Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-01-24

vote, unless that vote was tainted by fraud.
II the members Of the assembly voted for
the report OF the msj ority of the committee,
they would commit more fraud than al
the fraud and corruption proven in the
State. Add the split voucher box OF Ka-
naSha 10 the purlOined ballot box OF Wet
eel, and that would not have been fraud as
great as would be the Acknowledgement OF
these 20 voters.
The Outrsges in Ksnawha were merely
brushed over in passing, and the Republi-
can advocate turned his attention TO the
Mercer and Mcdowell cases. In approach
ing this division of the subject, he declar-
ed that the charge had been made that
herds Of negroes had been brought from
Virginia and voted wholesale in Mercer
and Mcdowell counties. There was a
time when some people were trying to
persuade themselves that Judge Fleming
had been elected when this was not so.
He then read newspaper extracts, not
stating whence they came, in which the
belief was proclaimed taat Fleming had
been elected and 'Goff bOodle' had not
been successful. There was never fouuda-
of these statements. The only theory on
which they could be explained was that a
far-resching conspiracy bsd been forMed by
great and small to nullify the election and
seat the defeated candidate. The commit
tee report showed that in 1888 the devel'
Opment of the material interests Of Mercer
county was begun. Between 1888 and
and 1888, six eOllieries had been started in
that and Mcdowell county.
NEARLY EVERY MAN
that came into that territory was Repue-
lican. Their workmen were Republicans
How then could it be otherwise than some
Of these men would acquire citizenship,
and that their votes would wipe out the
old time Democratic majoritles in I hese
counties.
After this general statement of the case
the speaker read the msjority report so far
as it bore on Mercer and Mcdowell. A
copy Of the evidence taken in these counties
had been printed. He had examined it,
and he found no evidence to sustain
single material statement of fact made by
the committee. He dsfed any one to
produce such evidence.
Col. s.. Clair here arose and stated to Mr..
Hubbard that he would show him
the evidence in proper time; and a few
heated remarks passed between the two
counsellors. Mr. Hubbard continued at
some length, denOuncipg the report In
general statements and then took up par
tioular clauses. He declared that the re-
port was incorporating the facts when 1t
SAID that the evidence showed that the
negroes we're migratory in their habits.
Hundreds of them had lived in West
Virginia Tor years, and he could show thst
men who had lived and worked in West
Virginia from November, 1888, to Novem-
Der, 1888, had been denied ballot by the
committee. The committee said that none
OF these negroes had ever acquired proper
ty. Was that proof Of nOn-resldence? a
property qualification was not necessary
FOR the exercise of the ballot in this State.
The committee said that
UNLESS THE NAMES
of these negroes we're found on one or more
nay rolls the entire year preceding the
election. it was proof that they we're non
residents. By the same test over one
thousand legsl voters would be dlsiran-
c5ised in Mercer county slone. The com
mittee said the pay rolls of the Southwest
Coal Company showed that large number
Of negroes hsed and worked in Virginia,
et voted in Wee. Virginia. What was the
proof that these men were the sameP 1t
was notorious that there we're many col
ored men of the same names, and the iden-
tiiy of these voters had not been estsb-
hshed.
Mr. Hubbard then entered into long
snsiysis Of individual cases to prove that
in several Instances there were two men
gith the same name working IN the
colleries. he followed this with another
argument based on particular names
selected from the poll lists, designed to
show thst the votes OF several illegal voters
were taken from Gen. GOff when 1t was not
proven that they had ever voted at all.
He closed his argument with an assault on
the validity Of the Virginia registration
lists ss proof tat person named IN them
would be sn illegal voter in West Virginia
Mr.. Hubbard closed his address with
few soiemu and well chosen words i'm
pressing on the assembly the Importance
Of the case, and the necessity OF jnst de-
ciqion. He had been speaking exactly
i've hears. A motion 10 adjourn was car
red aEd the wesried Legislators soon
thinned out OF the ball.