The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-02-09
tue TRUE SITUATION.

have disgTaced themselves anu the STATE
by violating their oaths, holding in con-
tempt the constitution, and INDUCING
in such proceedings Us tend to produce
anarchy and confusion, have awakened
to a realization Of their position before
the country, That they are heartily
ashamed Of themselves Is plainly evil
dent from their actions, But they have
now gone too far in the vile work to
undo any part Of it, and go recklessly
on piling up mistake upon mistake.
The Democratic organ in this city,
awakening to a sense Of the real situa'
ton as regards its effect upon the party,
has set to work in the boldest manner
possible to try to turn the tide of popu-
lar sentiment which has been and still
is with the Republican position, In
order to do this 1t does not hesitate to
garble the report OF the proceedings at
Charleston. It publishes, with all the
emphasis Of double leads" editorials
which grossly mlsrepresent the situation
and the position OF the Republican
members Of the Legislature, and justify
the course Of its own representatives in
overriding the constitution by refusing
to open, publish and declare the returns
for the candidates for Governor.
Like the revolutionists in the Legisla.
ture, the organ insults the intelligence
OF the people by contendlng to them
that the constitution does net require
the result to be published, and boldly
declares that the majority at Charleston
is performing It's sacred duty under its
oath and under the constitution by go.
ing on with the reading Of the returns
in all except for the office Of Governor.
1t dare not publish Section 8 Of Article
7of the Constitution OF West Virginia,
and then say truthiully that the course
Of the Democratic members has not been
revolutionary.
The lame excuse for the procedure
that General Colts majority is fraudu-
lent, is neither satisfactory nor lawful in
the minds Of tho people Of the State.
The votes have not been proven fraudu-
lent, nor has the Democratic contestant
even alleged corruption. He has simply
alleged that certain number Of votes
cast for Golf are illegal. Until they are
proven so they must bc considered as
legal and the result must be so taken.
This upon the same principle Of justice
that an accused party at the bar must be
presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The constitution and the law prescribe
the manner OF ascertaining whether
General COTS majority is an honest one
or not. In the meantime that majority
remains, and he, being elected upon the
face Of the returns will serve as Cover
nor II, after proper investigation,
the body authorized by the Constitution
declares that the majority is notan hon
est one, then he must give up the Office.
The joint assembly which has been
sitting for the past five days has now but
one duty, and that duty under the provi-
sions Of section 8, article Z Of the con-
stitution, is purely ministerial. Until
that ministerial duty is ended the judi
ctal duty (that Of trying the contest)
does not begin. This is the Republican
position. 1t Is a plain, Common.sense
and Just construction Of the Constitu.
ton, the compliance with It's letter as well
as its spirit. 1t is not theory Of the
meaning Of the law-it Is the law itself.
There Is not a lawyer in the country, be
he Republican or Democrat, who will
construc the language in any other way
and honestly maintain that he is right.
Tho Democratic majority ut Charles
ton, evidently acting upon the insane
theory that the end ITO avoid the adj
mission that the Republican candidate
has amajorlty on the iaco Of tho returns
and recording tho same) iuStiaes the
means (suSpcnding the Constitution
has resorted to tho most unprecedented
acts.
The Republican minority, consistently
maintaining but one position, TINT the
Constitution must be obOyed, and that
right presidents sCt by all previous Leg
islaturcs should betollowsd, have fought
ths majority at every successive STEP
But tho power ola bare and unSCrupu'
loug majority Of one has baalOd their
every effort.
Failing TO vindIcate tho constitution
by their votes, they entered solemn
protest against the whole unlawful pro.
CcOdurc, and asked thatit DO entered
upon tho record, This sacred right, en-
joyod heretofore by tho minority Of
every parliamentary body was denied
them, because, as tho sensitive and
guilty majority declared, II was 'lhBolent