Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-02-22
PORTRAIT
Transmitted to the State Through
Governor Fleming.
A HANDSOME TRIBUTE PAID
The Ssnator by Hon. Chauncsy T. Black in His
Letter 10 Governor Flsming-Ths Association
Of GlabS Appreciates Mr.. Faulkners Great
Work Agails; the Force Bill
spe4slT.Ieram TO lAs Ksgisssr.

WASHINGToN, Feb. 2O.-The hand
some portrait Of Senator Faulkner pre-
Sented TO the State of West Virginia by
the leading members of the National
Association Of Democratic Clubs,
which was shipped from this city yes
terday, will be delivered 70 Governor
Fleming at Charleston on Monday. 1t
is an admirable likeness Of the Senator
and was painted by a well known artist,
Mr.. Morgan, Of this city. IL Is half
length and shows the senator's lace
almost in profile. The features and eX-
preston are about as near per-
feet as art could make them, and
all who have seen the picture, agree
that IL is an excellent likeness. 1t Is
heavily framed in gilt and will be val
uable addition 10 the pictures in the
State Capitol. As already announced,
IL is presented to West Virginia in rec
ognition Of the Senator's invaluable SER
vices TO the party in aiding 70 defeat the
Force bill in the Fifty-hrst Congress.
The picture was accompanied 0y the
following letter from eX-Lieut. Cover
nor Black, President Of the National
Association of Democratic Clubs, which
explains fully the reasons OF its pre-
sentation:
10 he Hon. A. 3. Fleming, Governor Of
West VrgiHiG.
SE: The country beheld defantly de-
welcomed in the Fifty-frst Congress and
in the forms Of proposed law the most
daring and desperate plot against the
liberties OF the people that could possi-
blv be conceived. At no time In the his
tory of English North America was any
assault upon the rights Of free election,
so direct and crushing as this one, even
contemplated by any government, how
ever distant or hostile. In all the con-
troyersies with the mother coun-
trv the right Of the colonies
10 conduct their own elections
for representatives in their own assem-
bIies remained uuassailed. The impe-
rial government sent among US very
insolent agents, but they did not assume
10 supervise the suffrageS of the people,
or TO ascertain and certify results &C
cording to their pleasure. IL quartered
troops among some Of the inhabitants,
but il never proposed to distribute
them TO the polling places, nor TO put
them. in platOOnS, under the orders OF a
IlAlklLuA0 Va Az
paw of a Tory administration.
The Force Bill, matured and urged In
the last Congress, with every prospect
of success, was certainly without par
nllel in the annals Of English-Speaking
countries. 1t would have oyerthrown,
as IL was intended it should, our entire
constitutional system, leaving out
skeleton and a mOckery OF the instltu-
tions our forefathers supposed they had
established for all time. 1t would have
erected a stupendous political machine,
with almost unlimited means
of corruption and intimidation,
paid from the public funds
and welding the public forces, with
arms reaching into every election dis
trict, and fingers into every election
nrecinct and even into every household.
In would have tainted and prOstituted
the federal judiciary, assigning TO 1t an
uniudIcial function, and eXacting from
n partlciUation In the baSest partisan
service. Ii would have qUartered
a political party upon the COM
mon treasury and betrayed its
campalgn expenses from the proceeds
of common taxatiOn-expenses moder-
ately estimated at Sl5,OOO,OOO or So
600. 600, for each execution OF the law,
without note Of the inevitable popular
commotiOnS a measure so odlOus ana
tvrannicsl would necessarily have pro-
yoked and the consequent employment
Of the army in all parts Of the country.
II need hardly be said that the Force
Bill was obviously aud wholly uncon-
stItutional. Ii would, in fact, have
wrought the total SubverSlOn OF our
representative system, and IL was De-
cause il would have done so, that 1t
was brought forward by the desperate
chiefs Of the party overwhelmingly de-
feated i'm the elections Of the previous
wear. IL was based upon bold and in-
solent perverSion OF the proper power Of
Congress to regulate" elections In GER
tain contingencies and certain respects;
but instead Of regulating, il obtruded
a federal machine, maintained
nv Federal money and backed by Fed
eraI forces TO "hOld" the elections and
datermine the results. The suggestion
of the remotest possibility OF such an
abuse Of the power would have caused
tbr rejection of the Constitution. Even
the limited power TO regulate, in very
rsmote contingencies, alarmed our vigil
Iant ancestors. aud the Constitution was
ratified by the States with the distinct
understanding, and, in numerous iu-
stances, with the distinct declaration,
that il was 70 be exercised
only I'm default Of proper provision
nv the states themselves. Alexander
Hamilton, strongest for strong govern
. ha
coded power under any other clrcUm-
stances than those, or for any purpose
but 10 insure representation, when ac-
NAL default was imminent, would De
monstrOus wrong, which II was not
snnnosable could ever occur, but which,
if IN did occur, would certainly provoke
and amply Justify revolution.
RDt the Fifty-frSt Congress was ap-
,,orantlv In the hands of the enemies of
The Constitution ard Of the people. IL
Tss seemingly prepared for any uSur-
,erion upon the one or the other, which
tbe interests of corrupt political con-
soirators in COALITION with vast eom0i-
nation of business mOnOpOlieS, might
reouire. The fixed purpose was plainly
40 reimburse the mOnopOlieS for their
outlay in late election by tax laws in
ersasing their already enormous private
svaetions from the substance OF the
Deonle. and then TO perpetuate the
povisr Of the grasping coalition by a
svsssm of so-called elections which
Tonld strangle almost any conceivable
popular majority.
In the House this remarkable con-
snIracy against both the liberties aud
80 Droperty OF the country was com
49, . -,...assf,1 Thu mononoly Tariff