Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-02-01
THE LEGISLATURE.
GoFF SPEAKS!
AN ELOQUENT, DIGNIFIED, STATES
MANLIKE ARGUMENT OF THE
CASE HEARD WITH INTER
EST
A Speech That Shakes the Confidence
of Partisan Democrdts--He APP.
peals in Vain to Them to RefNte
His Statements--A Memorable
Day in the History Of West
Virginia.

H1tNt~'
CHARLESTON Jan. 24.-No Dem
ocrat in Charleston tonight thinks
Golf hurt his case by appearing in
it. He did not appear, nor ever in
tended to appear, for Nathan Golf.
He appeared for the men who voted
for Judge Fleming, for all the men
who voted in West Virginia, and for
the form of government under
which they voted.
MANY DEMOCRATS SHAKEN.
That this has shaken Democrats
who will vote IN this case is so
VIGOROUSLY true that it would be
idle for the sake of policy to deny it.
Everybody here knows it. Every
body is talking about it. The man
ayers for the contestant are at loss
to know Just what to do about it.
Others are asking what they can do
about it.
A vote challenged. There is no
evidence to show that the vote was
bad, no evidence to show that the
vote was polled for Golf. In some
cases there was no evidence to show
that the vote was polled at all. On
this lack of evidence vote is taken
away from Golf. Here is Golf asking
members of court who call them
selves honest to put that vote back
where it belongs. To restore it to
him, to the lawful voter who polled
it, and to the people of West Virginia
from whom it has wrongfully been
taken. If this be not true state.
meut prove it false. There is the
evidence.
THEY CANNOT ANSWER HIM.
There stands Golf awaiting the
acceptance of the challenge. He
utters it again and again. Will
counsel take up the gauntlet Will
any of the majority committee
Never.
A MOVING SCENE.
The first to congratulate Golf on
his fine argument was Colonel st
Clair, of counsel for the other side
Next came Judge Fleming, saying
he did not, of course, admit Goff7t
statements, but be desired to con
graduate him on his argument and
to express his appreciation of the
kind and friendly terms in which
Golf had spoken Of him. This was
a generous and gentlemanly treat
ment. Those who saw admired it
and were pleased with the scene.
Tableaux-Contestant and contes
tee standing as friends at the bar o.
the court that was trying their case
standing there shaking hands. A
worthy example for their followers
THE PEOPLES CAUSE.
This, then, is not my controversy
| have endeavored for the past
eighteen months simply to perform
that which my fellow citizens bad
commanded me to do. appear loI
the 10000 voters of West Virginia
who in November, 1888, elected me
Governor of this State. / appear
before this court to present their
claims and to show you by the law
and the evidence that | am to-day
entitled to occupy the Governors
chair.
This court meets for the first time
in the history of the State. God
grant it may meet never again. Other
courts may go wrong and may be
corrected. From you, gentlemen,
there is no appeal. The constitution
has reposed in you that awful re.
sponsibility which has come never
before to the Legislature of this
State. If you commit wrong it is
upon the constitution and all the
people of the State. The question
is not whom you want to be Cover
nor. 1t is whom did the people of
West Virginia elect in November,
1888. If they elected Judge Elem
ing it is your duty to say so.
THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.
The campaign of 1888 was the most
extraordinary in the history of your
State.
When the ballots had been count
ed, from every county almost, the
cry went up, "Goff is elected !" He
is elected by " fraud" | felt it as
geenly as you could feel censure.
God knows had sought the office
under no such circumstances, and ]
felt that if evidence disclosed that
these charges we're true, ! should
not occupy the Office of Governor OF
this State, and that my party was
not entitled to serve the people Of
this State.
CHARGES OF FRAUD UNTRUE.
In many a public place have |
felt my blood pulsate the quicker
when men have asked mo if these
charges against my State were true.
l denied it. repudiated it. have
defended my opponents as well as
my frie3ds. | have Indignantly
told them that the people of West
Virginia have done no fraud. Judge
Fleming charged that in this State
illegal votes had been cast for Golf.
Where were the repeaterSf Where
were the carloads OF unlawful voters
They we're not even charged here.
REJOICED AT THE OUTCOME.
am glad of what has been done.
[ can now hurl back the charge
made against the people love. l
had assumed the obligations placed
upon me by the freemen Of West
Virginia. felt that it was IA sum-
mons and recognized its authority.
| am going to defend Judge Elem
ing against the accusation of his
friends. Then came another duty
to take that Office if could, leaving
the courts to decide. / wanted no
trouble and endeavored to so ar
range the complicated situation that
we might move on side by side,
build up our homes and add to our
happiness. This was not done in
the night time.
ACTION OF SUPREME COURT.
That the Supreme Court held that
was not entitled to exercise the