Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-10-21


so long as Republican success and bay
Onet rule stare US in the face we must
and will vote the Democratic ticket.
The minority say:
Although there are still occasional in
stances Of violence, this is no longer neces-
sary, because the laws are so framed that
the Democrats can keep themselves In pos
session Of the government IN every South
ern State. The details Of the laws OF the
various States differ, but the purpose OF all
is the same, etc.
Speaking for West Virginia and for
West Virginians, assert with all the
force and power which language can ex-
press, that so far as West Virginia Is
this declaration is not justi-
fed, and denounce it as SANDER upon
my State and her people. Tho election
laws Of that State, enacted by Demo
cratic Legislatures, ore conserya We,
broad, passed in q spirit OF fairness, and
intended TO guarantee 10 every qualified
voter the inalienable right 10 cast his
ballot for the candidates Of his choice.
The criticism is made against our
election laws, and with some degree OF
reason, that they are too liberal and Go
not guard sufficiently the elective fran
ChiSe; and | desire 10 say that the his
tory of the elections in that State, and
more especially in the recent past,
shows the danger to our people is that
our laws may not be sufficiently rigid TO
prevent, In many cases, the casting OF
illegal votes, and that the election
frauds committed have been committed
3 I oh ? o. N
the Republican politicians OF that State
that they have time and again endeay-
ored, by means OF illegal votes, TO place
that State in the Republican column.
In 1883, by preConcerted system OF IL
legal voting, the Republicans attempt
ed TO defeat the will OF our people. Re-
sort was had TO these methods in 1892
TO carry our State for the Republicans,
and it was only by means Of most dill
gent, active aud determined efforts that
IL was prevented.
The State was colonized with thous-
ands of illegal negro voters, and il was
with much difficulty and eXertiOn that
our State was prevented from being
turned over again to the tender mer-
c.es OF radicaIism. Gentlemen have
stated that the Federal election laws
are dead letters upon the statute
books. Sir, only last year,
ia our State, Republican Federal
officials demonstrated by their action
the danger to the people Of permitting
to remain in force the laws which we
now sack 10 repeal. The District At
torney and Marshal Of our State saw
proper to leave their homes and travel
hundreds Of miles into Republican
county and away from the Congress
sional district in which they resided,
and 20 lose their votes, In order, by
their presence aud action and the acts
of their miniOns, TO encourage, II not 10
induce Illegal voters 10 cast their bal
lots for the Republican candidates, and
thereby 10 carry q Congressional dis
tricc and State FOR the Republicans.
The action OF these Federal officials are
best explained in the following te'e-
grams AID letters aud sfidayits from
gentlemen of unimpeachabIe integrity.
These papers are copies Of dOuments on
file at the Department of Justice.
! send 20 the desk and ask TO have
read the letters and some documents in
this connection,
The Clerk read as follows:
CHARLESTON, W. VA, April g.
Ny DEAR SIR: inclose herewith CORE
spondence with DR.. W. Il. Jaeger promi-
uelt citizen Of Mcdowell county. who is
known TO yourself, and whom know to be
a GOOD citizen and whose statement Is en-
tiJei 10 the nigh est credit.
1t is due 20 YOU that / should state, as
Chairman Of the Democratic State Com
mit.ee, 1 had a good deal OF correspond
euea with Mr.. L. +. pierney, Chairman OF
the Democratic Executive Committee OF
Mcdowell county, in regard TO the action
OF Mr.. Surg,ss, the District Attorney, and
Mr. White, United States marshall, ut the
election in 1872.
The DAY before the election 1 received a
telegram from Mr.. Tierney, stating IN sub
stance that Mr. White, his deputies, ana
Mr. Sturgiss were present at the polls.
,hereupon sent telegram 10 Mr.. Tlerney,
urging MIN 20 90 all in his power to main
tain order. and to see that only the legal
vote of that county was cast. l lnclOse
YOU newspaper account OF that CORE
spoudencc, which, Of course, was by tele-
gram.
The known fact in our State that the
Republican party intended at the election
OF 1892 10 repeat the OutrageS upon the bal
lOt box so successfully exposed by US IN
1855. caused me TO pas close and careful at
iectioa 20 that county. We not only had
the entire vote listed, but we caused to oe
made u list Of illegal voters In the county
whom we suspected the Republicans
would attempt 10 vote at the election, ana
placed these lists ia the hands Of the couu-
a .. 1rrlif
Irursrs AT each one of the voting places.
Before placing these lists in their hands
we had carefully prepared. by experienced
men. a short history Of these illegal voters,
showing when they came into this State,
how long they had been in the State, and
the reasons why they were not under the
laws Of West Virginia legal voters
I desire TO say, further, that after the
election had q congregation with District
Attorney Sturgiss, il which be told me
that he had been present in Mcdowell
county at the election In 1892.
Yours, very truly,
W. &. Chiffon.
Hon. John D. Anderson, Washington, D.
c.
Mr.. Alderson-Nr. Speaker, the resi-
due of this correspondence and accom-
panying papers, which are somewhat
yo!uminouS, will not ask 70 have read
at this time II consent is given that l
NAV insert the contents in the Record.
The Speaker pro tcmDOrc- Is there
objection to the gentleman from West
Virginia inserting in the Record the
correspondence and papers, part Of
which has been read.
There was no objection.
The documents are as follows:
CHARLESTON, w. VA, April 8, 1898.
DEAR SR:-Seeing that you are in
Charleston, and knowing that you are q
citizen Of Mcdowell county and that you
were a candidate in your county for the
Office of sheriff at the election OF 1892, and
knowing that you have knowledge in re-
gard TO the action taken by the United
states District Attorney for West Vir-
ginia. and the marshal at the election. you