The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-08-16
Me.t YirgInIn Ronrbonism.

West virginia Bourbonism.
"Iqm prepared 10 say that tre hare The scors1
Constitution of any STATE in the Union"
Ex.Judge James Ferguson, of Kama
wha county, a Democrat)
This is testimony that no. man
in West Virginia can gainsay. The
author OF the declaration is the
brainiest man in the State. He
was admitted to be the biggest man in the
West Virginia Legislature when he sat
there as member. He is a great man in
tellectually. Everybody admits his great
abilities. He is a ripe and experienced
LAWYER and an ex.Judge Of the State. He
was member Of the Virginia Convention
Of 1S5O-5l. He knows what a good Consti'
tuition is when he reads it, and still more
when no sees It's practical workings. He
has carefully studied and observed the
workings OF the present Bourbon Consti
tuition Of West Virginia, and his deliberate
Judgment is that "We hare 1ie ,cora Co"stt
tuition Of any State in DE Union"
And so say the people OF West Virginia
to-day. II they could go back to 1872, tc
the time at which the Bourbons called
their convention, and, at an expense Of
untold thousands OF dollars, framed and
nut the present Constitution in force, they
would vote 1t down with such unanimity
as to make its authors objects Of ridicule
Throughout the whole country.
The Republicans gave to West Virginia
a Constitution in harmony with the prog.
ress OF the age. They modelled it after the
free and progressive Commonwealth oil
the North. They sought to put West Vir'
ginia abreast OF the times, and launch her
on a career OF progress and prosperity.
But the Bourbons-the old Virginia Bour'
hons. who,haye been the bane OF this
State ever since its settlement by white
men-being full OF Jake Jackson's hate
for every thing Northern and progressive,
determined to remand her to her old
Chinese condition, and to again erect the
old Chinese wall around her which has so
effectually shut her out from immigration
and civilization.
And so they called a Constitutional Con-
yention as soon as they could after they
cot into power, and sat in 1t for weeks and
months at an enormous expense TO the
State, and finally overthrow the modern
Constitution that the Republicans had CIV
en- the State and put US all back under the
present Chinese government.
The Bourbons OF West Virginia, like the
Bourbons Of Spain, France and Sicily,
learn nothing in war or peace. No set OF
rulers have been so often dethroned and
driven out Of the governments OF Europe
as the Bourbons, and yet to-day they are
the same incorrigible Bourbons that they
ever were. They forget nothing and learn
nothing.
And lust SO it is with West Virginia
Bourbons. They are just as incapable oil
wisely ruling State. They want to be
part Of the Solid South. This is their idea
Of Craftsmanship in this age Of the world.
In spite Of nature and our geographical
position, they want to keep US separated
from our proper relations, just as in the
war they wanted to fasten as to the tail
end OF Southern slave empire.
After two generations of misgovernment
in West Virginia, in which they have
kept the State practically unsettled, and
during which time they have driven OF
the natural increase OF our population to
other States, and covered our soil witt
poverty and ignorance, they are to-day al
thoroughly Bourbon in their spirit as ever
Jake Jackson is their true and proper
representative for chief ruler OF the STATE
for the next four years. After he hat
proclaimed to them his undying hate fol
the Republican party, and pledged htn'el
uat he uoutld carry his hate beyond he grave
: by making 1t hereditary and eternal in hi
Y family, they said to him: Some thou
1 and rule orr US"
n Next to the election OF Blackburn Al
L Governor OF Kentucky, while undel
charge of attempting to disseminate vel
low fever clothing throughout the NORTH
. during the war, comes the election OF
), Bourbon in West Virginia, who proclaim
in advance his eternal and hereditary hate
, Of the party that represents nearly quar-
ter Of million people in the State, ovel
J. whom he sspires to rule.
This is Bourbonism in West Virginia to
: day. No wonder that Judge.Ferguson
(even Democrat as he is), should say that
such men have given us the worst cOnsti
t tuition in the American Union. M