The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-01
WHEELING. DECEMBER 1, 1906
l...As to pierpout and Others,

Last week the 1ntelligencer took no.
tIce editorIally OF proposition that was
to be made in the legislature to have n
statue OF Ex-Governor Plerpont placed
IN statuary hall In the national capitol.
The suggestion seems to have irritated
the Benslbilities OF a reader Of this
paper, md In another column we print
his !. exceptions, Our. correspondent
starts out by taking exceptions to the
: Intelllgenter's endorsement OF the pro-
position and then drifts into 4 conten-
I tion as to Ex-Governor Pierpont's record
emitting him to the credit OF "the most
distinguished Citizen" winding up with
lauding another citizen for the statuary
honors.
We would not say that Governor
PIerpont was "the most distinguished
Citizen. for such q phrase is always in
vldious; but he was FIRST among
equals" 1t Is not the holding Of office
that. constitutes man the first c!tl-
zen of = state; for those who are most
successful in the procurement OF office.
VIC all know. are often least deserving
ndToitness md assurance too often ac-
complishIng more in the dirty pool Of
mere politics than merit. West Vir-
giniajhas not been without examples OF
this unpleasant truth. But II Governor
Pierpont had never held any o!llce-if
he had never done the public any direct
service in an official capaclty-it would
still beAtrue that he was one OF the fore
most citizens OF the state as he would
have been OF any state-such was the
uprlghtness, the nobility. the greatness
othls Innate nature and character. To
know such 4 man intimately "was q
liberal education"
Frank PIcrpont began the battle for
the northwest against eastern aggres-
sion. long before the war, when Rich
mond was grinding us with all kinds
OF Infamous enactments in the interest
OF the arIstocracy and slavery in the
east-among them being the statute
taxing wages. The sturdy patriotism
and integrity OF Frank PIerpont resent
ed. everything OF this nature; and on
the stump and In the columns Of the
contemporary press, such as was open
to him. he began to educate the people
In the" northwest to fight for their
rights. l.-
1t Is not credtable to West Virginia
no more than It IS discreditabie 10
Governor Pierpont-that after he came
back from the completion Of his thank
less task as executive OF Restored V!r-
ginia, he was allowed TO remain In re-
tirement. He ought to have been either
at the head OF West Virginia or In one
house Of Congress-preferably in the
senate. which he would have graced as
one OF the noblest Romans OF them all.
HIS service. his experience, his high
personal attributes, his patriotism, rs
one OF the greatest Of our citizens. de-
nanded nothing less than this: and the
deprivation was not his. but West Vlr-
glnla's loss,
The generosity OF the man was no.
where better shown than In his efforts
TO set, Mr.. Wiley on his feet and brace
him UP after his wretched breakdown at
Richmond and after his return to Nor
gantown. Plerpont knew. as did his
contemporaries OF that time. the weak
wnnderings Of Wiiicy's political steps,
and was willing and glad to try to
bring him around into corporation
with the people among whom. if any
where, was his only possible future. Il
was Pierpont who induced Wiley to at
tend the May convention (Which was
not n mob convention'O and alter
wards gave Wiley q certificate Of good
character and good intentions In n let
ter solicited by the latter and published
In the Intelllgencer, OF April 81, 1887. II
does not seem n very gracious thing,
after all this, to see Mr.. WIllcy's partl-
snns trying to undermine the rcputa-
ton or deservings OF Governor Pier
pont to magnify n reputation for their
faYorite.
Mr.. Wiley after Carlilc's detection,
noquiesced in it by that ''siicnce that
gives consent" and never opened his
lips to warn tho people OF West Vir.
.glnIa OF the mischief going forward.
The FIRST notice that they got OF danger
was when Senator Wade brought In Mr..
Carlila's bill RI tho report OF tho com.
mittee on territories. AS soon as this
amazing document reached West Vlr-
glnin in the newspapers, 1t struck con-
sttrnatlon into the hearts Of the friends
OF the new state; and Pierpont, Camp.
bell, Norton, Tarr md others hurried
to Washington TO the rescue. Picrpont
and the rest went straight to Wade. ex-
planned TO him Garlic" treachsry, and
tho fatal effect OF his bill II passed. lie
asked them to 20 TO their other soma
tor. They did no. and Wiley received
them like an Iceberg, md 1t took weeks
TO thaw him out enough TO consent re-
luctantiy to offer substitute prepared
by Hon. W. G. Brown. containing the