The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-03-08


tended to reach the more opulenl
agriculturist, or farmer, the raiser, OF
graizer and breeder of stock; che
owner of'coal mines, salt wells and
oil wells, and the large manufactures
who,fn most instanccs,a are the Nabobs
Of the land.
We are led to make these remarks
because in most instances, that We
have seen those favorjng these in.
| creased exemptions, belong to one ol
the other Of these classes OF Nabobs
Let us instance, +. H.. Perpoint and
Sir Charles Geemes.
Would it not be rather funny il il
should turn out that these gentlemen
are only coveting Governor jackson q
place, and TO this end hope to pro
mote their own interests by securing
the Granger influence in the State;
But We have been depressing from
the course Of remarks we had marked
out to ourselves at the beginning,
and come back to the Act OF 1881,
alluded to and ask, here is an Act, in
open conflict with the plain require
ments Of the Constitution, in SO far as
it attempts to exempt property not
exempted, or allowed to be exempted
by the Constitution. Which must give
way, the Constitution to the Act, or
the Act to the Constitution?
Every tolerably well informed mind
NIL la -
the supreme law of the State, and
therefore the Act, in so fur as it is in
conflict with the Constitution, must
give way to it. Not only so, but the
Act, In SO far as it is in conflict with
the Constitution, is void and Of no
force or effect. M
The Governor, in order TO see that
the laws, (including the Constitution
as the higher law were faithfully
executed had necessarily, to
construe both the Act and Constitu-
ton, and this being done, lie was I'M
der his oath, and the plain require
ment Of the Constitution, bound to see
that the valid one was faithfully exc
cuted, and this duty we are proud to
say he did faithfully execute, without
looking to the right or the left, to see
if it would be popular to do. And it
is refreshing to find our Governor
among the few in Office now a. days,
who have the Jacksonian honesty and
independence Of character to prefer
duty to Office, and such, we believe,
will be the verdict of the people OF
this State when they come to under:
stand the matter about whic,. there
is now SO much clamor.
Again, we come back to the thread
of our discourse: the Governor thus
constituting these provisions Of the
Constitution and of the Act for him
self, as he was bound to do, found
the ACT, in so for as it increased the
exemptions from taxation to be I'M
constitutional, aud the Constitution
requiring all property to be taxed in
proportion to its value, mot thereby
exempted and finding that our own
Supreme Court of Appeals had de
eided that question in the same way,
he directed his subordinate executive
officer, the Auditor of the State, to
issue his letter or circular to the
several Assessors of the State requir-
ing them each and all to re- assess the
property Of the State in accordance
with the requirements Of the cons.i-
tuition, and the Auditor did so accord
ingly, and we are informed that some
of the Assessors obeyed these instruc-
tons, and others knowingly and will
fully disobeyed them; and have there
by incurred the penalty declared by
the Constitution, and for this open
rebellion to the constitution we hope
they may be made pay the penalty
fixed by law
But what is to be most regretted,
is that we'll informed and intelligent
gentlemen, versed in the laws, should
be found at public meetings and in
private, advising these Assessors to
disobey the directions of their. lawful
advisor in the premises, and we may
say that our regrets herein, will be
somewhat modified, when we can be-
lieve such men are not actuated bv
selfish motives and interests in so ad
vising the Assessors. And now we
have stated the sum of Governor
Jackson's SHINING. Let us ask, has
it come to this, even in these degen
crate days, that our Governor must
not only skulk plain duty, but must
forswear and perjure himself, rather
than risk little personal or political
popularity with the masses? We
trust we have not, as democrats, vet
reached that point.
That Republicans, many of whom
have shown so little regard for official
oaths or duty, should seem to raise
this unjust clamor against our Dem
ocratic Governor in order to get him
out, and themselves into his place,
we can understand; but that Demo
Gratis, in hitherto good standing,
should do so, we are at a loss to I'M
derstand; unless they are in fact,
governed by the same motives and
ends we have supposed may govern
the Republican orators and writers.
Why should not every Democrat in
the State uphold the Governor in do
ing right though the Heavens fall?'
For one, we say, that is our motto
and purpose. A MoNoNGALIAN.