The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-26
XENTUCKY'S DISGRACE.

kENIUyhI } DI0UhAGL'
The Laws Impotence to Re-Estab-
liah Right DethrOned-one of the
Darkest Political Grimes Ever Com
mitted in the country-Its Specific
Villniuy Outlined.
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette;
There should be unanimous satisfaction
in Kentucky with the supreme court
decision in the gubernatorial contest
cases-satisfactio that the contention
is determined definitely, finally. That
the decislon-merely an acknowledge
ment OF the laws impotence to restab-
llsh right dethroned, to save suffrage
from the basest subversluu, to maintain
the verdict of the majority against the
usurpation of the mincrity-must prove
disappointment to the people and a
delight to the political faction rioting
in fraud and raveiing in force is inevi-
table. Rut for the former there is rec
course, for the latter there is menace In
the aroused righteousness of a sover-
eign ballot. From the highest legal trl-
bunal there is appeal to the most exalt-
ed court Of equity. the popular win as
expressed at the polls William sylves-
ter Taylor has been defrauded of a
commission conferred upon him by the
people Of Kentucky, constituting him
the states chief magistrate. In that
outrage the people suffer equal indig-
nifty with their chosen executive. The
courts ut no point and in no sense
have reviewed the matter on merit or
in any degree sustained the shameful
proceeding. They recognize that rob
berry has been committed, that usurpa-
ton has been accomplished. that as
damning a rape OF the ballot Gs is pos
slble In fraud force and partisan ty-
ranny has been committed, but with
such deftness OF viilniny, such boldness
OF scoundreiism, such adroitness OF le-
gal legerdafmain, as TO technically es-
crpe revision and defy revc !. Crime
has been done, black. dlsgra- aful, dis
gushing crime, but under the forms OF
law.
What travesty on justlcel What a
mockery Of legal poweri What a de-
bauchery Of political purity and integ-
rity OF citizenship! But the verdict NJ u
helpless court stands. Howbeit, 1t
stands covering, craven, contemplate
in the face of these facts. disputed by
no man, established In the eternal YER
ity Of recorded history: That on No
vambar {, 1899 the people OF Kentucky
by ballots cast and counted elected w.
| S. Taylor governor Of Kentucky for
| four years.
That fact was duly certified to In ac-
cordanca with the law and the consti-
tuition. the returns being duly deposited
with the secretary Of state. These re-
turns were duly tabulated and the re-
suit formally declared by Judge Pryor
and Captain Ellis and the certificate OF
election Issued to w. 8. Taylor. Thls
act aroused against these faithful SER
wants Of the people the most bitter, vim
dictive and vltuperatlve element in the
Democratic party, who demanded that
these men should violate their oaths OF
Office in order to secure party triumph
at the expense Of representative gov
ernment.
The defeated candidates for governor
and lieutenant governor then made
final appeal to the Legislature. chosen
November Z, by the same ballots. under
the same law, before the same officers
by which and through which the same
voters, November q selectedM. S. Tay-
lor governor Of Kentucky. This legls-
lature had the right to hear this appeal
and the right to confirm the choice of
the people by rectifying any error COM
mitted, by correcting any count, by
remedying any wrong by which the
candidate rejected by the people had
been given the certificate. The law and
the constitution clearly set forth the
means md the methods by which such
contest is to be determined. 1t seeks
to eliminate all partisan influences. 1t
puts the members on honor, as well as
on oath, faithfully to declare, faithfully
to establish. the we'll Of the people as
the law Of the land.
In the course OF these proceedings. all
the decencles Of the occasion were vlo-
lated The plainest directions OF the
law were treated with contempt. The
plainest mandates OF the law were not
fulfilled The rules OF evidence were
scorned. The issues did not accord with
the law and the evidence, The petition
stands as an indictment Of the Demo
cratic party, which cOuntenanced and
demanded Il, In any court, where one
lawyer could be heard. 1t would have
been thrown out on demurrer. Not an
allegation It sustained would justify
the petition; not one allegation was
sustained. Not before the French Rev
dictionary tribunal would an aristocrat
have been condemned on such evidence.
and the trial of Dreyfus, by this COM
parlson, becomes an example Of dig
nity Justice md truth. The report
which followed this failure was never.
acted on: was never submitted to the
general assembly of Kentucky. 1t was
never put in form for consideration.
1t was reported for hurried action. but
as 1t stood discredlted every name
signed to It, and in time VIII lead to
their humiliation. The general assembly
never considered that report. 1t cannot
elect a governor. II cannot, by this
process, and majority vote, lmpeach
the governor. II had but one question
to decide. on oath. on honor. on loyalty
to the state: who was elected COVER
nor Of Kentucky November Z, 1892"
That question the general assembly
never answered All the legislative
nummcry Of its rump proceedings was
beneath contempt. All the pretense OF
action lmpenched the participants II
was an effort to embody lie in law, II
failed. Nineteen senators and nfty-one
rapresentativas--nOt one less-could de-
clare what all know to be untrue-that
General Taylor was not elected: that
Senator Goebel was elected, and from
that decision. duly reached and duly re-
corded, there may be no appeal; but It
would be lie, nevertheless. That ac-
ton was never taken.
In the meantime, let us all bear In
mind that the people chose W. s. Tay-
lor governor November Z, 1890,