Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-07-04

against Senator Payne, OF Otu0, ~ ConAtN7
ton with his election, or rafher the allega-
tion Of bribery ON the part Of Others 70
bring about his election, the inclination OF
opponents of open session ran to extremes
Members Of the Committee on Privileges
and Elections having this case in charge
would even refuse to say when they IN
tended to have n meeting, and would deny
often that they had a meeting when they
had lust marched from the committee
room. The chairman OF the
committee blufed a number OF
newspaper correspondents when asked
whether the question had been disposed OF.
Even after the vote was taken and the last
meeting held and the committee was ready
to prepare its reports, Chairman Hoar az
fected indignation when asked If the Com
mittee had taken any action on the Payne
case. What was true in this matter Is
true in nearly everything else now taking
place in the Committee. Nominees to or.
fees are not permitted to know when act
ion has been taken by Committee upon
their cases, nor can they ascertain when
their nominations have been taken
mn in secret session of the
Senate, and two sessions in
secresy must be held before the public
can know that action has been taken upon
a nomination. Senators are beginning to
look wise and to act mysteriously and
more of the legal imperialism of govern
ments like Russia and Turkey is observed
daily. Ii this pOmp continues to INCREASE
for two wears rs it has for six months, the
public will be excluded from the Capitol.
All this, however, is simply an Outburst OF
the efforts of the opponents to open sessions
of the Senate for the consideration of exec
utive business, and when the question
finally comes to vote it will undoubtedly
prevail, and the people will know more OF
what is now kept dark and mysterious, and
to which they are so clearly entitled.
*
Scarcely week has passed since the IN
duction of the present administration with
ont the development OF some instance OF
disappointment to politicians growing out
of the election of 1884. 1.-The political
eat" seems to have jumped in the direction
least expected by great number OF pollti-
clans. Many prominent or active Demo
Gratis left their ranks during the last few
weeks of the campaign of 1881, and en-
tered those of the Republican party, believ-
ing that prestige of the latter and what
appeared to be its good fortune would pre-
vail again. and that they would make a
great strike by their change. In nearly
every instance where sellishness acted 4
part it is shown that they were dlsap-
pointed
An instance has Just been related to me
by Georgia editor illustrative of thepoint
in view, Senator COlquitt, who is one OF
the leading Democrats of Georgia, has a
brother about thirty-five or thirty eight
years old, who has for many yeard been
more or less influential in the politics
of that State. Like his brother, he has
always been q rabid Democrat and has
done much to keep the ranks close up and
the majority of his party large in his old
State. A short time before the November
election, however, he conceived the idea of
changing his political fortunes, going over
to the Republican party, being in the ma
tional majority and entering Federal in
stead of local official life. He observed to
a party of friends one evening:
II am getting pretty tired of being on
the losing side right along. Ever since |
could vote have advocated the cause Ofthe
of the Democratic candidates for the PreSi-
dency. 1t has been Just like casting my
vote in in mill pond. Every time was
on the losing side. am going TO be with
the winners this time When the next
President is inaugurated and go to the
White House to see Mr.. Blaine | will get
a bic Federal office instead of having to
hang around here with you ragamutiins in
township and city politics
Young Colquitt sprang at once into the
breach of the Republican party, leaving his
Democratic friends and companions on the
other side He made speeches, wrote for the
press and worked like modern Trojan.
He had held positions of trust and profit
in the Democratic party III the State, but
as above indicated he desired to change his
fortunes to field OF national latitude. lie
felt very we'll for two or three days after
the people had cast their votes for the
Presidency, believing the Republicans had
won. but when ii was announced that the
Chief Executive would be Democrat from
New York named Cleveland young Col
quit was almost paralyzed with humilia-
ton and disappointment, 1t was weeks
before he would go out with his friends.
4 report has just reached here that at last
he has returned to his first love and is
again working for the Democracy. Hun
dreds of Democrats did the same thing
The instance cited illustrates many in
higher life than that of the young GeOr-
pian.