Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-12-28

body is injured to any radical extent.
IL we did not feel that the action of n
portion of the Council last January toward
the soldiers and their friends, was an act
wholly fragrant and upjustifable in its
character, we should not press it home as
we do. But We recognize the repeal,as be.
ing exactly such an act. We are rarely
inclined to practice what is called the keep
it before the people" policy in our discus
sions of public matters. But II ever there
was an act that ought to be kept before
the people until the people had unques.
tionably set the seal OF their condemnation
upon it, it is the repeal referred to.
1t is no part of our choice ever to push
If this were small matter we should treat
it as such. But it is not On the contrary
it is the graTest issue that VIC have ever
known in city election. To disfrauehIse
a class of citizens is something more than
thing of passing moment. To effect it
under the aggravated circumstances of
that Saturday night last January, is
is an appeal to the honest resentment of
every man Intelligent enough to appreciate
the danger of winking at such an act of
asurpation. This time It is matter that
concerns one class of citizens. Next year
il may concern an other. The precedent
being once set of excluding lawful voters
from the polls at an hour too late for judi
ciaI redress, no man can foresee the end.
1t all depends upon what clique may have
the latest possession Of the Council Cham
Der before an election.
1t is useless to say, as is said, that the
repeal was Effected because Commissioners
had not been appointed to take the votes
ofthe soldiers, and because the votes had
been sent to the Supervisors and Inspee-
tors of Elections by mail aud other.
wise. No such officers as Com
missioners are known to the law. II there
had been a month remaining after the
repeal, no commissioners could have been
sent The votes would have bad to come
just as they came at all elections before
and since, viz: by mail and by private
hand. The law expressly authorizes them
to be sent by mail, and did then. and 1t
makes no provision for any sach officers
as commissioners. All talk In that direcA
ton is mere subterfuge. The votes of a
large number of soldiers were already
here, for instance Carlin's battery, when
the repeal was Effected. And every one
had been sent here in strict conformity with
the law. Had 1t even been go much ns
suspicioned that those votes would go to
swell tho so.called democratic" re-
turns, nothing would ever have been
heard of a repeal.
1t was only because that those votes
we're recognized as fatal to all .DemOcrat.
ic" hopes Of success, that last hour and
last chance guerrilla raid was made upon
them. The issue then, fellow citizens, is
this, and do not lose sight of 1t; Whether a
few members of Council can get together
the night before an election, when all ap-
peal from their action ia cut off and repeal
not only an ordinance of the city, but,
worse still, in defiance OF the laws of the
State, disfranchiss a large number of their
fellow citizens and exclude their votes from
the polls.
This is the issue upon which you are
called to pass at the ensuing election
You could not decide 1t last January, for
all opportunity was forestAlled. But now
is your opportunity. The time has now
come for you to say to the balance of the
State and to your soldiers everywhere in
the field, whether you will stand by their
rights or not. They will mark we'll your
decision. They will look forward to it
with the most intense curiosity.
A LETTER from that vile copperhsad
Henry Clay Dean to Mrs. Morris, one Of the
conspirators to be tried by military com,