The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-11-03
ole Sntelligcutcr,
:ics Nos. 20 and 81 Foarternth strest.
gESW0VDS CHARTER,

MIR. linbbnrd's Position At that Time Dc
ilntd by Ono who was There.
To he Editor ofhe In.elli0tnter.
siR:-An effort Is beingmade to lnjurt
the candidacy Of Mr.. Hubbard, Republi
can candidate for Congress, because o.
his course In the Legislature OF 1851.
towards tho Benwood charter bill. AT
the patron Of the bill, and having before
mo about all OF tho facts in the way Of
printed evidence MS we'll as the written
petitions aud signatures OF those who
favored and OF those who opposed the
Dill !; and remembering well those who
took part In favor OF or IN opposition 10
ihe measure, | consider It my duty, In
justice to Mr.. Hubbard, 10 make state.
inent Of some facts. The bill was intro.
duced February IS, 1881, aud passed
February %, 1882. Three hundred aud
ten bona fde resident voters and tar.
payera within the district prescribed,
ttty OF them real estate owners, petition.
ed Tor the passage Of the bill; forty.nine
resident voters and taxpayers, twenty.
ionr OF whom were owners OF real estate
alued at S95,970, were remons,rant DO.
titloners. In addition 10 the remon.
atrants, residents OF Btnwood, there
were several hundred non.residents,
owners Of real estate or OF stock in the
mil Is or railroads within the limits pre.
sctibed, who opposed the bill.
Tho members OF the HousU Of Dele.
gates for Ohio county were Messrs.
Hubbard, kepner, Seabright and Nc.
Nell. alessrs. Seabright aud Kepner
were in favor OF the bill; Mr.. Mcneil
opposed 1t. Mr.. Hubbard several times
stated to mo that he was not opposing
the measure, but was opposed to several
Of its provisions, and would vote for the
bill II amended. The bill on It's third
reading passed the house with.
out q dissenting vote, and also passed tho
Senate without opposition. The amend.
nient offered by Mr.. Hubbard to allow
nonresident owners Of real estate or OF
stock to the value OF ono thousanl dol.
lara to vote at municipal elections, was
advocated by other members, and Mr..
Morrow, Of Marion, md Mr.. MoGat, OF
Pocahontas, spoke in favor OF the amend.
nent offered.
Since the passage OF the act number
OF elections have come and passed, both
local. county and State, and no one here
In Benwood, when q candidate for a
local office, has ever Loaf vote for rea.
son Of his opposition to the passage OF
the city enarter bill, and candidates for
State offices, who did everything to de.
feat the measure from the time it was
introduced, have received their full
party vote here and elsewhere, and Tor
reasons Of these fac.e, and many others
lido not state, trust that no one will
longer hold prejudice against Mr.. Hub.
bard or vote against him for reasons OF
MS course to carry the Benwood charter
bill. The amendment offered BY Mr..
Hubbard voiced the sentiment Of the
nany who opposed the passage OF the
act, and l believe was offered at their
instance, knowing as they did that the
bill wonid pass and become Il law. The
amendment to the bill, excmptine the
mill companies and other corporations
from paving around their works, was
agreed to by me, and the amendment
was right and Just.
In the Legislature al 1857, a bill 10
amend the Benwood charter was intro
duced. ! was the patron OF the bill.
The City Council and 30S lawful voters,
!esldents and taxpayers Of the city, peti.
iitloned for its passage. There was a
principle involved equal in importance
10 the people OF Benwood to any motion
offered to amend the charter before it
became u law. The bill was defeated on
It's third reading in the Senate after pass.
ing the House. Senator Sommerville,
Of Brooke county, and Senator Scott, of
Ohio county, opposed the bill; Gleason
and Garden, OF Ohio caunty, members OF
the House, opposed the bill; Whitaker
and Woods, Of Ohio county, members OF
the House, supported the bill. The
measure was opposed in the lobby and !
before the committees, as was the first
bill, by a number Of distinguished poll.
ticians, a number OF whom are now can
tidates for office.
In confusion, I must say that I |
have not written this article at the in
stance Of ar. Hubbard or any of bis
friends or supporters.
JOSIAH SINCLAIR.
Behlro0d, W. Va October 81, 1890,