The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-01-13

Nc HUG use Ol any eleCllOn; the result
will depend on the will Of the canyassin,
boards and not upon that Of the voter
and elections become an idle ceremony
To me Il seems an absurdity to say tina
board or officer can rightiully AMI
legally reject votes which have beer
rightiully cast. II votes are legal, III,
canvasSing officer has nothing to do bul
compute them. There IL not parlicl,
OF difference between rejecting vote al
the pol Is and excluding II from compn
Ialion in making up the aggregate Of The
votes cast; the effect IL precisely The
zane. II 1t Is wrong TO reject legal
vote at the polls, then II can not DO right
TO exclude II from the general count
The same vote can not be both legal and
Illegal, at the same time, In the same
State, and under tho Aamo constitution
and laws. When citizen entitled d
the right Of suffrage exercise that right
by putting his vote into the ballOt.hox
ingenuity can devise no lawful means oil
getting rid OF II. This ballot may be
given at an obscure polling place il a
remote district Of Louisiana, still II
must appear and be allowed to have its
due weight in all Of the election machin.
cry, from the incipient act Of placing II
in the bRllot-box TO the final act Of dc.
claring the result by the Congress Of the
United States. This is the real point at
issue in the present controversy, but Il
has received little attention in the ex.
cited discussions that have taken place,
II intimidation has been used, the proper
thing TO do is TO punish the parties
guilty Of II, but not to deprive the voter
Of his legal right by rejecting his vote
because OF the misconduct Of others. To
oyeraWe voter and deprive him OF his
freedom Of choice is u wrong, but TO
deny him his freedom OF choice by re.
jecting his vote Is u greater and more
exAsperating wrong, because done under
the forms Of law. The one Is an open
act Of violence; tho other covert fraud.
The will Of the majority OF the people
expressed at the polls must be respected
and obeyea, and the right Of each State 10
manage its own internal affairs must not
he intringed-any departure from these
principles is well calculated 10 awaken
grave concern and anxiety among the
people. .n.
This unhappy controversy can he deCi-
ded by Congress alone, and no solution
can be had except with the consent OF
Congress; TO Congress therefore the peo-
pie look with confident expectation Of ia
amicablO and just settlement. Well e.
tablished principles and precedents, near.
y as old Us the government itself, are
landmarks for It's guidance; and it will
do well to follow them, disregarding all
bubbles and evasive subterfuges 10 march
~ conclusion according 10 the very
right Of the matter. Twill not presume
to intimate what course Of proceeding
Congress ought adopt; this is TO SOME ex-
tent left TO It's discretion; and l am UNI
willing to believe that ii will ignore fun
damental principles and old prccedents,
Tor the purpose Of declaring any citizen
to be President who has not been right
fully elected. l sincerely hope, therefore,
that Congress, with the proper apprecia.
ton Of ita dignity and responsibility, will
reach result honorable to itself, Just in
its bearings on all parties, and conducive
to the best interests Of the country. Let
this DO done, and in the future we shall
look back upon the present political agi-
taiion as IN ephemeral excitement, and
shall cite il as strong evidence Of the Wig.
or OF our institutions and their ability to
bear the severe strains by which they
were tested.
ROAD APPROPRIATIONS.
Near the close OF the last session of the
Legislature, bills making appropriations
for the repair OF certain roads and
bridges. were submitted to me for appro-
val. My opinion against the policy
which WAS the basis Of these bills was 80
decided, that l could not approve them
or permit them TO become laws, and yet
sufficient time was not given to return
them with objections to the House in
which they originated. No course was
therefore left open, except to withhold
approval and 10 tile the reasons therefor
with the Secretary of State. As this
power is liable TO abuse in defeating the
will Of the Legislature when there ia no
remedy, it should be sparingly used, and
perhaps only when an important princi.
pie is involved, or dangerous precedent
about to be established.
Under the circumstances, therefore,
deem il proper 10 call your attention to
this subject, rs one of the frat moment to
the Stale. The advantages Of good high
ways to the people can hardly be ostima-
ted, they are so marked and decided that
| need not specifythem. II 1--WE add to this
consideration the unGuestioned fact that
the roads throughout the State are in bad
condition and greatly need improvement,
the argument in the minds OF many, in
favor of such appropriations seems to
outweigh other com alterations. The very
fact OF the vast need Of good roads and
bridges, is, itself, an element to cause
us to hesitate before entering upon poll.
cy that will tend TO unlimited expendi.
lures. Hr
The example Of the old Commonwealth
OF Virginia in making improvements,
that entailed burdens that rest like an
incubus on that State, and that may in
time seriously affect US, is full OF instruc-
ton and warning. This State at an early
day surrendered to the counties all OF its
interests in roads and bridges with very
few exceptions, and thus the policy was
reached Of leaving their repair and man.
agement TO the several counties. Accept.
ing this AZ the settled policy of the State,
MANY OF tue counties have already, by
direct taxation and loans, made large ex-
penditureS in this way, while others, per-
haps from inability, have done very lit.
tie. Let the reason be, however, what it
may, it hardly seems TO be the just thing
10 call upon such counties us have con-
strucled or are now constructing their
own roads and bridges To contribute also
to aid their sister counties. Besides this
consideration, ii il well known fact,
that II taxes are raised in the locality
where they are to be disbursed, the pub.
lie expenditures are more closely watch
ed and more judiciousl y and economical
ly made. | therefore believe 1t would be
unwise 10 reverse the system under
which we have been living since the or
ganizatiOn OF tho Stale. Il may be said
that inasmuch N the Constitution pro.
hibits the creation OF debt for public im.
provements, there ia less danger than
formerly in such appropriations, While
this is true, yet on the other hand such