Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-04-12
SLIGHTLY SARCASTIC.
Raking RiddIeberyer Over the Goals
Of Red Hot Rhetoric.
Senator Diggs, Digs Ne Great Readjustel
Under the Fifth Rib-BuII- -Dozing
at a Discount
A SPecK OF BLOOD on THE MOON.
s,,c,o, corr.,pond-ro. q, "a. p.,t,,:r

RICHMOND, Va, April 9.-The topic OF
conversation at all the hotels is the terrific
excoriation administered to Senator-elect
Riddleberger, by Mr.. Diggs, in the Senate,
yesterday. On Friday Mr.. Diggs, of
Campbell county, in the Virginia Sem
ate, offered a resolution. inquiring
into the eligibility of Mr.. Riddleberger,
who is also Commonwealth Attorney for
Shenandoah county. Mr.. Riddleberger at
once took the floor and roughly commented
upon "the ignorance of the Senator who
would introduce such resolution" Mr..
Dirns was nnahle 10 get the floor TO rariy,
but. yesterday he did 50, delivering one Of
the most scathing denunciations ever heard
in the old State House. After citing the
resolutions above referred to, he said:
81 do not wish to make any apology to
him or his party for offering the reso-
constitution. for the leader of the
caucus has time and again determined
to reverse their decision. That
would be sufficient answer for the stump.
/ desire to take higher ground. II this
resolution was born Of malignity and ignor-
ance,' how surprising must be the aggrega-
tion of that ignorance when the leader in
the other branch has offered 4 similar reso-
luton.
"The Senator from Shenandoah charges
that this resolution is bull-dOzing expert
ment. IL it were so | would make no
apology to that Senator or the party he
represents for my action. The Senator,
who has practiced more bull-dozing tactics
1, ,e 10 aI hos
no right to object TO others playing the
same game. He has consistently adopted
the policy. of threats and bull-dozing from
the beginning even unto now. When
the Senators known as the big
four asserted their independence here
that Senator threatened TO resign
sign his position on committees. When
the funderS (so Called) refused to do what
he desired. he threatened on behalf of his
party to repeal and alter the charter of
every city in this Commonwealth. and
threatened the destruction of their vested
rights. When the funderS on another oc-
Casion acted out their convictions and re-
fused to lie dominated, as chairman OF the
Finance Committee he threatened to strike
from the Appropriation bill every item OF
allowance contracted by the State govern
ment under what he styled funder rule.
the binding obligations OF those
debts, he threatened to strike out
the last dollar OF appropriation to pay them,
and humiliate the State he claims to have
in charge, unless Senator'S here would sur
render to his domination. For one serve
notice on that Senator-the champion
bulldozer OF the Senate-aye, and tell thee
to thy beard, that despite thy valor, thy
fine new fortune, and thy victor sword, the
pgmy of the mountain will never lower his
crest to the plumed knight of the valley.
"When the street walking courtezan is
admitted missionary of virtue to con-
vent OF nuns, then it is time for the Senator
who lives in daily and open violation OF
the constitution of his Commonwealth to
pirate OF constitutional law
"When the plundering Arab of the
desert, tricked out with the spoil of his bow
and spaar, is installad in Wpstmipistar
Hall to adjudicate the rights of property,
then let the Senator, who has swindled the
creditors of his native State to pension his
partisans boast himself CT his respect for
the rights OF others
when the unbelieving blasphemcr,
Robert lngersoll, entreats the grand San
hedrim OF the church militant to acknowl-
edge the power and reality of the eternal
and unoriginated God. then let the leading
spirit Ol nullluCdIlOH CAUCUS pTedCu sun
mission to the decisions of courts, and the
authority of the promulgated law
when the swarthy denizen from the
jungleS Of India hies him away to the Uni
versities OF Oxford and Cambridge to deliv.
or lectures on polite literature, then let the
Senator, who refuses to yield to points or.
der, who makes sport of the hoary head OF
his brother Senator, and who denonnces as
a criminal from his seat, surrounded by the
privileges of his position here, before the
verdict of the jury, a gentleman whose
hands were tied and whose mouth was
closed, set himself up as the shining exem-
plar Of senatorial courtesy.
"When the mother Of States and states
men beholds one of her accredited delegates
to the National capital bartering her voice
in those halls for the crumbs that fall from
the festal board, deserting his post of duty
to control the stormy council d amidnight
caucus. to save his party from the blunder-
ing leadership of an incompetent subalter
and to fasten upon his native State a hun
cry tribe of hireling skipjacks, then let the
Senatorelect from that stricken State, him.
self the hero OF two double.dsily bloodless
duels, proclaim himself the first apostle to
usher In the era Of small things and smaller
man