Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-03-09
WEST VIRGINIA'S MIDDLE.

Inc pOilClCal SlCudGiOH III w CSt
Virginia is a strange one. We know
of no precedent, and it should be so
adjusted us not to encourage SINH
lar conditions in future. There is no
analogy between it and the Dorr con-
troversy in Rhode Island. The eS
sential weakness of DORIS position
was that he was not supported either
by the letter or the spirit of the law,
and the action of himself and his
followers was sheer rebellion. In
West Virginia there can be no doubt
of the substantial justice of Colts
claim to the goverrorship. Had it
not been evident that he was elected
by a majority of the suffrageS of the
people, a partisan Legislature would
not have refused to perform its con-
stitutional obligation and declare
the vote. The object of not doing so
was to deprive Golf of his constitu.
tional right to the Office and retain
a Democrat. But the Democrat Is
clearly precluded by the Constltu-
ton from holding over, and Carr, the
president of the Senate, by the
instrument asserted right to succeed
to the vacant Office.
AS far as we are able to unravel
the tangle, Wilson has no right Ia
the office whatever, Carr's claim de
ponds upon contingency not con-
templated and not provided for by
the Constitution and, upon the prin
ciple that no party can take advan
tage Of its own wrong, and that what
the Constitution expressly declares
shall be done, must be presumed tC
have been done by the legislature
Mr.. Golf is in fact governor of West
Virginia. To decide otherwise would
be to admit the right of the legisla
ture to constitute itself a body en-
tirely independent OF and above the
will of the people and the Constitu
ton that creates it, responsible tC
none for its action except its own
partisan and dishonest whims, and
able at any time to precipitate {
state of anarchy and confusion that
if persisted in, must sound the deatl
knell of republican institutions AND
popular government.
Such an Interpretation Is clearly
inadmissible upon prudential
grounds. The whole country is in
terested in the decision of the mat
ter, because vicious political prece
dents too often prove attractive tC
parties in the heat of excitement,a nG
nothing could be so damaging to hon
est and stable government all over
the Union as to allow the recent ac
ton of the West Virginia Legislature
to go unrebuked and even rewarded
by substantial aud political advan
tages.
1t is eminently proper that the re
sources of the state tribunals should
be exhausted before any appeal is
made to those of the United States
but it must be borne in mind that
the national government is especial
ly directed by the Constitution to see
that each state is provided with a
republican form of government.
Nothing but the sternest sense OF
duty would probably induce the fed
eral authorities to enforce this con
stitutional provision, but should par
ties seek to take advantage of the
anomalous condition in which ii re-
creant legislature has left the state,
and disorder and turbulence thereby
ensue, as in the case of the Dorr in
surrectioD, there would be no other
course open for the national govern
ment. There are good grounds, how
ever, for believing that the conSerya-
tive public sentiment of West Vir
GINA will force peaceful and just
settlement of the trouble, and one
that will put an end to legislative
usurpation in future.-Americda.