New-York tribune., 1890-01-13
GOFF OR FLEMING?
THE WEST VIRGINIA GOvERNoRSHlP CON
TEST TO BE SETTLED.
THE LEGISLATURE CALLED TO MEET ON JAN
UAEY 1j-HIsToBY OF THE DEMOCRATIC

UAEY 1J-HISTOBY OF THE DEMOCHAI4O
CONSPIRACY.
ryBoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
Wheeling W. Va, Jan. AS Acun. U0vcrhor
Wilson has called the Legislature 10 meet on the 11h
of this month 30 settle the vexed Gubernatoral ques
ton the details of this celebrated contest. from the
ballot box 10 the elimination Of the Democratic con
spracy when the Bourbon caba al Charleston refused
10 open and publish the returns required by the
constitution, may well be recalled TO mind. As is
well known, General Gof elected Governor Of this
state at the same time General Harrison was chosen
President Of the United states. by plurality OF ITO
votes over Judge Fleming, his opponent. General
Cot had made brilliant canvass. lie had Ma
tlonal as we'll as reputation, and few better
equipped speakers appeared in political strug
gle Judge Fleming. at the time of his nomination
was an sy-goinG upright and just Circuit Judge.
with qualifications for battle royal Ills eXperi-
ence in public affairs confined to charging lures
and sentencing delinquents OF the law III country
courts. GoG brilliant and aggressive. Fleming
was tmid and retiring. When the campaign opened
Fleming was challenged TO joint debate with Gof.
but the Democratic Committee was reluctantly com
PEELED 10 admit that their candidate didn't know as
much about state and National affairs as a cat did
about astronomy. To wrggle out Of this Illuminating
predicament. they proposed 10 pit against Goa the
ultra frcetrade Congressman OF the lid District the
Hon William L. Wilson. General Goh could have
I
but he waived all techncaities. and Wilson entered
the lists as Flemings proxy. In the meantime the
Democratic Committee ordered Fleming into an
innocuous solitude. In the Joint debates between
GoG and Wilson the latter was badly wor-tcd
The election took place. passing OF without any con
fic and fair every respect. When the counting Of
the ballots had been completed it discovered that
Gof had been elected. Then it was that the ca0a
was instituted and the conspratOr, cad tgether
and the ylany of manipulating the returns was be
gun In spite Of all their chicanery. however ton
was st 40 votes ahead Of his opponent on the face
Of the returns. At first Judge Fleming was disposed
to submit t. the VIII Of the people. but he WAS finally
coddcd into halfhearcd acQuicscence with the plans
Of the con,plrata,s to prevent GCf from being de
clared Governor.
The Democratic situation desperate. After
many conferences il was decided 10 prevent the open
ing and publishing of the returns If possible 1t had
not been the pleasure Of the people to eject Fleming
the cahal must 20 to work and throw out enough
votes to defeat to, popular will The first a.; III the
conspiracy was accomplished when the Legislature
met last January. Tie Hon. Joseph !. Woods, oi
Ohio County speaker Of the House OF Delegates
While i'm the chair. 10y "a series Of unheardof decisions
I'm direct ViOlatios II the plain and simple mdhda"H
4 the Constitution. he subvcred the viii OF the people
10 the dictates Of vicious and unpTlncIpled caucus
The returns were not opened and published a.
required by the Constitution. They were laid aside
and a committee appointed to "lnvesuealc the
charge, Of fraud. The oouspirat1rs having shown
their hands before, everybody knew what an IN
vest CATION meant.
When thl, course had been decided on a large nnm
bc Of Democrat, from all parts Of the state denounced
tho action in explicit terms. After speaker Noois
la made hi, famous decision that there was a
quorum present and voting when il "a> very cifh
that there was not, speaker Eu-tacc Gibson eN
Congress man from the lNth District Democf" oi
the most pronounced tyne met him DO hotel lobby
..fr f.s..- trs fp'
had committed a vlon, against not Only himself
but the Constitution. Woods PLEADED in cStenuauoh
that he had 10 DO the bidding Of he caucus Caucus
he d. .ad Gu, son. DO yol s-p.os' that Won
lei any caucu, come between me ,nd my oath to
support the Constitution cor was elected ana thd'
result ou.!t T. have been declared
=, spe.ser Rowan. Of Monroe County. a bourbon Of
porrlr. wa, ais, rather warm in h- druun'oton u
sneaker Woods rul.u-,. I'm language orn"eY
decorated with profaue hlcrec hc declared Il would
have ohcycd the Constitution Il D. had split the
Democratic party into million fragment.
Int the farce lad been PLAYED and The con-
.pir.,,or, were rubbing their inscription, hands with
-lo.. The 4th u March. l--o rolled around and
both GoN and Fleming took The oath ~ oMce. but
Governor WILSON, arro-nus 10 himself powers he dii
not have. held the Gubcmatorlal fort pending 'Ae
-iuvc-tication.~ lie ha, thus for wear enlovei an
Office whlch he had right 10. II" has not onl7
done tli, but he ha, issued certificate 10 three
n,,,o,rtc Coug-cs-mcn Who were not elected. This
va, orc os the object Of the Bourbon cabal.
,ouece Of the conspiracy which kept con ont 81 the
/ Governor, chair And wilson dd not stop her.
.riere vcrc .ofnc appointments 10 make. D!d this
tltin. Governor have the courtesy to allow
,h.r q, ~, legally elected Executive Not much.
"a" ..upoined a labor commissioner. superintendent
II thr pcutcntlary. ana filed vacancy on 'h' ~
rpr5hatlc that he Lad 10 warrant in law to MAKE
these appointments and when re Lesi>ia.u'r 'g, ner
( lie senate will In all likelihood refuse L" '"nItm i
them. such are The u,urpAtion], ] uits v."~eI1 I can
nui nf ihc ONCE % V vhicl ne Wss elected
~ T. the invc- ugdt!hg committee "h'h % lyr a "a
nnmper Of months c aa have wen ro Gi.coverd any on
the Republican ,ide. because there wa, none. h.n
thcv have arbitrarily refused TO recognize some very
plain "a of frand On the Demo, a.. IN, Snr' n -
wa 10 have been expected. have diigch'N thFoNn
that election Lew ana stringent law va, IN ior.e,
tie entire election machinery wa III pcino'ralo rail-
on hand in every doubtful polling district and yet
I,ot. vcr. coni,f1d. rhc tsoublc va, Wc-i virginia
swinging into the Inc Of advanced ideas and more
/ eI,errctic civilization. the Bourbon mos of
decade, was decaying under the tramp oi !igs'r'
81 The conspiracy wa, hatched fcttcr the state %
the old Idols Of Bourhon,m and keep II IN the darE
uc,s Of -taeuatou and industrial inactivity from winch
Il was irving 10 emerge.
Tls alle-cd Investigating committee potteref around
for months drawing li~ life 10 the utmost hour.
and for what Another scheme Of the cahaI some
If The Democratic member, Of thc Leg Stature were
tfeir constituents since their return home and the
whole fabric ~ the conspiracy WaH decidedly 'lahF
something must he done and the secretary Of state
Henry walker ul- man {" do u. VI" triv"r-"d
| the state - fix" the uncertain members ana
Strengthen the weak The work ~ the committ"" was
retarded that he might have time {" accomplish ms
end before the Governor called the Legislature His
/ motive, were selfish. II Fleming wa declared GOV
crrOr he would e' be- rca ned A. secretary Of state
/ Vf, Wa his share Of the milk u a." cOcoa-
/ nut Vow that tne Governor ha, called the
/ r.lafurp 10 meet Januarr l.. II j.
,l-urucd that he ha- accomplished h@ object walkers
! INC hand has been scer iu every rofe II Is now
o question Whether there viii 'c enough se!trcsp" ting
Democrats in the LEGISLATURE 10 r"uhc tho" SchrWns
polittcrin- who have brought thi- stain
mo STAFF II fhe intention 81 ihe party leaders 10
.oat Fleming In sp.fr of public opinion. II they snc
coed fllcir dav OF wrath J, not far distant. West
Virginia is taking wonderful strides toward develop.
r hnr vae. resources. iIcr forests hoiHg p"no
frated ~ iailroad. and er y1lcr, are hcng hehtHi