Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-01-25


shall then apply the methods which you
have this day adopted you win have no
reason to complain. for you have made the
precedent, you have set the example, and
they will be disposed to follow after you,
as the motive by which you seem TO be
animated is the single one Of party su-
premacy.
Permit me to
REVIEW THE HISTORY
OF this matter The great Democratic
party. OF which 7 have the honor TO be
known as an humble member, dii me the
hcntc 20 nominate me for the Senate OF
West Virginia on the 18th day Of August.
l,f. and / was the regular nominee. As
you viii recall. in the month OF Septem-
Der. a handful Of self-appOinted gentle
men met in the city of Indianapolis and
formed themselves into an organization
and christened themselves the National
Democratic party The members Of that
party in my own district still contending
that they were Democrats, and desires
70 vote for all the Democratic nominees
except the head of the ticket. witlo 1t airy
action on my part presented petition
signed by the requisite number of names
under the law and in CON lance there
with the clerks OF the Se.era. cow. rs
placed my name upon the 1. This
petition was on file twenty days before
the 90 OF NO. mber. anj was published
n each OF Jue several counties TO give
ample time 10 the contes ant to make his
0h.er .1-s known. for the courts were
ooen TO him: but he knew fun well that
Uere had been no violation Of the e..c-
ti5r r.. nor any Irregularities But ne
remained Quiet. knowing that p. dare nos
go before his own people, that ,gey would
rerudigts him as trev '.' - the .o g.
He also knew quite wei that the RePub.i-
c.r Senate would not hesitate 10 violate
precedent and law and Justice 10 swell the
majority i'm the Senate. and he comes
here without either proof or witness and
KS for q place thar his reop have al
ready decided that they Gid not desire
him 10 hu
T.e commissioners who coucuctAd the
e.ec-lou Were Of his own political party
and were as anxious that DE would be
declared elected as any member of this
body but they were honest men and did
not violate The law even 10 give him
seat the Senate Hence the only ques-
ton ae couH raise by which he might
tiou was the fact that while the sitting
member had been elected Ly legal votes
tho name was on the Nations Democratic
ti...t. proc aiming that the votes cast for
o.. Nauona Democrat ticket were ille-
sal votes. and asking bod-- TO
DISI tANCHISE THOSE VOTERS.
The law is So clear that any reference to
o. M this time is needless. The Senator
from Upshur Cdr Young has given you
the 'aw and cited the authorities. and the
question IS $50 Gear that A waytaring
man. though fool. need not err" Hence
3 -U no, dc,au YOU with legal PROPOSE
tions. MS ! am no, a member Of the legal
fraternity.
The notice OF contest was presented tothe
Committee ON Privi eees and Elections.
ana whilst ! have never had any expe-
ricuce ir contested election cases. l have
watched with great interest many con-
tests i'm the House of Representatives,
and never before in my memory have I
known or heard OF contested elections for
q seat ir the Senate or House OF Represen-
r.tIve- which consumed not more than five
hours The i1iecen. haste OF the COM
mi-t-e was the subject of general remark.
and WAS pressed 20 such 8u extent that
the able counsel Who represented the sit
ting member was almost ready 10 give up
in despair and retire from the case be-
cause he was noe allowed time 10 prepare
his ease and properly present the same.
That the matter had been predetermined
before the committee began its action is
proven uy the fact that when the Senator
from poddridge MIR Farr). who presented
the majority report. said. iuferenually at
least. that this was q matter of retalia-
tioU. and that the Democratic party had
applied the same method and that they
were disposed 20 follow mp the example
even If 70 Dee iu the face of law and justice.
conscience and right. They have perform
ed the work for which they We're assigned
and their report is before YOU.
Now. MT President. / have felt the duty
incumbent upon me to- stand up or the
door OF this Senate and
ENTER MI PROTEST
iu the name OF my people in the name Of
the $4,000 people iu ,he Eastern Pan-Han-
d'e. whose riEhts have been set aside. and
D shall return 20 them and say TO them
that they have no rights that the Senate
Of Nest Virginia feel bound to respect. I
speak rot for myself. but for those who
have hOuored me. and I should be false
10 my trust should be "a coward. and
traitor if failed to denoluce the action
which this body has practically taken,
forgetting the fact that the speakers
personality has been involved; for l speak
not FOR myself bur for the 120O0 voters
living I'm the Thirteenth Senatorial dis
triet. who have % legal right 10 be heard.
I shall go back to them with the con-
seriousness of having done my duty, and
can better afford 90 go back to them
th.u YOU can afford 20 violate the law
and -ive d seat in this body to a candi-
date whom they did not want.
10 IS probably need ess for NE TO detain
YOU longer. however important I feel it to
Toe. II has been charged that the Demo-
cratic party perpetrated wrong and that
they have
PAID THE PENALTY
OF their mis5oirgs. by mhicting upon us
,lc Republican administration in our
state and the result Of your misdoings
VIII bring upon YOU a greater storm Of
richteous Indignation than was ever visit
eJ upon any political party. There has
never been even under carpet-bag legisla-
ton such a thing as unseating member
when ne had q majority Of the legal votes
conceded to him.
Mr. President. I shall not detain you
longer for I have no intention 10 throw
any obstacles fan the way I know fun
we'll that the matter has been predeter-
mined. the edict has been given 10 this
I,r,- and % only rop,ains FOR the final