Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-09-16
election following we carried the State for

election following We carried the State for
the FIST time. j, ~
~ OUR FIRST DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATURE
met at Charleston January, 1871. ] had
the honor of representing the county of JEFF
ferson in the House Of Delegates. The
Flick amendment was offered for passage.
From It's contents, its history and the facts
surrounding it, / regarded it as "a delusion
and q snare" and wholly inadequate to re-
lieve our people from the oppression and
burthens Of Republican legislation.
Under the constitutional construction OF
Maxwell, Brown and Berkshire, 1t lett
every single test oath that cursed our peo-
pie. in full force and vigor. The whole Re
publican machinery set in operation by
prescriptions and franchisement was to con-
iiinue in all its glory. All the officers were
10 serve out their respective terms A ma
iority of the Court q Appeals ofsueh I'M
sayorv distinction, were to continue IN
office for about eight years longer and all
The Circuit Court Judges for about six years
more, to remind us that tho lost to view
tie spirit of Nat Harrison that pink OF per-
lection, was still to be around and about US.
According to my Judgment the Flick
amendment
FELL FAR SHORT
of the duty of the hour required OF the
Democratic party. 1t was high time that
not only should test oaths be abolished and
tie disfanchised invested with those rights
of which they had been ruthIessly robbed,
but that there should be a new deal and
ntw beginning. Therefore on the third day
Of the session / offered the following resolu-
ton:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Jn-
dietary be instructed to report bill or bills
repeating all test oaths required of officers,
Jurors, officers, employees, etc" blouse jour
nal 1871, P. 20.
Not only was this resolution adopt
ed but before session ended, we had clean
ed the statute books of every single test
oath, and abolished the registration law be-
sides.
On the fourthday Of the session, | pre-
stnted the following resolution:
Resolved, That it is the sense OF this
house that the adoption Of bill calling
for convention to amend the constitution
of the State, is the true policy to enfran-
elise the disfranchised white fellow citizens
Of our State, and to affect direct and legal
remedy for the many evils by which we are
afflicted. blouse Journal 1871, p. %
The Democratic portion Of the Legisla-
tuie, after full discussion and consideration,
adopted this resolution, passed bill calling
a convention, the people ordered the con
.,;o,, oloo,od ,ba;r dala1otaa tharatn the
constitution was formed, submitted and
adopted by the people, and thereon, and
tlGebv, we turned the rascals out have
kent them out ever since, and from present
indications, orr people have not wearied in
we'll doing but propose 10 60 on in the
good old way.
-DEMACOGUE AND COMMUNIST.
Mr. Wilson then said his enemies had
called him a demagogue and communist
because of his actions in behalf of the
the laboring men Of tho State! He was q
dcmagogue when he had broken up the sys-
TEN Of store orders" among the Kanawho
miners, and communist when he had in
trCduced bill to ventilate coal mines. BY
the Sc and other official acts he was regarded
b, The Republican managers as a commup-
list, but he was willing to abide by it.
He then began glowing tribute to
Cleveland, tracing his career from an hum
Die boy 10 Governor. When he referred to
his having been a good sheriff, such as
Handlan will be, long and loud shout
burst out With an eloquent and witty al
fusion to the forthcoming entrance Of DEM
ocracy into the promised land he brought
his address to a close, after having spoken
two hours and forty minutes.
JUDGE BRANNON's ADDRESS.
1t was now quite late in the night, and
Judge Brannon realized this fact and spoke
but briefly. 1t was all upon the tariff, and
the writer noted the fact that the working
men were those who cheered him the most
enthusiastically. Without entering upon
any of the ready-made, fine spun theories Of
the tariff, he simply said he was in favor OF
those principles the practice of which would
suLserve the interest Of the people of this
district. He was in favor Of a tariff that
would protect and not burden them by pill
ing up halt billion surplus; that would
tax those imports that competed, and so
protect our industries; that would tax lux
uries and admit the necessaries of life free;
that would give labor steady employ
ment, and not keep it idle eight
months of the year. These were his princi-
pics and they struck that crowd exactly.
He touched up John Jarretts plan Of eat
ing our unsold products, in very humor-
Gus style and finally closed in handsome
and happy shape He will speak here again,
soon, and his views should be heard by every
workman in the district.
This ended that memorable meeting