The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-01-13
acknowledgement;
MESSAGE
GOVERNOR John J. JACOB
@5 Z 70 rus ts.sg35l
Legislature of West Virginia.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
WHEELING, January 10, 1877

WHEELING, January 10, 1877. J
Gentlemen Of he Senate and cfMs Houas Of
Delegates: ....
TWAS my earnest desire to he able, in
my last general message, TO speak OF re.
turning prosperity, aud Of the final settle
ment OF irritating questions that have 10
long agitAted the country. But the pres
ent condition Of affairs will not justify me
in doing SO. Financial depression still
continues; labor seeks employment with.
out finding it, and remuneratiyc invest.
ments do not offer themselves to capita.
lists. A merCiful Providence has been
pleased 10 grant us abundant crops, yet
this abundance has failed to produce that
volume OF business which has heretofore
resulted from the same cause. No EVIL
dence Of decided improvement in fnan-
cial matters is yet apparent. l will
not attempt TO trace out all OF the causes
oil this state o. affairs, as you, doubtless,
are familiar with the salient points OF
the various theories presented to the
public. One influential cause eau GER
family be found in the political situation
Of the COuntry-a situation that inspires
doubt and uncertainty about The fa,nre
In sncb nm eYterf ns IN rcr.iv,a a,,as
prise among the people. icannot, there
fore, faithfully discharge my present con-
'titutional duty without referring to it.
The canvass that preceded the late
mated "s, the nrsaI boJy " 10 'oa 81
in snir,t of ohaJ;srce +, ,Lo nro,, rvSp
will ~ r,a;or;t,, inoL"J tpn,"I ~ ,f,"
election ma = concins;"" Of no,;,; La" " a a.e
c,temcn, win liz Jo,.r,nid a,;na - -"
cent the result Shs,svsr II s%nnIJ % La
Tnfor,unstaiy ho"nvor !, ,Ion%, g luz NC. NC.
iETSwS oSsr ;bis ,a,,,I, ni H." az" "a, D.em
witns.,c, to.Jav w an%.u u n"J I'M, os,;,ai
c,nis.t -. IN ~. ,.r.n S ,In'.n ~ =.
presiJsNt nj the IynitsJ State p,,D;a ~
lam CrrLoaroroo ,nJ e., "'iL..a,s' ~
wpli.soiiIoJ nrinc;nJs. nra ,,ana,,a",,
men,. in Tho solmi;nn 81 IL. n,,a,,; ~
marty .mccsss ia "i I;,,ls ws;nb, ,SLon g.
rreaior ;N,erssis an NJ ~, Is "''''"'''
The mncer,o;n,y sLon, % w., ro.r,, ot
thi, elcci;on and Tho ,nri.tv oi ,h, na y.
ple naturally flowing tSer:fr"m hovo
arisen from recent ex,rnordinaTy Wroe
Feelings in certain Southern states. The
4 governments in those States are ths leyi,.
innate olFsprinv nj the so.called rccon.
struction policy-a policy potent for evil
only. scparatinp and dividing voters into
two classes-wEite and colored, exusper.
ating the one class by oppression and
mi-rule, and arousing and stimulating
the fears Of the other 10 morbid degree.
II the people of these States had been left
to themselves, and permitted to manage
their own affairs unnolcsted, these evils
would quickly have disappeared through
the silent but powerful agency OF the
Oallot.box. The Federal Government
has, however, constantly aud actively in.
lerfered in its affairs, and It's influence
and power have been exerted to sustain
in office persons who had not been fairly
elected. Under these circumstances all
efforts at reform have been defeated by
methods and practices unknown in other
States. Elections are held in these States
under the surveillance OF United States
deputy marshals, and United States
troop: are stationed at the polls; the re.
turns Of elections are counted under the
protection OF United States soldiers, and
men are indicted into office. and Lepis.
latures organized unler tbe shadow nf
the Federal bavonet. a cornoraI of tho
army examines the credentials of mem.
mrs of LeRisIatnre and either admits
or excliIdestlem according 10 the orjers
of hi. snperiors. The Sunreme Court of .
State makes a distastetuI order, and a
iuJ"s If tho un;,cJ STATE. Gircni, C"rrt
i. conyenientIy Mt hand To annul IL
everywhere the nower of the central INV.
ernment ia fell. military rnIe in The I'm.
of peace ia lie supreme law: Federal
Iorce leayes no room for STATE anihority
and The laws are silent / do not Atom 10
comment on these nncons,itntion,i nro,
ceedinp. further than IN saw. that he
governments Of States in which these
ihinrs are dom, must Of necessity be
mers creature. al iLaexecuiiye branch of
The general government. Mi If tbr vitnli.
" or force which they NOSES. are de.
rived from il. w;thout liz S,,sI,in;ny vii
they would iall 10 njec,.4 from Inherent
weakness. thew syist nnIv he The SmiTar.
ance Of Tie general goyeInmsnt ami can.
moi. in Tie nature If Ih;nss have ,S",
independence OF action wbfch Of ri~bt
belongs 10 all OF the States Of the Union,
Elections held under such auspices as
these must be wanting in that moral
force which attaches TO them elsewhere.
especially il they result in accordance
with the wishes Of those who call to their
assistance these Unconstitutional meth.
Ods.
In some Of these States, however, the
popular vote was cast contrary to the
wishes OF the party in power, and he.
turning Boards, whose duty il was to
count up the vote and ascertain the re.
suit Of the election, resor,ed TO the very
dangerous plan of excluding from the
computation Of votes sufficient number
to reverse the popuIar verdict This