Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-02-29
DEFENDING OUR STATE,

Cor gresham Gibson's Reply - Read.
Jusler John Wise, who Charged That
West Virginia Was = bastard state;
the ON. prime Of . Corrupt aud Tyran-
meal Polit cal Action.
From the Congressional Record we
take the following:
Mr.. Gioson-During the progress of
this bill the pleuro-pneumonia cattle
bill it became my privilege, under q
sense of duty to my constituents and
the country, to object to certain features
in it. In the inception of that discus
sion / expressed my surprise at the hos
tihty manifested upon the other side to
everything like State rights. l said
that when | remembered the alarrity
with which they Rugged it to their
bosom when it enabled them by q cor
rupt coalition with Mahoue to secure
power in the State of Virginia, l could
not well see where their objections to
that doctrine now came in.
For that language the gentleman
from Virginia Mr.. John 5. Wise ar
raigned me, and not onl y arraigned ne
but srraigned my State, and proceeded
10 quote some of the language Of his old
father, whom | knew well, as boy
could know an old man, and whose
confidence and friendship l had the
pleasure of sharing, and when l fol-
lowed him in war had the houor OF
having his tears shed over our mi>fDr-
tune.
/ say that his son came in here and
quoted language used by his father in
the heat of great political contest in
the State of Virginia. l feel satisfied
that il he were here now, out OF the
kindness of his heart such language
would never be uttered against any Sis
ter State. That gentleman charges
that my State is a bastard State, the Off
spring Of q corrupt and tyrannical pc.
litical action, When he assails and de-
nounces in coarse terms the action OF
your party, you have sunk so low as to
applaude him for it.
Mr.. Browne, of Indiana-That is Sc
we're, but beautiful.
Mr.. Lyman-"Which is sarcastical,"
If beautiful.
Mr.. Gibson-I do not speak it for sar-
casm, but for truth. The gentleman
tslks about my State being a political
bastard, and he assaiis me for having
left the State of Virginia and gone to
the State of West Virginia. 1t is true
was born and raised in Virginia; all my
early manhood was passed in that State.
! stood with her in all her struggles;
afterward, in the days Demonstration,
when the white civilization Ofthat State
was struggling to its utmost against
overthrow by negro domination, L vas
there and again stood by her, and l
have the honor of believing that was
then approved by the young son ofthe
former Governor of that State.
/ left that State believing that we had
accomplished a great victory; that
Hunnicut and Underwood and DR..
Bayne had been Overthrown, and that
civilization would there move forward
IN accordance with the old time con.
sentative, straightforward honest doc
irines of that old State. But to my sur
prise news came oyer the mountains
hat after Hunnicut, Underwood, and
Rayne had been routed, a new force
with new leaders, among them my dis
tnguished young friend over there -
A new force had arisen with new
leaders, among whom was my diStin.
suisbed young friend. 1t is no part Of
mine to criIicise Virginia politics. 1t is
enough for me to bear my portion OF
the politics of the State which in part
represent.
But let me say to my young friend,
when he talks about political bastards,
that he should remember that he him
self is, as q Readiuster or Coalition
Representative on this floor, the result
OF 8 political rape on the State of West
Virginia by Federal power. But for
the interference of the Federal Govern
ment in Virginia politics, but for the
interpostiOn of the strong arm Of the
Federal power, | doubt very much If
with all his fathers prestige and with
all his own talent and energy he could
have ever suCct eded in representing on
this floor the people of that State.
am the more satisfied OF this because
the result of the recent elections in that
State has overwhelmingly defeated and
trodden under foot the coalition thus
formed.
did not expect to escape the sharp
retorts Of the young gentleman in this
discussion. When man like my dis
tiuguished friend from New York Mr..
Cox whose gentleness and kindness
of heart have given him warm place
IN the 6SllildllOll vi every luLClilScul
person in this land, whose acquire nenss
and national reputation have made him
respected and hOnOrsd by the people
when he is denounced here in tlippaut
terms as "a pillar of brass by day aid of
gas by night" laughter, | could no.
expect that 1 or my little State should
escape entirely.
But let me say to the gentleman, in
honor Of my State, that whatever her
birth may have been, she is to day
standing among the proud, prog -essive
States of this Union. She Is to day one
If the most rapidly developing States in
all this broad land. Her forests are be
ing cleared, her mines are being opened,
railroads are being built, school houses
nd churches everywhere rear them
elves. We in the State Of West Nir
ginia are doing our part toward build
ng up the material aud moral interests
i the country, and are marching along
n the path of progress, While my un-
or,unate old mother State is stru cgling
n the trammels of her fight With Ma
tune AZ q MahOueism.
NCrc the hammer fcn