Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-04-11


"Dr, Henry West yesterday evening tele-
phuned TO bis son, DR.. J. 2. West, of Bel
hire, that the St. Clsirsville court house
bill had pissed the House by vote Of 68
Iol3.
The inception and contamination OF this
scht me is one Of the greatest outrages that
has ever been perpetrated in Ohio. After
lie defeat of the st. Clalrsyille bill last
year, the people OF the county insisted that
lh, g should be a cessation, for ct least two
Vesrs in the agitation OF this question.
rte Republican County Convention passed
resolution pledging its candidates to OPP
pose any legislation during two years, an
every Democrat who was either candidate
or did any electioneering for a candidate
insisted that there was no county-seat con.
ZEE and was to be none for two years.
When it was ascertaired that Jim
CT arlesworth and Sample Clark, two prom
lent Democratic politicians, were at
CoIupbu for the purpose OF getting up a
bill, the matter was regarded as Of little
importance, as no one believed, under the
CT: CumstaDce, that the passage OF such a
bill was posi- Die. When, however, they
secured as ther attorney and lobbyist a
St nator from Cleveland who agreed TO pre-
sent bill in the absence of the Senator
from this dist let, and lobby it through,
some apprehe lsions were felt that this IN
tuence might secure the passage OF the
Dill, but the S rator from this district and
the member from this county insisted that
tie bill could not pass, aud until 1t did
pass the Senate the opponents OF the bill
treated the matter IS of little or no import
apre. The reference OF the bill 10 the Ju-
dietary Commit. tee in the Senate, OF which
the attorney o. the Court House ring was a
prominent member, Indicated the uDscrn-
pulous character of the contest, and an in
vestIgation satisfied us that their attorney
aid lobbyist would pass the bill in the
Senate. The member Of the House from
this county, however, was still saRguine
that the bill could not pass the House.
After its passage in the Senate, the op.
pontnts of the bill commenced the work Of
securing rel oLs,rsnces, and in two dsys
obtained the signatures Of OO voters and
Jsx-payers protesting against its passage,
al II e number could have been swelled
to ten thousand IN few days. When the
bill was read the second time, the member
from this county II we'd its reference to
the committee OF new counties and county
affairs, that was created for the con 'idera.
ton of such bills, and the attorney Of the
ring and bis INSCRIPTIONS hackers made
party contest against Mr.. Hilles and had
the bill referred to the Judiciary Commit.
tee, of which Mr.. Barger, Of coal oil fame,
was chairman.
The chairman of that committee was
Informed that the opponents OF the bill de-
sired to be heard, and he was asked to fix
time when his committee would hear
what they had to say. This he substan-
TALLY declined to do, and il his committee
ever met it was without the knowledge OF
the opponents of the bill, who were abso-
lutely cut off from all opportunity OF be-
ing heard. The bill was reported oy this
star chamber committee Of lobbyists for
the bill and put upon its passage by sus-
pension of the rules, before the people op'
posed to its passage had any information
as to what was going on.
1T remains to be seen whether the Com
mlssioners of this county will become par.
ties to the carrying out Of this Infamous
fraud upon the taxpayers and voters OF
Belmont county, for without their assist.
ance and willing cooperation the law is OF
90 binding force, and if they refuse TO pro-
tect the people against its tyrannical ovor'
throw Of their rights, they make themselves
responsible parties to the fraud.
"a court house conceived in the violation
Of broken pledges and secured by thu
overthrow and disregard OF the rights of the
people, through base misrepresen tations
ar fraud, il built, will forever stand In
the opinion and Judgment of the people as
monument Of injustice and wrong rather
han as temple OF justice. The people Of
Belmont comfy cannot stford to have such
a court house"