Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-02-01

persed at tho point of the bayonet
Furthermore, rs IL these unwarranted
acts-hitherto unheard of and without
precedent under any form of govern
ment-were not n sufficient assumption
or tyrannical powers, notice wos then
ana there attempted to be served upon
your representatives by uniformed off,
GERS that he. the acting Governor, had
adjourned the General Assembly to
meet IN London in a remote mountain
county, In the heart of that section OF
the State, notorious throughout the ma
ton for its lawlessness. murderous
feuds and assassinatlons, where he and
rs PREDECESSORS have rcpea tedlv ac-
knowledgcd their inability to enforce
the law even with the full assistance
or the military power Of the State.
This outrageous usurpaton of power
and authority. denied to the legally
constituted Chief Executive of the
Commonwealth by the Constitution, the
acting Governor attempts to base upon
an alleged state of insurrection which
ne without warrant OF fact, declares
to exist throughout the State. and es-
pecially in the vicinity OF Frankfort
Now. therefore. we. the undersigned
representatives OF Kentucky, do pro-
test to the people Of the Common
wealth:
Ffrst-That no dangers or indications
of dangers exist, except such as have
arisen from time to time from the pres
ence and threatening movements Of
promiscous hordes of armed mountain
Republicans, brought here by the act
Ing Governor and his political coll
leagues for the sole but vain purpose
OF provoking resentment and counter
demonstrations on the part of the law
Ill Il Ill
course OF conduct had It's logical and
Inevitable, If not It's contemplated Gull
mination last Tuesday morning in the
assassination from a window of the
Executive building In the immediate VI
entity OF the Office of the acting Gov
ernor, of the Hon. William Goebel. n
Senator approaching the threshold of
the Senate chamber in the exercise of
his official duties. the victim being al
so the contestant for Governor.
"Third-That the civil authorities of
the county Of Franklin were able and
willing to enforce the laws, punish The
offenders and protect the citizens Int
an opportunity so TO do was denied
them In order that an excuse might he
found for terroriZing the community
with armed soldiery.
we your representatives do deem
~ deplorc the necessity thus nlaccd m
on us of attempting to vindicntc the
iair name of our beloved but II m lat
cd and bleeding State. the innocent vic
tim Of thOusa nd crimes. a~ainst these
series of add tional outra es. culminat-
ing this day in the com lcte suppress
sion OF the legislative and judicial de-
rariments OF the State government. the
destruction of civil liberty and the en-
tnronement of tyranny and treason, do
declare the aforesaid conduct on the
rart of the acting Governor and his COL
leagues to be without warrant OF law.
without justification OF facts and with
out excuse, save and eXceDt an unwll-
ingness on the part Of the acting Gov
ernor to submit his claim to the Office
which he now occupies to fair and
legal adjudication before the highest
tribunal known to the laws OF the Com
monwealth."
(Signed by all the Democratic men,
bcrs of the House and senate)
SLOW WORK.
It was slow work obtaining the Sig
natures of the members of the House
and Senate, and, although the work
was in progress all the afternoon, it
was not until evening that the neces-
sary number of signatures had been
obtained. AS soon as the last man ac-
tually needed had affixed his signature
to the statement word was sent to the
residence of Chief Justice HaZelriEg,
of the Court of Appeals. He came at
once to the Capitol hotel passed di-
rectly up to the room of Mr.. Cioebel
and administer the oath of Office
THE OATH ADMINISTERED.
Mr.. Goebel was propped up with pill
lows and was able to raise his hand
only with the greatest difficulty as he
listened to the words of Judge Hazel
rlgg. When the oath had been given
Mr.. Goebel sank back exhausted, the
effort having been almost too much for
his strength. There We're in the room
at the time the oath was administered,
besides Mr.. Goehel and Judge Hazel
fii SIS; Al tf1dr- tio5 5rf, n dttftr Of ma
wounded man; Mrs. Welch. his sister,
and Percy Haley. his campaign mama
ger, and two or three intimate friends
Mr.. Goebel was BILE to say anything
regarding the matter, but the content
ed smile on his face bore strong Wit
ness to the pleasure lie felt.
THE NT-GOVERNOR.
Immediately upon leaving the room
where he had sworn in Mr.. Goebel,
Judge Hazelrigg went to an adjoining
room. where he swore in Mr.. Beckham
as Lieutenant Governor. This done, he
returned to his home.
Judge Hazlerigg declined to make
any statement concerning the manner
in which the offices had been conferred
upon the Democratic contestants.
"a majority of both Houses of the
LEGISLATURE declared for them" he
said, land when was asked to swear
them in there was nothing left for me
t. do but administer he oaths of office
The proceeding was. of course, entirely
legal and proper. I would not have
done as did had 1t been otherwise"
FIRST ACTS AS GOVERNnR