The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-05-16
4 I.iltlr History.

Hllis5 ECucuulo III tie llouoc VI NeIiie'
sentatives on Wednesday was not con.
Quoted within the lines OF justice by Mr..
Bynum, OF Indiana, and Mr.. Wilson, Of
West Virginia. Both saw fit to attack
man who was deprived OF the privilege
OF replying upon the floor OF the House,
and denounced James Campbell, a gem.
tleman Of standing and good reputation
and Ex.presdent Of the Glass Workers
Association, rs liar and perjurer.
Mr.. Bayne, Of Pennsylvania, was
perfectly justified, under the circum.
stances, in calling the two Congress.
mems attention to the breach Of pro.
p.iety. although" he said, this Is
the House OF Representatives, know
OF no authority by which member Of
this body can arise in his place and as
sdll the character Of reputable citizen.
This ia u very serious charge and !
pledge my word that Mr.. Campbell will
be heard from before the discussion OF
this subject has ended"
The episode will call 10 the minds OF
the readers Of the ISrELLloEScEn an
event OF tho last campaign, which at the
time stirred up considerable feeling
and caused much uneasiness among
Representative Wilson's party friends
in the Second district. The ailida.
Wit which aroused the irc OF Messrs.
Wilson and Bynum, and which
has caused them after nearly two
years TO charge It's author with perjury,
was procured from Mr.. Campbell by the
ISTELLlGESCER in the Fall of 1883, and
was extensively copied in the newspa.
pers throughout Mr.. Wilson's district.
The manner in which it came about
is briefly reviewed BY the Pittsburgh
Commercial Ga-tite, as follows:
Mr.. Campbell was yilliGed by Demo.
cratic newspapers ior being instrumental
in having the Window.G Glass Workers
Association iudorse the Republican Ma
tlonal ticket, and put speakers in the
field to support it. In explanation Of
his acts he issued 4 card in which he
gave reasons why he left the Democratic
party. One OF those reasons was that rs
a member OF the Knights OF Labor Leeis-
lative Committee ut Washington he had
appeared before the Democratic Ways
and Means Committee to protest against
u reduction OF the tariff on window.glass.
Messrs. Bynum and Wilson both paid
SIS n month was good wages for glass.
workers.
Mr.. Campbell frs. published this state
ment on March 7, 1855, before the Ma.
tional campaign commenced and while
he was still nominally Democrat. 1t
was not denied then. September IS,
1883, he caused it to be republished, and
as tho newspapers in West Virginia and
Indiana used it against both Dynum
and Wilson, they branded it as a lie.
Mr.. Campbell then gave them the lie by
making oath to the truth OF the state
ment. Thetwo Congressman announced
with great flourish OF trumpcts that they
were going prosecute Mr.. Campbell for
perjury, also that they would make oath
that they never made the remarks at
trlbuted to them in Mr.. Campbell's
sworn statement. Their aflidavits never
appeared, nor was Mr.. Campbell arrested
for perjury.
Mr.. Wilson, it will be remembered,
was in very uncomfortable position for
awhile and was only too glad to allow
the matter to drow into obscurity. Now
that he has called it up ofhis own accord,
he must take the consequences, for il
Mr.. Campbell is the man we take him to
be, he will not tamely submit to being
branded as liar and periurer. Indeed,
he is quoted in Pittsburgh paper as
saying: II am ready at any time to de.
'end mysclfasainstany attacks that may
be made on me in connection with this
matter, and know that can show that
everything l said was correct in every
!
In view OF the history oil the case it |
seems that Mr.. Campbell has decidedly |
the best OF the situation. lie is quite as
worthy Of belief rs are those who have
assaulted him, and enjoys reputation Tor
veraclty among ali who know him. The
lact that Messrs. Bynum and Wilson are
leading members OF Congress, while Mr..
Campbell il only workingman, should
not govern the public in passing judl-
ment. Mr.. Campbell hes made solen n
oath to his statements; the others have
not made oath TO theirs, nor have they
prosecuted Mr.. Campbell for perjury.
A simple and unsupported denial does
not stand against an affidavit in court of
law nor III public estimation, and many
people will believe that Messrs. Bynum
and Wilson, the two great apostles OF
Free Trade, did say that Sis month was
good wages for glass workers-until they
1t least place themselves on the same
ooting with their accuser.