The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1891-12-19

SIR:--In the issue of the fnte1i-
gencer of the 2Sth an editorial APP
pears under the title of Political
Theft as Fine Art" calls attention
ito what it terms the recent theft of
"the Goyernorship of West Virginia
"by the Democratic Legislature, the
celebrated Tive performance of the
''late Governor Wilson, of this state,
THE same year, and the rape of the
"Wetzel county ballot boxes in the
"First Congressional District, all Of
(which outrages attracted nation
cal attention. and concludes with,
The honest citizens OF West Virgin
''ia will he gwen the opportunity
next year to rebuke these wrongs.
Is II possible that the editor of the
Inteliigeacer has forgotten that the
honest citizens of West Virginia have
had the opportunity for which he
longs and that these charges were
passed upon at the last general cleo.
ton in this State? Does he not re.
member that the Republican party
platform of 1890 made these social
ed outrages sn important issue?
Does he not reflect that General Ma
than Gof. the defeated candidate for
the Governorship, canvassed the en-
tire State just before the last election
and in each of his tlowery talks de
voted at least an hour of his eloquent
discourses about his wrongs and to
earnest appeals FOR his own vindica-
ton? Does he overlook the fact that
the good people of West Virginia
met this issue at the polls in 1890
and indicated General Golf aud the
Republican party by majority of
S,337 votes for the Democratic tick.
ct? the largest majority in more than
ten years.
Did he not hear Hon. w. p. Hub
bard, chief counsel of General Golf
in the gubernatorial contest, in his
candidacy for Congress in the First
district, so often carried by General
Goff, make an appeal for his election
as vindication of his party and as
a rebuke to the faithful old county
of Wetzel? Was he ever told this
appeal was answered by majority
Of GAS votes for his opponent, Hon.
John o. Pendleton, while General j.
w. St Clair, chief counsel for Gov
ernor Fleming, at the same election
was sent to the State Senate by a
majority of 2,270 votes, more than
five times that Of the proceeding
election.
In the counties where the Demo
cratic members of the Contest Com
mittee resided, the Democratic ma
jorities were largely increased; in the
counties where the Republican mem
bers of the same committee resided
the Republican majorities were large
~ decreased. Judge Edwin Max
well, Republican member of the
Contest Committee, author of the
minority report, and resident OF
General Colts own county, was also
candidate for reelection and vim.
dication in Republican Senatorial
district, and, although four years be.
fore he received majority Of more
than 600 votes, he, too, was vindica-
ted by a majority Of 222 votes in IA
yor Of his opponent, Hon. Orlando
Hardman, Calhoun Democrat OF
Calhoan county The Republican
majority OF Harrison county, the
home of General Golf, was reduced
about one-half; the Democratic ma.
jority Of Marion county, the home Of
Governor Fleming, WAS tripled The
county Of Mercer, where the imported
negroes voted in 1888, and gave Gen
eral GeH his supposed majority, vim
Dictated Republican pretenscs by a
majority Of several hundred Demo
cratic votes, and sent to the LegisIa
ture of 1891 Democratic represen-
tatiye. In the county of Kanawha
where the alleged frauds were SC
great as to make it impossible fol
Kanawha's famous County Court tc
give to either Major McGinnis OF
General Golf a certificate which al
honest circuit judge, though Re
publican, would allow to stand, in
1890 gave its response to these calls
for vindication ny electing every
Democrat on the ticket save tn,
clerk of the Circuit Court.
In the Legislature of 1889, elected
in 1888, the Democrats had but one
majority on joint ballot; in the Leg
islaturo of 1891, elected in 1890, t.
vindicate General Golf and his party
the Democrats had majority o.
thirty-one on joint ballot. Thus it viii
be seen that the vindication consis
ted in the loss of thirty Republican
members of the Legislature, whose
places were supplied with tried ane
true Democrats.
In 1890 the State responded to thai
appeal by sending a solidly Demo
cratic delegation to Congress. Hon
John ID. Anderson, after having his
seat contested on questions vital te
the gubernatorial contest, was re
turned to his seat by q majority O
4,655 votes.
1t must be remembered that in the
contest for that seat inaugurated by
Major McGinnis, Mr., Alderson's pc
sition was all fours, tie same as that
of Gov. Fleming liz his Gulernator
ial contest; and that the Republican
House Of Representatives. though
anxious for safe working majority
with which to pass the Mckinley
and Force bills, and after having I'm
seated a large number of Democrats
because their majorities were either
too large or too small, refused to IN
seat Mr. Anderson even in the face oil
the personal appeal Of General COT
thst their failure to do so would be
accepted all over the land as JUST
fication of the result of the Guberna
torial contest.
Can the fatelligencer deny thai
the honest citizens of West VIRGINS