Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-01-25


the audAclty of this high banded piece of
business TO which we would call attention
Just look at the matter for moment in
it's true light. On the one hand we have
class of citizens loyal and true to the
government, who at the sacrifice of every
personal comfort have left their homes
here in our midst, and, taking their lives
in their hands, have gone out and stood
for two years past as wall of defense be-
tween US and the foe that has all that
while been seeking to invade US, drive
many of US away, and destroy the general
prosperity of the place and surrounding
country. No man among US doubts that
but for these fellow citizens of ours and
their comrades, who went out to TIE front,
and who have thus protected US, we should
long ago have been overrun, the city dis
mautled and perhaps destroyed, and all the
country round about US laid waste.
The trainers of the Constitution of the
State OF West Virginia, in spirit of appre.
ciative and grateful patriotism, recognized
the fact that this devoted and self. sacrifi-
cling class of our fellow citizens were of all
others most worthy Of the privileges oft
elective franchise, and accordingly they
made the most abundant and ample pro-
vision for securing their votes upon the
adoption of the New State Constitution and
for the general elections which were imme,
diately to follow. The Legislature of the
State, Following in the footsteps of the
trainers of the Constitution, continued
their just and appreciative policy, and ac-
cordingly in the section and on the page
above quoted by US enacted as follows ::
"Auy person entitled to vote in the
township who lie necessarily absent there
from on the day of any election, in the
service of the U. S. or of this State, may,
at any time within the twenty five days
next preceding the election, enclose his
ballot in an envelope or cover, and seal up
the same and write his signature in his
own proper hand on the outside of the
said envelope or cover, adding to his sig
nature some description or designation of
the service in which be is employed, as for
example: Private, Co. A, l4th VIVA. Infan
try, &c. 4 x"
We quote this section of the law con
corning elections 10 the State, 10 show
that the spirit and intention OF the legis.
lature was not to deprive the citizen SOL
der of any of his rights, by reason of his
having entered theservice of hiscountry, but
but to make most ample provision for con-
tinuing to him that highest privilege of a
citizen, and the one which freeman values
above all other privileges, the right to vote
On the other hand, and in contrsdis-
tinction to this generous and just policy of
our law makers, look at the action of a
portion of the city Council OF Wheeling.
Here in our midst we have set of men
who from the day that the mutteriugs of
been the imPlacable and contumacious syn
pathizers, In greater or less degree, with
that rebellion. They have done nothing,
nor have they even cheapIy said anything,
Union. On the contrary their eyes have
sparkled and their faces have gluddened
when we had bad news from the army;
news of disaster to the men who had gone
out from among US to protect US from in.
vasion and waste. BY the supineness and
unworthiness of large number of mer
in our midst who call themselves Union
men, these disloyal sympathzers Of
whom we speak, acquired at the last
charter election temporary sscendancy
in our city government, and by way Of
showing their contempt for the Union
cause went to work, and among their FIRST
acts, turned out the Union incumbents Of
such offices AS were within their gift and
put ia their places several men who bad
voted for the ordinance OF secession. From
that day TO this thu Union men of the city
have been under their domination.
Aud now iu like manner as we had
their first act of hostility to the Union
cause, we have had their last and greatest
and most desperate act-an act intended to
cut of portion of the Union vote ana
maintain their ascendancy for another
year. To this end they have dared to dis.
franchise the most worthy class of citizen.
this community or any other community
can boast in these days of peril aud dark
ness, viz: its cirizen-soldiers a class bu
for whom, as we have already said, thi:
city aud its surrounding country woulC
to-day be witnessing other scenes than
those incident to peaceful election.
Union men of the city of Wheeling
10 view of these plainly stated facts, ia
miIiar, many of them, to you all, need W,
appeal to you to rouse yourselves this
day and vindicate not only the reputation
of this city and its dependent prosperity
but chiefer and above all other cousidera,