Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-03-14

tive genius of West Virginia statesmen II
this thing is set up as a precedent. Mr..
CowDEN ought TO be rewarded, and the
U. S Attorneysbip wouldn't more than
compensate for his services.
PARTISAN sLASDE ERs GONE
MAD.
Partnership gone mad cannot surpass
itself in the cowardly attacks which have
been made by Republican journals on Gen.
WATTS. because he had the man
hood 20 refuse 10 resign his high
Office and be party to The
escape Of Republican political criminals.
The cluspirators who sought 10 make him
a scapegost for their erin, have been fOiled
az far rs practical results re concerned
President HARRISON may remove Gen.
WATTS. Since his psremptory demand,
he can hardly DO otherwise, bat the pub
lie mind is convinced that the removal is to
protect members Of She Republican party
from punishment
The desperate purpose Of these men IS
we'll seen in their efforts to distort the
facts and deceive the public. The dis
patches sent out to Republican newspapers
from the city OF Wheeling, furnish good
examples The authors Impose by whole
sale upon the national public, slanderous
falsehood-, which they would not dare to
retail in West Virginia
We quote from the Pittsburg Commercial
Ges,fe Wheeling special under date OF
March u. Speaking Of General WATTS, it
saya:
Many respectable Democrats had eN-
pressed disgust with General WATT S gross
abuse Of his office and were glad when be
was asked for hi7 signatiOn. He wac one
Of the leaders 10 the high handed outra2es
that have occurred 10 West Virginia during
the past six months. Those who
have KEEP, the run Of events IN the
State srs highly amused at the language
OF bis letters 10 Attorney General Miller
Ia which he says be knows Of no reason
" by he should resign The charges filed
Against him are of the most serious nature.
Among them is the allegation, which ls
capable OF sworn proof, inst during the
recent session of the United States Court
at Parkersburg he strained himself 80 IN
dict Republicans for election frauds, while
10 was notorious that he refused to allow
Republicans TO go before the grand jury 10
ndict Democrats for Cffenses against the
election law
There was more Of this stuff, bu. we
have quoted enough. II is presumed
that Republican papers in this S ale would
know Of these charges if they were ira r.,
buJ they have never dared to pnt one of
them in print. They have never dared to
make the statement that any number Of
Democrats have expressed disgust with
Gen. WATTS. for none know better than
themselves that they could not produce
proof it.
In what high-handed outrage in this
State was Gen. WATTS a LEADER Has the
Wheeling IntsHgncr the pEOOf OF a single
one, AID if 70 why does it rot give it to
tbo world through it's own co umns in
stead of making another organ the father
.ofi,? Gen WATTS took the same part il
the last campaign that thousands Of pri-
vate citizens Of both parties did. He was
neither leader or active counsellor among
the Democrats assembled at Charleston
during the session of the Lsgisla-
ture, for his official duties for
babe him taking prominent part. 1t is
enough to say that the ALLEGATION that he
s.rained himself TO indicL Republicans
and protect Democrats has never been
sworn to and can never be truthfuny
sworn to. If the author of it bad hsd
proof of any kind, the people Of West Viz
gaia would not have learned it through
the columns Of Pennsylvania journal.
The political hsrpies that are now assail-
ing him would have made haste TO pro
claim the fact long since, if they had found
aught Of corruption or laxity of duty in
his record
The people who are acquainted with the
efficient administration Of the T. S. Attor-
ney's office, know that Gen. WATTS has
committed none Of the outrages charged
against him. The outrage which he has
committed, if outrage it be, is to make
determined effort TO hunt down Rspubh-
can bribers and repeaters He has used
the powers Of the Law to protect the purity
Of the ballot, and punish criminals who
conspired TO defeat an honest election.
In the eyes Of the men who are in dan
ger, this may seem an outrage. They may
feel that their sacred rights are being
trampled on, and at any rate they appre.
ciate Gen. WATTS work to the extent OF
bringing oil the powers Of defamation 10
sssail his character. But we mistake the
public opinion of West Virginia, if it JUS
titles these assaults or ia blinded by them
The election criminals are already con-
yicted morally, and this attack upOn q
f,ithful public servant viii only add to
their shame.