Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-02-08
They Hoped Block the Further Reading of Returns but
Were Bahhed-The Democrats Perform Their
Sworn Duty and the Reading Of the
Returns is Completed
Low COMEDY IN The SENATE CHAMBER
The Republican Children Who Were Elected by Mistake
as Legislators Have Variety PerfOrmanceFuI
Details of Never to- e-Forgotten Day--One
Ballot for United States Senator

ernor on the face Of the vote, so far as il
had been published, that vote giving him
majority.
The resolution WAS put upon its passage
without debate aud carried by a strict
party vote. In spite of the fact that it was
demanded by the Republican leaders them.
selves they refused to support it when
offered them.
4 PROTEST FROM MORRIS.
Senator Morris, then took the floor and
presented the most astounding document
that has been laid before either House dur
ing the present stormy session. It was
termed protesi-''The protest of the 45
Republican members OF the Legislature" F"
and under this guiss the insulting proof Of
demBgOgy was read. 1t was IS follows:
"a protest Of f0rty-fve members of the
Legislature Of West ViOginia:
ResOlred, That the following protest
against the action Of the partisan majority
in this Joint Assembly in disobeying, yiO-
latjng and annulling Section :, Article 3,
Cf the Constitution, be entered mp On the
Journal.
WHEREAS, The Constitution provides
that the returns of every election for State
officers he sent 10 the Speaker, who shall
immediately after the organization Of the
House, and before proceeding to business,
open snd publish the same. snd that the
person having received the highest number
Of votes shall be declared elected
to that offics, and that inas-
much as before SO proceeding,
the Joint assembly proceeded 10 other busi-
ness to wit: In the Offering to the joint
assembly the patihOn of A. B. Fleming
contesiing the night Of Nathan Goh, the
said GOff having been duly elected, to-
gether with other papers, and continued
said business by referring such matters 20
a Joint committee hereafter TO be appoint
ed, and further continued said business by
adopting a resolution 10 the effect that the
publishing and declaring of the vote for
Governor be suspended until the contest
hsd been decided, and further continued
such business from day to day in violation
OF the constitution by adopting various
resolutions, and thst
WHEREAS, By this course the Democratic
members have proceeded in direct opposl-
ton to the Constitution, and have, IN this
revolutionary and unconstitutional man
mer, prevented the opening ard publishing
of said returns for Governor, ard have pre-
vented the constitutional and lawful decla-
ration OF the true result on the face OF the
returns. That, therefore,
1--WE most solemnly protest, in the name
of the Constitutional rights of the people,
sgainst the unconstitutional and revOlu-
houary proceedings of the Democratic
majority, and that we protest against
these proceedings because they deprive
the people Of the State Of their inalien-
able rights and tend to produce
anarchy and confusion in the State, and
that further we protest because they seek
10 deprive Nathan Goff, on the face Of the
returns. of his right to hold said Office dur
ing the pendency Of the contest against
him; and concluding with protest IN the
name OF the people Of the whole country
wbo love liberty and believe 10 holding
fast to order and law"
AN INSULT To THE DEMOCRATS.
The reading Of tie sO-called protest was
not more than half completed when Del
egate DOrr objected to it. He character
izsd it az an insult TO the Democratic
members Of the Legislature.
The Chair Overruled Mr.. Dorr and the
Clerk proceeded. The names we're read,
every Republican member, including Mr.
Carr. having affixed his signature to it.
At the request of several Democratic
members, parts of the diatIibe were read
again. Senator Price opened the discus
sion He said the gentlemen on the other
s;ds asked an extraordinary thing. They
asksd the Democratic majority 90 adopt
resolution denouncing themselves as vic
Istors of the Constitution. He did not
denv the right of the majority to file
protest hut it must be couched in re-
snectful language. He, for one,
v;sbed If distinctly understood that
if this paper were spread upon the
rsc,rd il would not he with his vote and
consent His opinion was that 1t was in-
tended solely for political buncombe.
TO AMEND THE PROTEST.
Morris asked leave to amend the pro-
test by striking out the words IN the
resolution rejecting on the msJority.
Price-"When You couch the protest IN
prOper language, 1 am certain will vote
~ Other Democratic members-'T will
too: Il will too"
Morris took the protest and looked 1t
over. He declared that he could not
emeud the resolution without changing
tbe whole paper, and he would make no
modification whatever
General Sprisg then took up the discus
sion and riddled the insulting document
from stem to stern. he said he would
vote for proper protest, but the members
nm the other side had DO right to make the
nrotest pyetense TO insult every Democrat
/ in the Assembly. Such arrogance and in
! science bad never before been exhibited in
this Legislature, and he would never sub
nit 20 il unless compelled to 90 so.
The debate was continued at some
len0bth. The Republican orators claimed
thew had right to enter protest, but al
tbo1cb repeatedly asked uOne dared to cay
that tbis was drawn in proper language,
or offered TO modify it in any way beyond
a change which Senator Scott proposed,
which was 10 cut ont the paragraph con
tainipg the resolution entire. They In
sisted on the protest as it wss with lis IN
sy lting veIbisge, and refused to accept tne
offer Of & modification.
MR. oXLEY REPEATS
AtIast Mr.. Oxley put the case plainly.
He said that forbsarAnce had ceased to be
s virtue. He believed that every man who
put his name TO that psper put his name to
a falsehoOd Cries, BE careiul;' Take