Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-07-04
PERTINENT QUERIES.
A Few Reflections ON the Congressional
Stu" ticn

Sit" icn.
To he Efi HrRcyiS.e.
Gen Goif will not ,probably, but he
will certainly be, the hepubhcan candidate
for Congress in this District There is not
Democratic aspirsnt but believes he can
beat Gof 1t was DIN lsS2.-Register
WHEELING, July 3.-We agree with the
the REGisrER The question suggests itself
SIS pertinent, What are the Democrats go
ing to do about itg'
Any calculation, based on reasonable
data, will show that in the First District
parties are.so equally balanced as to allow
of no mistakes or useless risks on the part
of either Democtats or Republicans.
Either nominee, to have any chance for
an election, must be one to command the
entire vote Of his party. Any disaffection,
however narrowly circumscribed, any per-
sonal unpopularity on the part Of the nom.
inee, however local in its character, may
prove fatal TO success.
The prestige of Gen. Goa S victory two
years ago should at this time cause our
Democratic friends TO be doubly vigiiant
and unusually cautious.
Several DemQcratic aspirants are already
III the h6|d 1hefopen announcement -
candidates. Tor fccngressicnai honors makes
them to limited extent public property.
And however unpleasant it may be to criti.
cize party friends, it is due to the future
success of the party, in view Of the status in
the First District to discuss frankly, fairly
and openly the antecedents the popular
strength or weakness Of these several as
pirants. We cannot afford 70 make blum
ders or take risks. Nor will it do to wait
until after the couyening Of the nominating
convention.
Diselaiming any and all personal feelings
or preiudices in the premises, but viewing
the situation from q purely Democratic
standpoint, think il due to the Democracy
Of the district that public attention should
be called to certain alleged facts connected
with the candidacy Of one of the gentlemen
already in the field, giving him the oppor'
! .rnity 10 deny and disprove the same on the
one hand, or, in the event Of his failure or
inability so to do, warning the party against
tie policy of nominating him on the other
] refer to
Ex-,Iudge John Brannon. OF Lewis Couny'
|. Its charged that, during the long
struggle which the Democrats of this State
had 10 obtain their civil and political rights
the DAYS Of Registration and iron-clac
"a tbs, Judge John Brannon was conspicu-
ous only through his Silence-that during
the dark days of that heroic conflict he
stood aloof, wrapped in the originality OF
his own solitude doing nothing, in any
way, shape, form or fashion to discnthrall
his brother Democrats from the chains that
bound them.
Is this true or is it G vile political SLAM
der?
The answer, not equivocal, but open,
frank and above board, is with him and
his friends.
II. tits charged that in 1882 Ex-Judge
John Brannen bolted the regular Democrat.
ic ticket, in his own county of Lewis and
worked openly for W. X. Wilson a Radical,
and against Andy Edmiston the regular
nominee of the Democratic party for the
House Of Delegates.
Is this so2 And ifso, can the Democrats
of the First district elect bolter as their
standard bearer2 II not SO. let him and his
friends deny the vile slander.
III. 1t is charged that his action in the
celebrated case (ejcctment) called the U. f..
Wood case, which involved the homes OF
100 families representing, say, 400 votes,
of Braxton county, was such as to lose the
support, for all time to come, Of the Demo
Gratis of Braxton.
And in support Of this charge il is alleged
that prior TO 1878 some Wall street specula-
tors of New York became the ostensible pur-
chasers OF tract Of 10000 acres of land,
claimed to be situated in Braxton county,
the deed showing on its face the considera-
ton to be "one dollar in hand paid That
suit was instituted in the federal court BY
0. L. Woods and others against John Ar
mentrout and one hundred and more OF
Braxton citizens for the recovery Of this
land. That on the trial Of this cjectment
case exJudge Brsnnon, under circumstan-
ccs well known to and often discussed by
the parties concerned. appeared rs one OF
the counsel Of the Wall street spectators
That his appearance in this attitude was
source Of surprise and disappointment to
bis old friends and ncighbors, who, for and
because Of certain representations made to
hem, thought they had reason to believe
hat he would appear for the defense. That,
II his speech before the Court on the occa-
sion Of the trial, he went out OF his way to
denounce these citizens o! Brnxton as
.squatters.
Are these facts or SANDERS? And here.
LET me say, that, if am correctly informed,
these Braxton hand owners do not complain
Of Mr Branuon 50 much for appearing
against them as the circumstances under
which he appeared.
For Justice.
And now, in justice to all parties, let me
repeat that this communication il written
in no uniricndly spirit. For some time
past these charges have been whispered
about in Democratic circles, whore and
when Mr.. Brannon hsd no chance TO deny
and disprove them. As they do nos, in any
sense, affect his personal oc private abarac-
ter, but merely bear upon his availb sility as
the Democratic candidate for Congress, I
have thought it right ss., just 70 give bis
friends an opportunity to deny and disprove
the same.
II they turn out to BE- wholly false and
unfounded. then in thai event Mr Brannon
and his friends ought to be thankful for this
publication. On the other haud If the
charges cannot be denied and dispoyed.
then ard in that event the Democrats will
know that Judge BraBnon, despite his fine
intellectual ability, pleasing so:ial qualities
and personal integrity is not the man 10
fest Goff IN the First District
Az Isot.fgyR