The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1876-04-06
From the West Virginia Couricr.l
A Reply 10 the Mountain Herald.

| have Just read u two-column and
II half editorial in the Mountain Her.
aid of the 23rd inst, in which Messrs.
Mathews and Eastman are COM
pared as prospective candidates for
Governor. The fortunate opportuni-
ty for the demolition of Hon. P. C..
Eastman and the glorification of the
Hon. II. NJ. Mathews, was afforded
by a small paragraph in the Hunt
inglon Adrcrti&f. Thelcader smacks
of more interested hand than that
of the editors; the aim was from n
high source, though pointed low, we
learn from this most interesting eff
fusion, that though Mr.. Eastman has
many little qualities, such as intrGri
~ ability and culture, and being far
mcr, is not a political trickster,'
that these are nothing but negative
qualities, but little thought Of now-a-
days, and not worth while mention
ing. 1t is with some relief that We
turn from Mr.. Eastman who has moth
ing but negative qualities, to Mr..
Mathews who has positive qualities.
The case might be stated thus: Mr..
Mathews is a lawyer, being Il lawyer,
is II positive quality, the Governor
ought to be lawyer, and, therefore,
Mr.. Mathews ought TO be the Govern
or. Mr.. Eastman is Il farmer, this is
a negative quality, there is propric-
ty, if not necessity, for the nomin-
alton of a lawyer for the Governor
ship, therefore, Mr. Eastman should
not be nominated.
The next positive quality of Mr..
Mathews, is that he is a fine public
speaker, and this positive quality
ought, should and would be exercised
at every court house and every cross
roads in the State by Mr.. Mathews.
We have heard that he is u fine spca-
ker, and we have read about it in the
newspapers, and during the heated
canvass of 1872, when Mr., NJ. was Il
candidate for Attorney-Geneal. We
passed some crossroads, and were at
some few court houses, but we did
not hear Mr.. Mathews speak. We
did hear of his getting as far down in
the 3rd Congressional District as
Charleston, as far in other parts Of
the State us Parkcrsburg and Wheel
ing, but the last time we passed the
Crossroads" and county court hous-
cs," the people had read about him,
but had never seen or heard him.
The Hcrald hears that Mr.. Eastman
is no orator, therefore, understands
that he cannot and will not take the
stump, if nominated OF course,
you see, it takes positive quality,
an orator to get down to the Gross
roads" and "court houses" Now hav-
ing some little acquaintance with
Mr.. Eastman, we undertake to say
that he is no orator, but if nominal
ed, he can and will come quite as
near being at every Crossroads and
court house" as Mr.. Mathews and
will express upon the stump his po-
litical ideas as, forcibly as may be
by one who is not an "oratof." The
assertion by the Herald thatthc solid
vote of the Third District will be cast
in the Convention for Mr.. Mathews
forces us to believe that there has
been u willrul attempt at perversion
of facts and probabilities.
We desire to make this further re-
mark, the questions not us to the oX-
pedicncy Of clecting a farmer to the
Office of Governor, but it simply is,
whether the people will be allowed
the choice of doing so.
Give us such q nomination and the
people will show how they appreci-
ate farmers. The danger is that the
Convention will be capturedby those
who do not possess that negative
quality Of not being political tricks
fore 7 ~ 'l. ,.,rlu tl.Ia .pl.rr fl,Fr