The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-01-25
FLEMING AND HIS COUNSEL
Are the First to Congratulate
Golf Oh the Greatest Effort
Of His Life.
ASpeech That Shakes tho Confidence Of
Partisan lIcnlocrats-lle Appeals In
Vain 10 Them to Relute Ills
SlattmcntS-A Memorable
f)ay in the History Of
West virginia.

CHARLESTON, Jan. 24.-No Democrat
in Charleston Tonight thinks General
Coil hurt his case by appearing in it.
Now that it is all over it seems even to
his political foes the most natural and
proper thing that he should have stood
where he did for the purpose which
brought him there. By common con-
sent no proprieties have been violated;
decency has not been outraged by his
appearance in his argument or appeal.
lie had not gone fur before he had
blunted the edge OF the criticism to,
which he had been subjected in advance.
lie may be criticised more sharply. by
those who did not hear aud will not
read what he said, but those who we're
on the spot using that weapon have cast
it into the junk heap. i.
He did not appear, nor ever intended
TO appear, for Nathan GoG. He appear
ed Tor the men who voted for him, for
the honest men who voted for Judge
Fleming, for all the men who voted IN
West Virginia, aud for the form OF gov
ernment under which they voted.
A GREAT EFFORT. ..5a
by his MANNER, ms well as byhis words,
he at once and completely diyested the
cause OF his personality, and all person.
aliiy. II it be said, as truly lit may be
said, that the argument was the finest
intellectual effort Of his life, the excep.
tional opportunity and responsibility
will account for the exceptional tri-
unrh. He embraced the great oppor-
tunity and discharged magniticently the
grave responsibility. A half success
would have been disastrous failure,
Strong partisans OF Judge Fleming say
he got ont OF his case all that was in it.
Ills effort could have no higher praise.
Democrats, who are not so one.sided,
have said in my hearing, and said to me,
that they arc at loss to know what
Judge Flcming's counsel and Chairman
kee are going to do about it.
GorF SURPRISED THEM.
The address was n surprise; not be.
cause OF its entire good nature; not be.
cause Of its elcquence; not because Of
the charm OF its general style-all o.
which was e1pected-but because OF the
thorough mastery OF the case in its min,
utest details; the experts cold critical
analysis and the manner in which he
tore down piece by piece the house oi
cards and then ripped out its shallow
foundations. Democrats Ind predicted
tha. Coll would rely on his power to
capiivate aud be satisfied with the pass.
ing triumph OF applause from the gal,
leries. i51r''N. ;.
Republicans feared that confidence in
his cause and in the fairness OF the court
might take the place OF the patient labor
necessary to a thorough acquaintance
with al that has been done and left un.
done in the casp. Still the prophecy
went down along with friendly appre.
hension. Gof was master OF his case
and OF himself. The applause which
broke ont Mt the last in the galleries
broke out because those men could not
longer restrain themselves. The highest
tribute is the deep impression made on
unwilling resisting minds by that su.
perb argument, the application Of the
-1a4>se IS mid down in the majority's owr
report, to the majority's evidence, ant
no less to its striking lack OF evidence.
MANY DEMOCRATS SHAKEN. ,3.5
That this has shaken Democrats VIII.
will vote in this case is so notoriousl.
true that it would be idle for the sake Q
policy to deny it. Everybody here know
il. Everybody is talking abont it. TIL
managers ior the contestant are at n los
to know Just what to do about it.. Other
are asking what they can do about it.
A vote challenged. There Is no evl
dence to show that the vote was bad, n
evidence to show that the vote wa
polled for Gofl. In some cases ther
was no evidence to show that the yot
Was pollGd at all. On this lack Of ev
deuce n vote is taken away from GOT
Here is Golf asking members ofa coul
who call themselves honest to put ths
vote back where it belongs. To restor
it 10 him, to the lawful voter who polle
It, and to the people Of West Yirgini
from whom 1t has wrongfully been takel
II this be not true statement prove
false. There is the evidence.
THEY CANNOT ANswER uIN. s.
There stands Golf awaiting the accep
ance OF tho challenge. He utters it agai
and again. Will counsel take up tn
gauntlet? Will any Of the majorit
committee? Never. VIII anybody ~
him battle while he Is in the lis
with the right to strike bacE2 Not on
The silence is profound, omin ous;
dropping OF pin could be heard. Ne
and women look at each other. Still I
answer. What are they going to :