Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-06-27
wHo srRUcK BILLY rArrERsoN-

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move Ex-Governor Pierpoint from his
Revenue co~llectorship. The gentlemen
who are In this scheme had better pull
of while they can retire in good order.
There IL better business for them than
waping war on the man who put $1,000
Virginia soldiers in the field under the
flag of the Union. There is no flaw In
the administration Of his office, and
there Is no base metal in his Republic
canism.- Wheeling hteligencer, Nay
18Th.
The hue and cry that was reeehoed
over the First and Second districts
about the time of the above announce
ment, was confidently supposed to have
stampeded the conspirators who were
quietly preparing a charge of dynamite
that would lil the Ex-Governor out OF
his official boots.
A semblance of calm eontentment
followed the outburst of mingled indig-
nation and sympathy which followed
the exposure OF the heartless design not
only to deeapitate the old "war Cover
nor,n but through him to ''stab the
party aud the people"
Later on the news Of the contemplated
consolidation of the West Virginia dis
tricts again put the official tenure OF
the Ex-Governor in jeopardy. General
GoFF was called from the quiet and
coafofts of his newly furnished and
elegant residence to the national capt.
tai. The REGISTERS Washington cor
respondent telegraphed on Sunday the
following resume of the situation:
Gen, Golf left for home last night,
he having been here for two days, it is
said. in the interest of Collector Pier
point. 1t is understood to be the plan
of President Arthur where two or more
districts are consolidated to retain the
collector who has been in Office for the
BRIEFEST PERIOD OF TIME.
In view of this policy, if it is carried
out in the case Of West Virginia, 1t Is
very probable that Duval, after the
consolidation of the Second district in
that State will be relieved, and Pier
point retained, Is the collector of the
consolidated district, with headquarters
probably at Wheeling. Another rea-
son given for the belief that Pierpoint
is to be retained is that he was APP
pointed by President Garfield, and
heretofore it has not been Mr.. Arthur's
policy to disturb officials appointed by
his predecessor when it could be avoided
for the reasons given. 1t is asserted
that PierpOint will be the collector of
the West Virginia Internal Revenue
District after the scheme of consOlida-
ton is perfected.
This wa the situation on Saturday
night when Gen. GOFF left Washing
ton for home.
But our readers will recall that the
Sunday REGISTERS report from the
Internal Revenue Department, referred
to a mysterious document that had
turned up among the papers of the de-
partment relating to the West Virginia
cOllectorshtp, which p%urported to be a
letter written by eX-GOv. PIERPOGNT to
II. H.. BLAIR in lS72, wherein the ex-
Governor, with characteristic direct
ness and pungency, washed his hands
Of the Stalwart Republican programme
and pronounced unequiyOcally for
GREEDY, declaring that "a corrupt
party was never regenerated by those
within" and that those who desired to
reform it must go outside and form new
combinations to break the power of the
cOnspiritOrs.
This mysterious document, We say,
turned up in the department on Sun
day, after Gen. GoFF had left WASH
ingtOn, and after the programme for
PIERPOINT'S retention as the collector
ofthe consolidated districts had been
arranged.
Between saturday night aud Monday
when the order for the consolidation
was promulgated there seems to have
been a revision of the programme.
Doubtless the papers of'the Department
were. overloaded and the mysterious
paper from P~IERrOINT to BLAIR came
under the Presidential eye for the first
time. The residential pencil traced q
black line across the name of +. II.
PIERroINT in the original order and
wrote ISAAC H.. DUvAL above it, and
theamended order was promulgated on
Monday. Upon which our Washing
ton correspondent adds:
The rule didn't work in the case Of
West Virginia. Just how the matter
was patched up your correspondent
failed TO "catch on," but it has been
fixed, and the Ex-Governor and his
friends will no doubt raise a war-whoOp
in the camp that will paralize the
peaceful rest of the harmonious slum-
hertrs. Thele are exceptions to all
rules, but just why the exception should
be- made in the case of your State cam
not be learned. Ii Golf was here in the
interest of PierpOint, as | have every
reason to believe that he was, his efforts
have been hopelessly and fruitlessly in
vain.
Nay, verify, "the rule didn't work in
he case Of West Virginia" Somebody
or some thing worked a strange eXeep-
ton.