Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1899-01-03
Is ANARcHY ro RuN ROE

will not be the fault OF the Republl-
can cfficeholders at Charleston. It
is Uncomfortable that these men, from
Governor Atkinson down, sworn as
they are to uphold the law and re
1uire that it be respected and obey
ed by all the citizens of the State,
should actually urge publicly that
it be violated and reign of brute
force instituted in its stead. At
torney General E. p. Rucker has
Governor Atkinson's
threat of trouble" and
P. w. Morris proposal of
the "shot gun remedy" with a m ost
astounding and inlammatory ut
terance which is given out in last
Sundays issue of the West Virginia
Herald, a Charleston Republican
organ. In speaking of the Logan
Via controversy from Monroe conn
ty and the refusal or the supreme
court on Dec. 7th to take up ont of
its order for hearing the writ of
error awarded Mr.. Logan suppressed.
ing the action of the circuit court,
General Rucker says;
IF / were secretary of State /
would not hesitate a minute about
placing Was name on the roll. 1
would not countenant such fraud"
Gen, Rucker knows that there
has been no fraud in this matter.
He knows that Mr.. Logan and his
counsel have strictly complied with
the law in every step they have
availed themselves only of such
rights as it gives them. The attor
ney general knows, furthermore,t that
he is advising the secretary of State
to do what is distinctly unlawful
and revolutionary. The duties of
the secretary of State and their
Limitations are clearly set forth in
section 70 of chapter 8 of the code
of West Virginia, as foIlowe;
"The separate certificates of the
board of convassere, made kursu
ant to the preceding section, shall
be by them disposed of as follows
OF the certificates respecting the
election for Delegate or Delegates,
they shall transmit ono to each per
son voted for as Delegate, and shall
transmit one to the secretary OF
State, who shall submit the same to
the House on the first day of the
ensuing regular session, together
with list of the persons appearing
. la
The language of the law is sc
plain that a child could not mis-
understand it, The secretary oil
State shall make up the list of per
sons appearing to be elected from
the certificates of the hoBrd of can
vassers and from nothing else what
soever. He has not tue least legaI
right to take cognisance OF contests
of which the law says the House ot
Delegates is the sole arbiter. He
has no certificate showing the
election of Mr. Via He has re
ceived a certificate showing that Mfr
Logan received plurality of the
votes cast in Monroe county for
House of Delegates. Should be
place upon the list of persons APP
peariDg to be elected the name OF
Mr.. Via, or should he refuse to
place thereon the name of Mr.
Logan, he will become as truly s
law, breaker as the murderer who
takes his nerghbor's life. This
Mr.. Rucker we'll known.
But Attorney General Rucker
has more to say In. this connection
and is thus quoted by the West
Virginia Herald:
$50 confident am / that Via is
legally elected. that if I were Cover
nor 1 would not permit Logan to
take seat in the legislature, even
if it should become necessary to
use military force to prevent him
from entering tbeCapitol. 1 would
prefer civil war to such an out
rageous steal"
This from the attorney general.
the sworn legal advisor of the State
administration. The Governor, who
has no more right than the EN-
peror of China to interfere with the
legislature or to dictate its mem
bership-the Governor counseldd
to expel member elect at the point
of the rife Civil war wildly urged.
Could the most ferocious anarchist
go furthur? With the highest off
GERS in. the State openly preaching
lawlessness and clamoriDg for blood
shed, how long will human life be
safe within our borpers? Have these
madmen no consideration for the
people of this State, to whom the
maintenance oil law and order and
peace are precious2 1t casnot be ex
sected that flaming incendtarism
like this can long run riot without
the most deplorabie consequences
fthere is any sanity left among
the Republican politicians of West
Virgins, it is high time that they
were putting it to some use.-Mon
roe Watchman
The Wheeling Register is one of the
most enterprising papers in. the State,
.espouses the cause of Democracy valiant.
ly, and to the reader who desires general
State news will afford chiaformation.
The advertisement of the Charleston