The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-11-23
~. Mcaraw's Brief.

Mr., John 7. McGraw is very smooth
citizen. He is the incarnation Of suav-
ity and urbauity, but for ways that are
dark and tricks that are vain Oily Gam
mon was a feeble amateur compared
to him. He has caused to be published
a momentous brief of case that is not
before any tribunal in the country. 1t
comprises condensation Of ex parte
testimony authorized by no one except
himself, and which is wholly for him
self. It is In the nature OF a pamphlet
in which he recItes the alleged clrcum-
stances which moved him, In a spirit
Of touching sacrifice. Ito preserve to
West Virginia republican form of
government" The state is bound to re.
member him, his heirs or assigns for
this remarkable act Of self-abnegatlon.
We do not see how 1t can escape sub
stantial recognition of his efforts In this
line short Of a statue Of immolatlon,
representing the yawning gulf whose
gaping jaws received with whetted APP
petite this modern curtius.
Mr.. McGraw has one thing that is
very cdmmendable in all young men
ambition. SO had Cardinal WolSey,
who was much older than Mr.. McGraw,
but who saw his folly too late, and was
..left naked to his enemies" Being de-
cldedly friendly to Mr.. McGraw-as
young man with ambltion-the Intelli-
gencer would very much regret to see
such q misfortune overtake him.
Mr., McGraw besides possessing the
qualities of smooth citizen. has GER
tain hypnotic powers asasllck politician,
which he has been practclng on the
remnants Of the Democratic party in
this state for some years. Politics with
Mr.. McGtaw takes the form of amuse-
ment. In anything he undertakes in
that line he must not be considered
seriously, in spite Of the fact that he
saved to his native state republican
form Of government and allowed US to
20 on enjoying life and pursuing hap
piness in the manner guaranteed US by
the benign provisions Of the Constitu-
ton. For these reasons we positively
cannot view with alarm" the porten-
tiouS document he seeks to frighten US
with. Some day. perhaps, when in a
nervous mood, we may recall Its Fal-
stahian terrors and ponder over the
tear-moving sacrifices Of him who by
one fell act cleared the sky Of anarchy's
torch-llt reflections and saved the vlr-
gin sod from being dewed with the
tich, red authentic blood Of our sover-
elgn mountalneers. At present we are
calm. rand refuse to be moved. We
opIne with others endowed with mod
crate amount Of persplcacIty that Mr..
McGEaw's transplcuous motives can be
seen through.
In his contention in regard to Sena-
tor scott's title to his seat in the United
States senate he becomes too hypo-
critical to hide his Tartutian scheme.
He aims to be the leader Of the Demo-
cracy Of this state. To gain this end he
first allowed himself to be sacrificed in
the congressional campaign with Mr..
Dayton. Having robust appetite for
sacrifices he gained the caucus nominal
ton for senator through the hypnotic
influences OF his bar'l. Failing in at
tanning anything but the sobriquet of
the .'Enight OF the Purple PENCIL" he
now poses as a martyr. Making sacri-
nee after sacrifice, and pllIng immola-
ION upon immolation, he now says to
the Aforesaid remnants Of the. Demo-
cratic party In West Virginia, "all these
things have 1 done for thee. and all 1
ask is to lead thee unto Interior objects
which / have in view"
Mr.. McGraw has no more idea that
the United States senate will pay any
attention to his political pamphlet,
which he Affects to call brief, than he
has Of voting for President Mckinley
next year. But his trick is to use 1t in
the next campaign to work up some
energy In the Polonian tribe in his par
ty while he plays the Hamlet. When he
says 1t is shaped like camel they Will
acquiesce, Changing the form to
weasel they will. OF course, assent that.
come to think about 1t, 1t Is backed like
one. until IT takes the final form of n
whale under the discriminating guild
ance of this leader of West Virginia
Democracy.
As the Democratic party has swal-
lowed everything in the way Of Issues
we do not see why 1t should gag on u
whale, especially one OF the artistic Mr..
MeGraw's construction.
An Unusual Contest.