ngly candidates nominated In the ist ana llld
Districts and it was agreed that, as precautionary
measure they should be voted for In August tnougn IL
was protested by the Democrats especially that an cleo
ton for Congress that time would not be VALID nor OF
itself cntte the successful candidate to the seat In
the lid District nominations were made and IN Iact
there was such lack of unanmity in relation 10 the
matter that In many the counties in both the LIST and
ND Districts the names the candidates for Congress
were omitted the tickets. and the whole thing re-
suited In general confusion.
TIE AUGUST CONGRESS ELECTIONS
In the District the Hon. John Davis the present
Representative would have been renominated by the
Democrats but for his opposition to the new Consntu
ton OF the and his stubborn hostility to MI greeley
for President. He is Of the straightest OF the
Straightos and has much to say about Jefersonian
Democracy of the unbOught stripe" Mr. Davis having
placed himself In attitude Of hostility to the policy OF
the Democratic party In the nation and STATE MS reno
nation was rendered impossible, and Benjamin Wlsoh'
| esq.,, prominent lawyer Of Daviss own county, was
selected as candidate in his stead At the election In
August Mr. Davis who independent candidate,
| and was supported by the Republicans, received
majority of about 400 In the lid Congress Distrct'
as has been said no formal nominations we're made' D.
| Marshall Hagans, esq. Of monongalia county was
voted for by the Republicans OF two counties, monoh
gala and Preston without opposition and 1t is sad In
tends to claim tho seat In the lid District baOts
were cast for the Hon Frank Hereford, the present
member on one side and on the other for j. Brisbin
| walker of Kanawha. Mr.. Hereford received large
majority of the votes.
| ANOTHER ELECTION TO DE- HELD OCT. a.
| Preparations are being made and can is
ON the fourth Thursday in October Mr. Wilson Is stl
the Democratic candidate In the Wheeling District, but
IL ia not known whether Mr. Davis will again or rest
his claims TO the seat upon the cast in August In
eeeiTed The regular Democratic nomination, and is
opposed by three four independent candidates anon
Hon. George II. Latham, and Col. Ward H. Lanon: IL
not yef e1eiye the Sod RepTbcan vote IN the
lid District, Mr.. Hereford will be again supported oy
the Democrats, but the Grant men have crowded Mr.
Walker of the track and propose to support In his stead
John swan, esq. an ex-Confederate soldier, % whose
na %b6ss e bpo6er Tom swan himself an exConfed
crate, is on the Grant electoral ucket III TINS saPe
of the election Of Democratic candidates in each Of the
three GSIg Te be p6 ehSds and Is likely that the
next Congress Committee on Elections % naV S 1f 70
report upon contested seats belonging 70 the lSt anu u
Districts of West Virginia.
THE PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST.
There is as yet but little stir in West Virginia In an
ticpation of the Presidential election. The Greeley
men are confident of their ability TO carry the State and
the Grant men seem cOnoede that 1t is scarcely worth
while for them make any effort to avert their inev
table defeat Several days ago, notice was published
I'm Of the Grant newspapers In the state an
nOuncing that a Convention OF "Jefersonan Demo
Gratis was to be held at Carksburg the 5th OF Oc
tOber for the purpose OF nominating an Eectora GKet
to support OConOr and Adams. The call for the Con-
yention was signed by the Hon. John j. Davis,
OF whom mention has been made above, and
Of the late Republican United States Senator Of that
name Mr. Wiley is comparatively young man, law
fe personal nGehce He is one Of Mr. Dayis pervers
The aght-out" fOolshness does not seem TO meet
with much encouragement from the Democrats The
chief strength Of the party II II may DC 60 syeq Is
among Mr. Dayiss friends ana neigaDors an harTison
sented" West Virginia in Banton Duncan's menagerlo
at II there are any r1S M sye NOT
yet made themselves known, Notwithstanding the nat
terry and Establishments bestowed upon them by the
managers OF the Grant party.
ERRONEOUS IDEAS ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA POLITICS.
Political mathematiclans very frequently make an
error IN estimating the relative strength Of the two great
parties in West Virginia The Democratic majority for
Governor in 1870 was less than 5000. The majority In
1871 for the call of Constitutional Convention was
nearly the same and the majority for the ratification Of
the Constitution this year in the neghborhoOd
From these figures the conclusion has been reached that
the voters are almost equally divided that In other
words West Virginia is politically close" But that
not the fact. When the Democrats first carried
the State in 1870 large body Of white voters,
probably 1900 were disfranehised These were
soon after restored TO their political privileges by the
repeal the proscrpve legislation, but at no election
that has held has there been square contest
The true strength OF parties has been shown
since the acknowledgements OF the exRebes The Demo
claim aud the Republicans generally y, O eq9ceq i
vote were polled and the issue clearly denned Ing
total number Of voters IN the state Is aoOa oOVO vi
THE WORD WHITE" IN THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
Speaking Of negroes suggests the controversy over the
exclusion Of "the word white from the COnsttu-
ton about which vast deal Of ignorant and unneces
sary fuss was by the Administration through
out the country The old Constitution conferred upon
any citizen entitled to vote the right to hold Office After
Fifteenth Amendment had given negroes the Priy
1L Eo oSGed y though there
never has been, and probably never WIN pe, a negro
elected TO Office In this State The Constitution con-
tains substantially the same provision upon TINS su1ect
old but while was under discussion In the Con
yentOn one Of the members instgateu, as Is gener-
ally believed by the Hon. John J. Davis, moved the
insertion Of the word white, 80 as 10 exclude from eng
| vote" &c A long and able debate ensued, and 1.-THE
proposed amendment was rejected But 9st DeIOre tne