The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-12-02
THE CASE OF ELIZA pINKsrON,

As We suspected, the remarks Of Gov
PALMER before the Louisiana Returning
Board when the case of the negro VIC.
man ELIZA PlNKsToN was dramatically
paraded by that body for the purpose o!
Airing the Northern heart" were grossly
perverted by some of the correspondents
of tho Northern Radical papers. We
clip from the New York Herald HAYES
orgsn) the following as to
GOV. PALMER's VIEWS.
Governor Palmer, upon being inter-
viewed, said that he Is thoroughly satis-
fled that while the PInkston murder was
II great outrage. yet it had no political
| eud, aim or motive. His remarks yes
terdsy were in denunciation of the crime
itself and because ne thought the Board
ought to allow the fullest investigation,
instead OF confining the defence to only
two witnesses, as proposed. He had told
the Republicans he would be willing to
stay here SIX months and investigate it
with one of their number. which propo-
sition they declined. He ia now clearly
satisfied that the affair was worked
up and presented parely for
sensational and dramatic effect. But
the woman had plainly over
acted her part, as the developments of to-
day plainly proves. He is perfectly sat-
isfed that the white men charged in her
affidavit had nothing to do with the muir
der. So far rs that charge goes ne re-
CARDS het story as pure fiction, 1t was
gross cruelty on the part of Wells to re-
fuse to probe the affair to the bottom, and
deserves the severest censure. Being an
old anti-slavery man he (Palmer) had
come here determined TO examine into
any case of outrage that might be pre-
sented very thoroughly and lmpartialy,
This was one in which the man was not
politician, nor had any political con-
nection been demonstrated. While here
he had noticed disposition on the part
of the Republican politicians TO utilize
negroes in this manner. He told Gov.
Kellogg this msrning that, the State
government being Republican, it ought
TO be in sympathy with the colored peo-
pie. but it was not. They appeared to
use them mainly, ifnot only, Tor partisan
purposes.
GovERNoK BIGLER'S STATEMENT.
Governor Bighler, who was present at
the above interview remarked that from
information he had received to-day from
the North, Gov. Palmer's remarks made at
the Board yesterday had been entirely per-
verted and were not made in tho sense
implied. He agreed with him in de.
nouncing the crime, but can find in II
no political significance or connection.
The affair was evidently personal in its
nature. He had learned something
| bv coming here. He had discovered
disposition upon the part o!
the colored people to iraternize with the
whites; the two classes are seemingly
drawn together through the influence OF
| had government and their mutual neces
sites. HIS rooms have been at times
crowded with coIored people, who ali told
him they wanted relief from the presen,
condition of affairs, He thought the
| Pinks.on case had been carefully worked
up, but it was overdUne. From the evl.
dence already adduced he could not
credit the charge one instant
VIEWS OF Mr., SMITH, of WISCONSIN,.
Mr.. Smith, of Wisconsin, joined In ex.
pressing his assent in the same views
and thought dreadful condition Oi
affairs had arrived when the result OF a
Presidential election WAS to depend upon
such a story as that told yesterday. He
mad not noticed ony excitement o! feel
ing manifested at its recital before the
Board, except by the people who knew
all sbont it beforehand They manifest.
ed some surprise and horror, especially
Judge Kelley, who had spent two OF
three hours at the woman's beside
the night before. If the charges
had any truth. why did they restrict in
vestigatson to only two witnesses in the
defence? He had also had converse
tion with Kellogg this afternoon, in
which he told him that he now found
that the negroes were used only as capi-
tai for Their epubllcan party.
Mr.. JULIAN's OPINION.
Mr.. Julian laughed at the attempt
made ut dramatic effect with the case
be believes the woman to be halt.witted
and does not place the lesst confidence in
her story, particularly after the supple
mentary outrage introduced this morn
ing. -
On the subject the Herald editorially
makes the following torcible and peril
nent remarks:
Governor Palmer, of Illinois, was
right when he said, before the Returning
Board in New Orleans, on Tuesday, that
the story of Eliza Pinkston concerning
the murder of her husband and the
brutal bsrbarity with which she herself
was treated, must be investigated. In
fact. we go further, and ask why was 1t
not before Investigated? What have the
local authorities of Louisiana been about
that such piece of brutality, committed
on the 4th of November, has attracted no
attention; has caused no efforts OF the
officers of justice to investigate it and to
arrest the perpetrators, and only now,
twenty-four days after its commission, Is
made public, and then, not by the officers
| of Justice, not before court, but Ior po-
Iticsl effect. before the Returning Board
Louisiana has Republican Governor
with powers, under the State consiltu-
,ion, as great and comprehensive as
those of the third Napoleon IN France
Almost every county in Louisiana mas
Republican sheriff and district attorney,
and where one of these officers fails OF
his duty Governor Kellogg has authority
to remove him and put another man IN
his place. The Governor has power to
appoint and pay special local police IN
every county at his own will. and IN a:
great number as he sees 1T; he has
authority to send brigade of metropo-
Titan police into any county at his own
will, and has steam boat at his command
to move them. 1t is his sworn duty t
maintain the peace OF the State, and ne
Governor of any State has, under ITS con
stitutiou and laws, such great, and, II
fact unlimited powers. Why, then, the
public will reasonably ask, has this sav'
age stroci,y, for which even lndisn:
would blush, been concealed so long