The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-05-30
(From the Washington Republican. May AZ
WEST VIRGINIA AFFAIRS.
Political History of the State.

IhOTity.. Double Elections =. Gov
Jacobs POsItICn..The StnIuS of Thu
Republican Party.
The condition Of political affairs II
West Virginia is attracting no less ailen-
ton in the public mind than that OF Lou
islana. Strife and blOodshed only have
given 10 the latter greater prominence
Inc people arc cooler among the noun
tains and hills of West Virginia, and there
h no Gaelic blood in their veins 10 incite
10 tumult To the proper understandings
OF the present political situation in WCsl
Virginia Il Is best, perhaps, TO stale briefly
a historical fact or TWO In regard 10 the
birth Of the new State.
While the people Of the State OF Viz
ginia, from the seaboard to the Obiorvcr,
were OF the same blood and lineage and
felt upon most subjects common sympa.
thy and State pride, yet o feeling oil
jealousy had long existed between the
two sections separated by the Blue Ridge
on account oil the difference in the system
OF labor and representation based upon
the property in slaves, Unjust and par:
tial legislation was the too,OlLen result Of
this pTeponderance Of which thcpeople oil
WESTERN VIRGINIA FREQUENTLY COM
PLANNED,
but had no remedy. When the question
of accession arose, and the convention
met at Richmond 10 decide the destiny
Of the State, the members from Western
Virginia Withdrew from that body. The
people Of Western Virginia, oil all polite
III parties, were almost unanimously OPP
posed 10 the ordinance Of secession, and
saw in 1t only disaster and calamity. But
the State Of Virginia went out OF the
Union, carrying with 1t every part and
section. The fortunes Of war, however,
left nearly all Of the territory OF Western
Virginia comparatively unframed by its
shock. lis limits were scarcely invested,
and its people, for the greater part, re-
NAMED true to the Union. Cute by the
almost impossible barrier OF the noun
taius they had little share or part in the
actual Vicissitudes of the war, and no
participation in the affairs Of the State,
In this condition Of things, when the
Army Of the Potomac occupied the banks
Of the RappahGnnock, convention, com.
posed OF both political parties OF the
State, left out Of the inVesture, met at the
city OF Wheeling, and re.cstabllshcd the
government OF Virginia, with the capital
at Wheeling, and Francis Plerpont as
Governor. This arrangement was not
altogether satisfactory for abundant rea'
sons, go, in 1868, the State OF West Nir.
GINA was organized, the articles Of sGpa-
ration being ratified by Congress, and the
new State government formally inaugu.
rated The caustic wit Of Governor
Henry A. Wise termed this separation
1.-THE dCiormcd bastard OF d political
rape;" but in the wealth, the resources
and rapid progress OF the new State the
sarcasm was without sting.
Governor PigrpOint removed With his
government OF the State OF Virginia ia
Alexandra, which was occupied Tor n
time as the capital.
HON. A. J, FOREMAN WAS INSTALLED
as the first Governor ofthe State Of West
Virginia, which position he filed with
credit to bis patriotism and ability, ind
with satisfaction to the people. So much
was this tic case that at the expiration OF
his term Us Governor he was elected 10
the United States Senate, Of which he 10
still q member. At this time the parties
in the State had lost sight Of old issues,
aud were divided now upon questions OI
the war, md we're known as SeCcssionistS
aud Uni0nists. The Republican party
had then no tOOthOld in the State. The
Union party carried the first election by
an overwhelming majority, and Suhse-
qucntly from its ranks the present Repub'
lican party OF the State was created. As
the nsperitles caused by the war died
away, and new questions of State and
Federal policy arose, the opposing fac
tons changed front, and the Democratic
and Republican parties assumed their
present positions. The Legislature mod.
flied the heretofore
STRINGENT ELECTION LAWS,
and more liberalily was extended TO the
citizen, Of whatever creed. The whole
population was cnirnnchisGd. The cleo
lions which followed this action Of the
Legislature were carried by the Demo-
crals, and John J. jacob, Of ROmney,
Hampshire county, was elected the Dem
Ocratic Governor. The administration OF
Governor Jacob was considered salisiGC-
tory. lie was not q partisan In its aC-
cepted sense, but Aman Of conservative
views, a good lawyer and a blameless cit.
iZen. But as elsewhere In the body pol
ilic, dissensions had arisen in the
Democratic camp, jealousies had been
eDgendcrGd, and party leaders who had
sought to influence the action OF Govern
or Jacob were dissatisfied that he was
not plant in their hands. A constitution
al convention was called by their leader,
OStensibly to modify the laws and correct
abuses that HAD Crept in iEom the
old system, but in reality 10 shorten the
tenure and abolish the offices created by
the last administration, and still held by
men Of Republican views In the exccu'
ton Of these ideas the party hNd no sym
patty or CountenAncG from Governor
Jacob, who was impressed with the be-
lici that he was the Governor Of the
whole State, and acting Tor the interests
and good of the whole people. So, at the
expiration Of his term, Notwithstanding
the TACT that he had lifted
THE PARTY FROM THE DEPTHS
of its Generalization; and led it by the
force orhis personal popularity 10 victory.
il WAS determined that he should be sac
riiiced. Accordingly the party held its
nominating convention, und J. n. Cam
den was selected to bear the standard Of
the Democracy in the ensuing gubernA.
torial contest. Mr.. Camden was pros.
porous merchant who had hitherto taken
no part in, and had exhibited no aptitude
tor, politics, and his election was thought
to be more due to the weight Of his purse
than the CalibrC Of his brains. Conserva.
tive Democrats and Liberal Republicans
united upon Governor Jacob. lie was
nominated as the opposition candidate,
md c.cleCtCd by q handsome vote But