The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-12-09

the radical schemes which it does not find
in the message. The Herald floats with
the current, of course, and puffs the
President is if he were tenor in GRAU's
Chicago opera troupe.
The easy going and well-meaning peo-
ple who Welded for peace saketo the rad
ical sentiment of the North, in the hope
of securing for the country relief from
sectional agitation, viii! read the proceed
ings of the Thirty-ninth Congress with
more OF less disappointment. Let us
get rid of slavery" men said year or
two ago, land we will deprive extreme
men North and South of their chief stock
in politics. and the National Legislature,
instead of busying itself foreverin dis
cussing the interest of the negroes, will
be able to turn its individual attention
to the great questions of trade and
finance-to the development of our in
ternal resources-to the maintenance OF
our position among the nations-to the
great interests of common concern"
Well, the Thirty-ninth Congress finds
slavery abolished in all the States, and
Constitutional amendment, rapidly and
certainly approaching completion, for
ever prohibiting the existence Of slavery
within the Union. But the negro ques-
ton is as "irrepressible" as ever, and if a
stranger were to judge of the country
from the proceedings of it's national leg
islature, he would conclude at once that
the negro was the great object OF ma
tional concern. In the first days pro-
ceeding's of the Senate Messrs. SUMNER,
WADE and WILSON have mapped out
work enough to occupy that body during
its session. without devoting single
hour to the concerns of the "poor white
trash" commonly supposed to be in
great majority in these States.
First-Mr. WADE proposes to give to
the negroes of the District of Columbia
the right to vote on the same terms as
white citizens.
Second-Mr SUMNER introduces bill
under which in all the Southern States
all grand iuries shall consist Of an equal
humber OF negroes and whitemen. Petit
jurors, in cases in which negroes are con-
cerned, shall be made of equal numbers OF
the two races, and where prejudice
against tue negro" on the part of a white
Juror exists, he shall be disqualified from
serving as ajuror. Underth clause ofthe
law, it will be found impossible to obtain
a Jury of other than American citizens
of African descent" Mr.. SUMNER first
provides for creating prejudice, and he
then Furnishes it by handing over the ad'
ministration of justice to the negroes.
Third-Mr SUMNER provides form of
oath to be administered to the Southern
people, in which, among other condi-
lions of fealty, they are compelled to
swear that they are in favor of negro
equality.
Fourth-The same gentleman proposes
another amendment to the Constitution
under which population shall not as at
present be the basis of representation.
Fiftb-Mr SUMNER offers resolutions
declaratory of the duty of Congress,
which might with propriety be termed q
plan for throwing obstacles in the way
of the restoration of the Union. No sy.
nopsis can do justice to these resolutions,
and we reproduce the most important vt
them as follows:
The complete suppression of all oil
garchical pretensions, and the complete
enfranchisement of all citizens, so that
there shall be no denial of rights on ac-
count of color or race, but justice shall be
impartial, and all shall be equal before
the law.
The rejection of the rebel debt, and at
the same time the adoption in just pro-
portion of the national debt and the ma
tional obligations to Union soldiers,
with solemn pledges never to join in any
measure, direct or indirect, for their re-
pudiation, or i'll any way tending TO i'm
pair the national credit
The organization of an educational
system for the benefit of all, without dis
tinction OF color or race.
The choice of citizens for Office, wheth-
er State or national, of constant and I'M
doubted loyalty, whose conduct and con-
versation shall give assurance of peace
and reconciliation.
That in order TO provide these essen
tial safeguards, without which the ma
tional security and the national faith
will be imperilled, States cannot be pre-
cipitated back to political power and in
dependence, but they must wait until
these conditions are in all respects full
filled
Sixth-Lest Mr.. SUMMERS variou
schemes should not be sufficient to delay
restoration, Mr.. WILSON proposes bills
in the interest of the negroes, acquies-
cence in which shall be condition of re-
union
All that is needed is to apply these
measures to the North rs well as TO the
South, to declare every State in both
sections out of the Union, and to make
of the Union itself political fiction.
In the House, under the lead of Mr..
STEPHENS, the majority not only sustain.
IL IL L e