Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-12-16
The Election OF U. S. senat ors.
ARTICLE ".
sad Facts. Tricks OF the TrickstcrS.
By j. NJ. MASON.

The following facts are universally admitted:
l,;. That never before in the history Of our
country was there greater need for capable
AMI Trustworthy men IN the Senate Of the u
nitcd States The people Of West Virginia
understand that it VIII require enlightened aud
unsclfsh sAtesmauShip 10 restore the Union 20
prosperity. anl are united in the demand that
the Legislature shall elect two educated mcn
Of personal weight and influence, who will BE-
able 70 stand aal b & ;ht in the front rank OF
Senators.
2nl. It is conceded, on all hands, that we
have in our State men eminen,ly worthy Of
this place OF power.
3td It is confessed. als1, that shallnw-patcd
6uaves and grossly ignorant mouey-bags have
made themselves prominent fJr tujs most res
ponsib,c position men who have no more
business IN the Senate, at a time like this
when Liberty is trembling than a child in a
powder magazine with llgh,cl match in his
clutch.
These facts are none the less true because
sal, and none the less real because designing
men exercise the most persistent ingenuity o.
conceal them from the people Indeed, the
Sallest feature Of the situation il. that many
we'll informed citizens whose judgment car
ricS weight and whose eye is single to the
welfare OF the country, attach 10 these facts m
undue importance; men, whose opinions are
not lightly formed. believe that certain poiti-
cal trick,ters, who dypenl-not upon their fit
ness aud capacity, but-upon their money and
their Scheming, have 50 deblsel and corrupted
politics that they will be able to control the
Legislature AMI by their ncfarionS maclina-
tjons exclude from the public service the .rue
talent aud merit 81 the State. But these mel
anchOly f)rebJdu1S are not without founda-
ton. Men Of noble aspirations, whose ambi-
ton 1t has bCc1.-uot to creep into an cleva-
ted office bat rather, to qualify themselves for
the most responsible public trust, will not
thrust forward and n IKE a personal canvass
for this high honor, and hence it is not unlike
~ that all Of our best material Will be elniina-
ted a0d driven iut1 the background by the dis
gushing importantly Of sclf-cors;itutcd candi-
dates who are destitute Of every qualification
and Of every element If fitness.
We will, then, witness 1t Wheeling. not
calm CONF arson Of the respective merits Of
our most able Statesmen, NJ. an Intelligent in
quiry, by the Legislature, as to which Of cur
distinguished citizens, because Of peculiar tai
cnts will be able to render the N st eli .ient
service, but we viii have the shocking spccfa-
Gle Of a Scruj-ya~e between imbccils and knayes
and in thi, i.namia1us struggle the man who
can StAop the lowest and who will spend the
most Of his money, that is TO say, the two least
worthy, will be elected to thlt council which
our ancestors Intended c1uvocation Of the
wjSCs; and best men in the Uuion.
In view of these facts it becomes us TO in
Quire by VIII foul practices DO these unwor-
Thy men become conspicuous for this high "
fee; how does it come to pass. the representa-
tiyes of an intelligent people will vote f1r a.
Their an igunramus or kuave? This problem
Ike an artfce Of ingsler, is easily solved
when the Stra1gem Is explained:
FIRST. When a political trckster is tick led
with a prureut itching for national uotorivty
which he mistakes f3r ambition, be aSpircs To
the Senate; through st5ol-pi.eons he mauipu-
lateS county conventions AMI effects the nomi-
nation Of corrupt croSS.roal politicians pledged
10 advance 10 support him in the legislature
Second Ncnal ltors IF so-called " Lead
ing Democratic journals are subsidized not
only 70 conceal his uni,nc,S from the people,
6ut even TO represent him as q man Of excel
lent capacity. Hence, we sometimes fad in
ttlisent citizens, who have been deceived and
mi>Iel by their party papers, advocating for
the Senate a man too ignorant to teach a Free
School
Third. BY the time the legislature con-
veneS, the aSpir5ut has infused into tie public
mind an ilea tia, he is strongly supported aud
viii be successful; he auEmea,s his following I.
by promising bis patronage u every seeker az
ter place while the threat Of his displeasure
keeps silent nearly every man who looks to
promotion in the future: lie thus recruits the /
ycual and the vicious
Fourth We generally Gol these ,ricksters
working 10 couples, a. inbccil aLl kcaye