The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-10-25
THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION.

THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION.
The vote in this county yesterday for
member of Congress was. as was to be
expected at special election, a very
light one in comparison with the full
vote of the county. Not more than
ope.tenth of the full vote was polled
because, in the first place, there was no
contest between the political parties
there being no Republican candidate IN
the field; and because, in the second
place, there was nothing else to be
voted upon than the single position OF
Representative in Congress. The num-
Der OF those who were well convinced
that the fourth Thursday in October
was the only legal day for the election
of members of Congress in this State
was by no means measured by the
number of votes cast yesterday
in the several counties Of the First
district in favor of Colonel BEN WILSON,
but if any candidate had dared to ap-
near as a contestant for the place he
would have been beaten by a majority
equal to, if not greater than, the total
vote received by Colonel WILSON on
yesterday.
The only thing needed to bring out a
full Democratic vote in this city yester-
day was the announcement that any
Radical in the District was being voted
for by his partisans. 1t was felt that
Colonel WILSON would, at any rate, re-
ceive the bulk Of the votes cast, and busy
men accordingly failed to 60 to the polls
and deposit their ballots. This is the
only explanation that will account fof
the meagreness Of the uote.
That yesterday, being the fourth
Thursday in October, was the proper
and legal day for the election Is not
doubted by those who have examined
the law. 1t will now devolye upon the
Governor to issue certificates to those
who have been legally chosen and, 10
case of any contest, let Congress itself
decide.
At present writing, we have no re-
turns from any other district than the
first; but from what we know Of the
nature of the conflict and the circum-
stances of the case in each Of the sew
eral districts in this State, we have no
doubt tina. the representation of West
Virginia Ia the next Congress may be
safely and accurately stated as follows:
First District, BENJAMIN WILSON Sec
ond District, B. F. MARTIN; Third Dis
trict, FRANK HEREFORD; all Democrats.
In the Second District it is probable
that a tolerably full vote has been
polled. the Republicans having three or
four candidates in the field. MARTIN
is, however, elected, because even if the
whole Radical vote were concentrated
upon one candidate (Which was not the
case) he would still have majority of
the voters in his favor. The same is
true Of the Third District, where Hon
FRANK HEREFORD had almost no OPP
position, the little diversion created by
Mr.. JOHN SWAMI, Republican candi-
date and OCoNoR elector, being too in
significant for counting in the returns
or for serious comment.
Whether or not the seats Of the men,
bers of Congress chosen in this State
yesterday are contested before the House
OF Representatives, there will be room
for no doubt that these gentlemen prop
erly represent the sentiment of their
constituents, the people of West Vir-
ginia, even though much less than the
usual vote should have been cast for
their election.