The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-10-02
Mathews and Gon.

lie DeIuOCTab VI hebt NHbLHlA
could have given to the people Of this
State, had they chosen to do so, man OF
Union antecedents as their candidate for
Governor. But instead Of doing so they
took up man who has no claims what
ever upon the favor Of the people OF the
State-a man who for four years at
tempted to overthrow the Government Of
the United States, and who at the same
time did all in his power to destroy the
State OF West Virginia, and who after the
war, was unwilling to have the county in
which he lived remain part Of the State,
and was prominent in movement to de-
tach two counties Of the State from her
territory and take them back into the old
State.
On the other hand, the Republicans
have nominated man who is the direct
antipode Of the Democratic nominee.
While the latter was doing all in his
power 10 destroy the Government of the
United States, and the State OF West Viz
ginia, the former was doing all in his
power, as a soldier in the army Of the
Union, to save the nation and save the
State; and despite the long and desperate
attempts Of Mathews to blot outtheUnited
States from the list Of nations, and to de-
stroy the existence OF the State OF West
Virginia, both were saved to US by such
men as General GOT.
Now, ii the government OF the United
States was worth saving, and il it was n
great boon to receive from the United
States the State Of West Virginia, TO
whom do our people owe thanks and
gratitude2 Ia it to bitter rebcl-to q
woulG-be des,royer--to malcontent at-
ter the. war-to man who was 30 alien
in his sympathies towards us that il he
could he would have divided our terri.
tory after the war in order not to be a
citizen in our midst? Is this the man
10 rule over us a. our Chief Magistrate
10 become the commander-in-chiet OF the
armed forces OF this State, and to say how
far he will stand BY the government OF
the United States in case OF an outbreak
in the "Solid South" We saw what it
was to have men OF his sentiments in
power as Governors in the days Of 1861.
None OF us can ever forget the inSolent
responses to the appeals Of the govern.
ment by the Governors OF Virginia,
Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri in
1861. All OF them were devo,eeI of the
South, as is Henry NJ. Mathews.
We want no such man in power in
this State during the next four years
four years that are to determine the ulti-
mate relation OF the South to this govern
ment We want a man in whose breast
there does not lurk sense OF coerced
loyalty to the flag OF the country, but one
who, in case OF need, will lend all the
power aud prestige OF the State to az.
sert the national supremacy over every at
tempt at new rebellion, such as occurred
in New Orleans only two years ago.
There is cloud in the Southern hori.
ION. As yet it is no bigger than mans
hand, but it is ready to overspread the
whole Southern heavens in the shape OF
the "solid South" Now is the time to
dissipate this cloud. 1t can not be dissi'
pated by putting such men as Mathews
into power. That is the way to increase
the cloud-to cover the whole Southern
heavens with blackness and darkness.
The true policy to be pursued to-day
by every man who loves the American
Union-who wants to see the flag OF his
country "still full high advanced"-who
wants to see every vcstigc Of the spirit OF
secession eTtirpated from the Iand-who
wants to see every rebel claim for indeni'
nifty stamped out Of cxistence-who wants
10 see Hamburg and Coushatta masacreS
made odious instead Of respectable in the
South-is to defeat all such men as Hem
ry NJ. Mathews for positions in which
they can do us harm.
When we elevate man like Gen. GofE
10 the Chief Magistracy Of the State we
know where the State will stand in case
of demand upon her from the Govern.
ment. We know that no Louisiana at.
tempts at coup d'etat, such as the one
attempted in that State two years ago
at the time Phil. Sheridan went down
and found sedition 80 rampant-will re.
ceive any aid or countenance from Gen.
Goff as the Commauder.in.Chief ot West
Virginia. On the contrary, he will be
found side by side with the National
Government, like the var Governors
who saved the country in 1851
ready to again draw his sword, il
need be, in vindication Of the supremacy
Of the United States. We know that no
treasonnble organization in our midst,
sucA az "sons Of Liberty" or "Knights
Of the Golden Circle" will ever receive
any countenance from him, but that he
will deal with them as Gov. Morton dealt
with them in his ever memorable struggle
with those organizations in Indiana.
With such man as Gen. Gof In the
Gubernatorial chair Of West Virginia we
are safe. With such man as Henry NJ.
Mathsws in il we have no such assurance
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