Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-14
A RADICAL ROORBACK CAUGHT
AND SCALPED.

The efforts OF the * publican press
throughout the country, and uniortun-
atcly in this State also, to prejudice our
standing and deter immigration by false
and iuilammatory accounts, gotten up
for purely party purposes, relative TO
the burning Of the property OF one VIM.
F. TAYLOR in Grcenbner county, have
been heretofore referred TO.
We refer To them again simply to re-
affirm by accumulated evidence that
the extravagant and ridiculous iabrica-
tons that have been circulating in the
press, originated i'm 4 deliberate and
dastardly purpose Of Republican schem-
ers to make political capital for their
party at the expense OF the State. 1t is
in every respect akin to the stories OF
blood and arson IN the South, which
make up the campaign thunder OF the
Republican party.
TAYLOR, who is represented asaweak-
minded, erratic character, has been
made tool in their hands for the per-
petratiou of the SANDER. lie was first
induced To write a letter or series of let
tiers 10 the AttOrncy-General, DEvENs,
at Washington, preierring most serious
charges against citizens OF West Nir-
ginia, as the ground for Federal inter
ference, and asking the Government to
protect him with a military force.
TAYLoRs communications, or parts OF
them, were then furnished to Repub-
lican papers for publication and were
elaborated and written up to suit the
case. They were also shown to indiyid-
uals, and the groundwork laid for gem
uine Republican sensation.
The fact that communications OF such
a character had been sent to the Attor-
ney General, coming to the attention OF
Gov. MATHEWS, he wrote to Gen.
DEvENs, the Attorney-General, for 4
copy Of TAYLoR's communication that
he might know exactly what the
charges were and have them invcsti-
gated. The Governor has furnished us,
at our request, with copy Of this cor
respondence, which is as follows:
STATE or WEST VIRGINIA, !
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
WHEELING, October 3, 1879.
Hon. Charles DrnS, ItOney-GDer0L
Washington, d. e.:
SuR-I have have been informed that
VIM. +. Taylor, who has for some time
resided i'm Greenbrier county, has al
dressed you a communication IN which
lac prefers grave charges against certain
citizens Of that county. will be great
liz Obliged il YOU will furnish me copy
ui this communication, in order that |
NAV know accurately what these charges
are and have them fully investigated.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
HENRY NJ. MATHEWS.
The reply to the foregoing letter is as
follows:
WASHINGTON, October :, 1879.
Hon. H. W. Muiiheys, GOro1,Or, Wheeling,
". Ia.
SIR:-I have your note OF the 5rd INST.
| DO not feel authorized, without MIR.
Taylor's authority, To send YOU copies
of his communication. | have re-
guested of him such authority, or, in
case hr should not feel willing To 10 so,
that he would state in I letter directed
10 yourself his subjects OF complaint
Very respectfully,
CHAs. DEvGNs,
.itOruSy- General.
Now it is known that the letter of
TAYLOR was not a private or contiden-
tial communication to the Attorney Gen
cral, but was addressed to CuAs. DEvENs
"a Attorney General OF the United
States, and was, moreover, published in
substance by the partisan press through
ont the country, Nevertheless, Mr..
DEyExS, doubtless for party purposes
also. declines To- give the charges to the
Governor Of West Virginia, that they
may be properly investigated.
We have iclt that this matter is so
thin and harriaccd tina; it Is hardly en-
titled to the space we are giving it, yet
it might rs well have its burial now AMI
be done with it. The citizens OF Green
brier county have naturally been much
iprenspl nj the ppryprSiOnS of fact cir
culated in connection with it, and prom
inent men OF the Republican party
have taken it upon themselves to deny
the Islander, and put the matter in the
right light. We give the following ex-
tracts from two or three letters that have
been published by prominent Repubh-
cans of Greenbrier.
Ex-Judge J. VI. McWHoRTER, who is
known throughout the State as pro-
nounced Republican, writes TO the Gin