The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-08-03

could offer anything in the way Of par
,icullrs that would help the committee.
At least they did not AJAX him for any aug.
gestiOus.
Nj. Mcarssor also furnished very
striking difference between a mans thso.
ries and bis practice. Having charged
this. the use Of machinery was the cause
Of The lack OF employment for men, aud
that In consequence the maintenance OF
families deyolved upon women and chill
dren rather than men, the committee
asked him II he was willing to make oath
as to the truth Of his statement. He de-
clined on the ground that be (Mcdregor)
did not believe in what was called the
ever living and true God. Upon being
asked how he could expect the Govern
ment to force others to testify under oath
as to how they conducted, their business,
when he himself refused TO make oath,
Mr.. McGregor sought the shades Of re-
tirement, and the committee are left
without his valuable suggestions on that
point ~
A representative Of the Granite Cut.
ters next rendered his views on the sub
ject and stated his belief that the depres-
sion in his trade rose from the contract
system and machinery. He then alleged
that be, (the Witness had been discharged
from the Government work at Albany
for yenulating his views, and, further,
that men were left at work who were not
skilled workmen aud were paid as much
as skilled labor. The 6rst section Of this
allegation Is very likely true, as taking
bis own statement, there is little doubt that
the witness was more willing in the use Of
his tongue than his hands, and that bis
employers found him inclined TO
be more ornamental than useful. AS
10 the latter clause Of bis statement,
Mr.. Hewitt, Chairman Of the CON-
mitIee, directed the witness to embOdy
bis statements in an affidavit and be
Hewitt would forward tito Secretary
Thompson and have the matter inyesti.
gated. There Is no record. that the witness
adopted the suggestion.
Such ia the panning out Of the first
days work OF the committee. There Is
nothing like a court Of justice or COM
mittee Of Congressman to take the con.
ceit out Of a man and reduce the aggre-
gate oil his self supposed knowledge 10 its
minimum. 1t is there that man finds
that loose and exaggerated statements
won't pass muster.
The sum Of the above statements ahow
that the committee had before them one
man who imagined himself equal to the
question under consideration, lost in a
moment as It were, in the darkness Of his
own ignorance; another plethoric with
plans and specifications for the erection
Of fabric OF prosperity unknown for
years, has the wind taken out Of his sails
at the mere mention Of an affidavit, and
convicts himself as an unbeliever in any
thing that gives q man character and
standing as a witness in the courts Of the
country. A third makes charges Of NAL
ieasance against government officers,
which, 40 far as the record shows, he
failed TO verify by affidavit. Yet such
men in large measure furnish the in
aumatory statements which stir up the
evil passions Of ignorance and prejudice;
such men have The assurance 10 un-
dsrtake the representation Of the intelli.
gent misses OF American workiugmen
before a committee OF American Con-
gressmen. They are Of the class
who form the body Of election strikers for
men who aspire to hold or obtain office
by charging that the Government
is controlled for the benefit Of the
rich and the oppression ofthe poor.
OF such we're the men who made way
for the ascendency Of Robspiere, Danton
and Msrat, the horrld triumvirate Of the
French revolution. whose bloody history