The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-02-07
TIE WEST VIRGINIA DISGRACE.

TIE WEST VIRGINIA DISGRACE. |
Opinion Of mn Eastern Newspnpcr-Dcmo.
; &, Gratis Have Now Time to Reflect.
Philadelphia Press.
After fifteen months Of delay the West
Virginia Democrats have at last con.
summated the steal OF the Governorship
Of that State. by the vote OF the Lcgis.
lature in joint session Tuesday Elem.
ing, the Democratic candidate, was de-
clared elected and he will be seated.
This ends the long farce OF m investiga.
ton by n committee and trial before
tho Legislature. No ono who has KEEP.
track OF tho case has eyer had any hope
that the decision would DO other than
the ono rendered Tuesday. Tho inves.
tigation and the trial were simply n do.
vice for giving the Democrats q plausi.
bio excuse for multiplying the will OF the
people, and they have accomplished
their purpose.
Political events move rapidly In this
country, and II Is dillicnll for people to
keep track OF contest covering so long
u space OF time rs the one which has Just
closed In West Virginia. 1t Is to be
hoped, however, that the leading facts OF
this remarkable case are still fresh In the
public mind. In recalling 1t, 1t Is well
to remember that the whole election INA.
chincry OF West Virginia was, and still Is,
in the hands OF the Democrats. But,
notwithstanding this fact, the returns
showed In November, 1883, n plurality OF
10 votes for General Col. The effort
OF the Democrats since that fact was u.s.
certained has been directed towards over.
coming this plurality. They have nc.
complished 1t at last, but at a cost to
themselves which must be fatal, II there
is any honesty and intelligence among
| the people OF West Virginia.
The first claim Of tho Democrats was
that gross frauds and corruptions had
been committed by the Republicans.
How this could have occurred when the
Democrats had full control OF the ~.
ceiying and the counting Of tho votes
they have never explained. No proof
has ever been elected OF these charges,
and the Democrats were compelled to
fall back on technical claims OF irregu.
larities In order to manufacture q plur.
ality OF 240 for Fleming. Tho speeches
Of General Golf and his counsel before
the Legislature showed to what devices
the Democrats fcsorted. Pay-rolls Of
manufacturing establishments were
taken, and II the name OF some colored
man was not found on them for year
before the election, no was declared not
to have been n citizen and his vote was
subtraetcd from the Republican total,
because, as 4 Democrat remarked, "col.
ored men have the reputation Of being
Republicans" Other votes were taken
from Coils total, although it was never
shown that the alleged illegal voter had
voted ior GolT, or in fact voted at all,
| Even in this way the Democrats were
not able to throw out enough votes to
seat their candidate. They were com
PEELED to dsiranchise lifelong and
widely.known residents OF the State in
order to do it. And after all the techni.
calities and subterfuges had been taken
advantage OF aud the whole State had
| been raked Tor evidence OF Republican
fraud, the Democrats were able to claim
only pitiful plurality OF 240 votes for
their candidate. A more miserable con-
lesion that their claims OF fraud were
groundless could hardly have been made.
And when the report OF the 1nyestient.
ing Committee, with u majority OF
Democrats on it, had been made I'm it
was found to be so weak that it had to
be bolstered up by garblcd statements
before it was sent out to the world. But
the last trick was the most despicable OF
all. Fearing that the strong and clear
case OF the Republicans might have con-
WINGED some conscientious Democrat, n
charge OF bribery was trumped up in or.
der to frighten Democrats and keep
their ranks solid. 1t did not matter that
the man who made the charge broke
down utterly under examination and
confessed that he did not know what
was in the statement he signed, the
trick accomplished its purpose and held
the Democratic vote together.
Now that the contest is ended the
Democrats will have time to reflect and
ask themselves whether the transaction
will pay them. They have seated their
candidate for Governor, but they have
given the country one Of the most con.
spicuous and convincing evidences OF
fraud that the record affords. They
lave shown the nation that they are
willing to disregard the results Of an
election conducted by themselves il
those results are not in accordance with
their wishes. The Republicans OF West
Virginia, by their brave contest before n
packed Legislative court, have compelled
the Democrats to make these confessions
and to exhibit their real animus before
the world. There is another jury, how
ever, besides the Democratic Legislature
OF West Virginia, and that jury is the
intelligent, tair.minded people OF this
country, and this case will now 60 to
that tribunal. 1t will not take that jury
long to decide that if the methods which
the West Virginia Democrats have taken
to seat Governor aud to secure certiti.
Gates for three Congressman from that
State are to be permitted then the ex.
pertinent OF free, representative govern
ment might as well be abandoned in this
country.