Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-04-15
kEvENDE ol 6Es.
ROw Rsa zfs prssssa frSa Thslr
N6mss Y ~
FOs TIRE kOsf TslnAr oFFENsEs
And Tried and fshdsnnsd By Veal and
Prsiudissd iSrAs ws.k Before the
House and Senate Minor
Capital Notes.
lSpseial CeITsspoadenos of Lls Rsqisler.

IL HAsAlSSIoNi Apru l4-Iu Ordinary con-
dltiens the bard Of government rests so
\ lightly upon this country that is author
ity D Fathes matter OF thsostieAl recog.
milton Than Of practical experience, 50 far
As ninStsnths poesielY, nine hundred and
ninet5.nine thousandths-of the people
are concernsd Basit goes without saying
that toe sesptrsd hand OF .conesntrHied
power fki9 very heavily upon all whom
business chance. accident on, misfcrtane
may bring into direct contact with Il. It's
very easy to rattle of q few gsneralities
and apply them in = sort Of wholesale, in
different way. This il q government of
the people, and By the people, and for the
geod of the people," Is = very familiar
specimen. The average prosperous citizen
Is very independent Of government. 1.-The
pays bis taxes, and owes no man anything,
he does not particularly care what king
rsigns. OF course he has his politics of an
abstract character, but they lie far below
business, in his estimation, and are rather
| an amusement Of his of hours than 3 creed
OF principles which
| Govern the DiseharSe OF His Duties
Of citizenship. Hence il is that the authori-
| ~ or enacted law, or the vigor of its execu-
tive administration, gives very little con.
| cern 10 any ons bat him whom the one
| particularly Affects and the other controls,
| specially, and for the time being. An
/ eIigency, personal and temporary, once
I escaped and removed, he does not care q
/ hGdler's d-n whatever that may bel
! whether the law be repealed or not.
Once, a South Carolina member an
I nounced TO the House, that his constitu-
/ en,s were the most oppressed people on
! the globe-if they only knew il, This
| declaration was laughed at and made a
I subject Of newspaper and hustings' wit
/ during long campaign. Yet, is a question
| whether the South Carolina statesman was
rot more philosophical than he knew.
1t may be very cold day, and yet it mat
| tiers little to those whose lines are cast by
| pleasant iresioes-but how is it with the
tramp, the outcask or the homeless? My
/ lord Of hocks and herds, Of broad corn
| fields and thousand cattle need not care
| If the peach drops from his trees and rots
upon the ground; but how is il with his
brother, living upon the crsggy mountain
side TO whose yellow haired childrea q
bushel Of the fruit means bread and clcth-
| ing, II the latter but seek Q market for
+ the good which the Lord gives and distils
| il into few gallons 81 brandy, paternal
government sends its spies and marshals-
snd the pater fsmilia borne away to be
tried and fined and acknowledgements
| from his rude barbarians," branded rs an
outlaw, rooed in convicts stripes, and
| made the victim of law of which be may
be ignorant and the subject OF an ignominy
too Undeseryed to be left as heritage to
| his children.
But | have been betrayed into 9 longer
preface than is at all necessary to the lew
/ Illustrations l propose 10 give of the pre-
| L. -, vt-hfssh n ananrla'a UnvAFnmAnt
| acts upon the people themselves.
l. IL is almost useless 10
speak OF the Outrage
| which seems to be 8 necessary Incident to
! The inforcoment Of the internal revenue
| avs. The examples have been so frequent,
so authenticated and so generally acknowl.
| edged, that one scarcely knows where to
| take ND the thread OF comment. But for
/ tariff reform We should have, at least now,
reached the period when abolition OF an
| OF prt ssiYe war measure would receive
| uI animous approval. Yet, whoever may
care TO snslyZe the workings OF the lnternSI
revenue system will ind that by no single
| sgency of governmental power have all the
traditions, theories and principles OF re-
nublican government been so systemau-
cally violated. The reports OF the Depart
ment of Justice afford abundant proofs OF
this; and the investigators OF It's partcu,
lar field Of operation in West Virginia VIII
show how nearly and directly your people
are concerned IN the perpetuauon Oh tnls
system Of taxation.
% In This connection let me refer to the
fact-Which no one will dispute-that In
every case tried IN FEDERAL court, Wnen
the issue is made up between the govern
ment and citizen, the result Is almost IN
vsriably adverse to the latter; witnesses
md inTors are essentially in favor OF the
nIsintifl. their pay comes from the Treas
nrv. their daily stiPend-sn opportunity
| en- gst which will not say is esrned-is
N,Sy,sr of favor and much sought after.
C;rapd and petit jurors, Notwithstanding
he new law, are disposed 10 regard tnen
elves officers Of the Government, lnsteao
of ri7ing TO an appreciation OF their true
Dc,it;on that of impartial arbiters. Toe
sbitId which "trisl by jury" IS supposed 70
| ,broW around the accused, inc prosecution
fHr yioIstion of the revenue laws, Is mere
| golpsion in nine cases out OF ten'
| The Justice or mercy OF the coulr ~
snspepding Judgment after conYlcuon,
/ is really the only s 20 ro-ca4ant
1 moor devil has found from the enforcement
| ~ an impossible fine or incarceration IN
| he gloomy cells Of . remote penltentary.
| have no sympathy with those who make
nnfonndsd charges, but : willingly refer
to tbe experience OF any WeIi lniolmeu
| reader of the REGTsrER Tor suoStsntiatto :
| N the general al egation that tne ~aueit- ~
| -, citSZsn in every contest with the gov
| sTnmsnt stands in no better position tnan
4 re nIhisct of any monarchy, as the pres,
| at dsv with the possible excePtion OF
/ p-'.s;S The measure Of punishment may
| hs ysTv a aerent, but its certainty ana tne
/ bonelessuess Of resistance are hoou' lnS
ssme. am not speaking OF crimes snu
| tbe punishment OF criminals ia a;naI ane
I 'A~ .Iv,fniafralinn OF CrlI0luhl
| ;,s,ice. But refer 10 prosecunons-tecn
njcaIIy o,Iasi criminal; and want no oet
| - or6of of the truth Cf the CRITICISM man
! ~ tbSnssod and more cases on nle IN Tue
nnDs-tment OF Justice when pardons are
] sod for, recommended by the sIiss oonVIcsslns
| tribunals, and granted because " t.aS at -
| -, Would be an outrage toe great noL W
| .bock even ihe dull sense Oh ounCiai '0P"'S
and red tape indifference.
3. Hayp you an idea ct ths
systcmAtIc GPjustice
l -..n obarsctsrizss the relation Of the
| United States government to It's deogors'
Al not refer 10 the bonded debt; nothing
1oDId bs more sensitive than the honor
.hicb r,ovides for il, and this because its
| hoJSsrS belong, generally, TO the great
= onisd class which, in these latter Gays
ere ,sSsrded as the real supporters OF tne
| republic, or as mary prefer - .s st.ts
! the nation. One may we'll hesitate 70 sIass S
in Seures the vast amount OF undisputed
I'm 20 jts citizens which the nation sys-
T. msticslly refuses to pay. l viii not not
r.r,icnIarize the great claims; the simple
| 'a'-,;or that millions OF dollars naVs
% btsn repeatedly soknowlsdged; sy t toe ,e
most solemn recognition, as Justly aue 80. -
The people, snd which are = s'1, enough % to pre-
Int tSs point make. Bat its more prac,
Spi iirsl nj illustration lies in the number ,S, Q,
com pslst,, pps,snt - ,hs claimant do not and can
not receive . successful audi: snyTnsrs; Z aSs e;
Ip The Last Congress more tnan n,s,so S,soVT' On
these were presented 20 1ns TSsv S we're ali
mahIy M1 UI iust in character. IL not 70
.onnt Ard vet, I know OF no one
%bicb Was paid. Possibly Congress Is no,
| 10 blame, as under its rules OF 80 mon