Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-11-05

growth has been marvellous: its great
ness is wonderful. and 1T is being
watched by all the powers upon the
face of the globe because of its rapid
advancement and its great growth IN
every direction. When we reflect and
consider what our country really is
what a growth we, have attained and
what we have accompllsneo, we nave
"a right to be Justly proud OF II. IL
is because am proud OF this nation.
and proud of the flag, its emblem
of freedom that floats In the breeze,
that | am constrained to sound
warning to those who listen to my
voice. to bewarei You see In almost
every paper and you hear upon almost
every breeze that money, amounting
to millions, If necessary, will be con-
tributed for the election of this man
or that, who may be a candidate Tor
public office. The country has grown
so hardened to this thing, and so
accustomed to it, that 1t no more awak-
ems the feelings OF sensibility IN
the political nature of this country, to
arouse it to consideration of what
we are tending to. 1t is time that we
should stop; it is time to call halt.
1t has to be commenced somewhere
and might as we'll be commenced in
the Mountain State Of West Virginia
as anywhere else. The motto OF this
States is that "mountaineers are
always free"--"Montani semper liberl'
and this is the best place in the
country to inaugurate that which may
~ h. in tho riOhr
direction.
No Personal Interest.
l have no more interest in this mat
ter than any member of this grand
jury or any other citizen of the State.
We each and all of us want to transmit
to posterity or to those whose exist
ence we are responsible for in this
world, the same degree of liberty that
was handed down to us by the fathers,
unimpaired and with all its vigor. l
make these suggestions to you upon
this occasion, gentlemen Of the grand
jury, because believe that it is the duty
of the courts of the country to point
out these things. Courts are presumed
to be and always should be above pol
itics. The judges of the courts of the
country should not get down into polit-
ical strifes. l do not mean that they
should not be permitted TO express
their opinions; | do not mean that
they should not be permitted to hold
convictions. Every citizen OF the coun-
try has a right to his convictions;
every citizen of the country has right
to express his opinions; but / do mean
to say that judges should stand aloof
from the whirl of political excitement
and, if they can, set an example to
those who surround them or those who
come in contact with them as to the
manner of conducting the political can
vases of the country.
My attention has been called to this
subject by letters from members of
both the Republican and Democratic
parties. Had it not been for these cir
cumstances | doubt whether l should
have said anything to-day upon this
subject, except in a most general and
restricted way.
Now, gentlemen Of the grand jury,
do not want you to investigate any OF
the offenses of the past because the
statute Of limitations has put bar
upon them; do not see any necessity
for your attempting to investigate any
thing in advance of an election, be-
cause the Offense may not have been
fully committed, or, if committeeman
suppose from what learn that there
have been some committed-it is better
that Offenses of a political character
should wait until after the election is
over, and then if it becomes necessary
to investigate them, let them be inves-
tigated after the turmoil of political
strife has subsidized. do not want any
body indicted for any supposed political
offense-I do not care what party he be-
longs to-before an election. 1t will do
no good now and will Only have a tend
ency to embitter one side or the other
as the case may he.
The Federal Law.
Now, there are certain statutes upon
the statute books which are unrepealed
Il refer to the statutes under the head
of Crimes Against the Elective Fran
chise and Civil Rights of Citizens
but many of them have been repealed.
Section 5507 Section 550S, Section 5509,
Section $50 and Section 5519 have not
been repealed. All these sections relate
more or less to Grimes Against the
Elective Franchise and Civil Rights OF
Citizens" Grimes Against the Elec-
tive Franchise" are crimes that refer to
the exercise of the right OF citizen to
vote. a crime against the civil right Of
a citizen is practically the same thing,
because if you invade or interfere with
the civil rights of citizen in any re-
spect the otfense is provided for under
the statute.
Section 1907 is for "intimidating
voters by bribery or threats" Section
5506 Furnishes conspiracy TO injure or
intimidate citizens in the exercise of
civil rights" Section 5000 provides the
punishment for violation of the two
preceding sections that l have referred
to; Section 5519 is for conspiracy to
deprive any person of the equal pro-
lection Of the laws"
These sections, gentlemen, are sub
stantially about all that is left of the
Federal election law; the other sections
have been repealed. But there is enough
left to protect the rights of the citizen
in the exercise of his right
to vote. In this connection the
Civil Service act which was
passed by Congress and approved
on the 10th day OF January, 1885. has
something to say upon this subject.
That act authorized the President and
the Civil Service Commission to pre-
pare rules for carrying it into effect.
And when said rules shall have been
promulgated it shall be the duty of all
officers of the United States in the de-
partments and Offices to which any such