The Wheeling Daily Register

Boreman goes back on his friends.

Governor Boreman seems to have become considerably frightened by the recklessness of his political associates at Philadelphia They have no constituents to dread and not even the most prominent of them can ever become, at home, a candidate for any office within the gift of the people. But Boreman (unlucky man) is a candidate for the office of Governor of West Virginia, and he knows full well that his party will need every vote it can muster to secure his election. The local record of his administration is of itself a heavy load to carry and he cannot afford to burden himself farther by shouldering the odium of the 'mean white convention.' He therefore grows quite nervous and fairly 'shakes in his boots' whenever the subject of negro suffrage is presented. In fact whenever he thinks of the election to be held in this State on the 25th of October, he manifests a very decided inclination to 'go back on his friends.' At the evening session of the convention last Thursday, the dispatches say: Mr. Boreman, of West Virginia, said that it was understood in his State that no other issue than that between Congress and the President was to be made in the Convention, He felt that if this Convention adopted the dogma of negro suffrage, the Republican party was gone forever. [Cries of 'No! No!'] He knew the temper of his people. He hoped the Convention would adjourn, and if the non-reconstructed States desired to have a Convention afterwards they could do so. Governor Hamilton, of Texas, made a strong appeal against adjournment, reminding the delegates from the border States that their admission was merely a matter of courtesy which was hastily regarded. He charged also at the desire to avoid responsibility for the principle of impartial suffrage which the Gulf States desired to incorporate in their address. I was certainly highly 'disloyal' for Governor Boreman to refuse to follow where such a distinguished 'southern loyalist' as Jack Hamilton was ready to lead the way. Our radical Governor will be denounced as 'copperhead' yet. But if he does not wield his ways and go the whole hog of radical fanaticism. His association with Fred. Douglass and Miss Anna Dickinson may be somewhat in his favor, but then Jack Hamilton and Brownlow will never forgive him for the 'discourtesy' of wishing to shirk the public avowal of his faith in the negro. It is apparent, however, that the Governor's objection to a declaration in favor of negro suffrage is based simply upon the effect such a declaration would have upon the fall elections in this State. He does not oppose it upon the ground that the negro race is unworthy for the franchise, or that the prejudices and instincts of the whites forbid such a prostitution of the dearest right of the American citizen His presence in the Convention and his hob-nobbing with the negroes and frantic philanthropists congregated there leads us to infer that, in political sentiment. as an individual, he is thoroughly in accord with them But, for the sake of the success of his party and to add to the rapidly diminishing chances of his own re-election. he refuses to commit himself to a declaration which his heart prompts him to endorse. but which would be destructive of his political hopes Where 'our own Hornbrook,' the distinguished gentleman who claimed to represent Ohio county in the State Legislature last winter, was, while 'Mr. Boreman,' as the dispatch calls him, was protesting against 'suicide' and refusing to become, politically, what Mr. Mantilini would call 'a demmed moist, unpleasant body,' history fails to record. But if Hornbrook is still animated by 'the noble rage' that produced from him such eloquent outbursts as electrified the House of Delegates last winter, he doubtless informed the convention that 'he had been elected to represent the loyal people of Ohio county when the copperheads directly charged him with being in favor of negro suffrage,' and therefore his friend Boreman should not be weak-kneed nor afraid. It is a pity that the Governor has felt constrained to violate his convictions and 'go back on his friends' as he has done, but he will probably find that his policy protest has been uttered too late. He will be compelled during the campaign not only to meet the charge that he is in favor of negro suffrage, but also that he is too cowardly to boldly avow his belief.