The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-07-17
The Suppression Of the Richmena
WhiG.

article is read together IL VIII NC iouhu
that its spirit and intention produce
vastly different impressions from that
which the telegraph sought to convey.
Mr.. RIDGwAY was an earnest, opponent
of secession and has been a consistent
Union man during all the progress OF the
war His opposition to the secession
movement drove him from the editorship
of the Richmond Thig soon after the
rebels came in power there and, after
four years OF retirement, he sought to re-
sumo his former position, in the hope OF
enjoying under the United States gov
eminent that liberty which he was de-
MED by JEFF. DAVIS. From his acquain-
lance with the southern people and his
familiarity with the manner in which the
secession movement was brought about,
he is possessed of information sufficient
to enable him to offer judicious advice to
the federal administration concerning
the course which should be pursued in
order to strengthen the wavering loyalty
of the southern people and unite the two
sections of our country in bonds of COM
mon interest and affection. From a
knowledge of the practical workings of
the amnesty proclamation, Mr. RIDG'
WAY believed that "the twenty thou
sand dollar clause" paralyzed the re-
sources of the South, hindered the de-
velopment of her commsrcial inter
ests without bestOwing any cores
ponding advantage upon the North, and
seriously damaged the Union cause. He
also regarded the confiscation policy det-
rimental to the interests of the whole
country and destructive of that harmony
and friendship which must cement all
sections of our country, if we hope to be
free and united people once more
These sentiments Mr.. RIDGwAY express
ed in strong and emphatic language, but
no one who knows anything of his ante
cedents dare suppose that he had any
thought OF intention of fostering the
spirit of that rebellion against which he
protested so long in vain. 1t would be
folly to accuse ROBERT RIpGwAY of an
attempt to keep alive in the hearts of
his readers a spirit of opposition to the
federal government or to arm any south
ern man for resistance To the constituted
authorities. And yet no sooner did he
dare to condemn the wisdom of portion
of the amnesty proclamation than his
newspaper is suppressed by military
order and his office is seized by squad
of soldiers dressed in the uniform of the
United States army.
To the shame of the American people
be it said that there is in this nothing
unusual or new Durin" the past four
Years we have ali become somewhat &C
customed to the supp" ssion of newspa-
pers and the imprisonment Of editors
for expressions OF opinion cOnuemnatory
of the policy of and distasteful to our
rulers so that now the mention of these
things "overcomes us like summer
cloud, without our special wonder" We
became accustomed to them during the
war, and now, we presume. will be made
familiar with them in time of peace
Protest is unavailing, the laws have no
power to give redress, the War Depart
ment exercises supreme power and all
murmuring or complaint only jeopardizes
the safety of him who complains.
All this is sad enough, but it is Il sad
der spectacle than even this to see citi-
zens and newspapers applauding these
acts as though they were manifestations
of profound wisdom and strictly in ac-
cordance with the spirit of the govern
ment founded by the patriots of ITO
The least that the press can do when its
rights are invaded is to maintain silence
To applaud such acts is worse Off any
thing can be worse) than to be guilty of
their commission; yet such is the servili-
ty of some journals laying claim to int1u-
ence, and respectability, and patriotism,
that they seek to justify the doings of
arbitrary power and even taunt and rid
icnle those who have fallen victims to
oppression and wrong. The Wheeling
Iatelligency, last Saturday morning, de-
scended so low from the once proud posi-
ton of an American citizen as to recon-
mend for the government of this country
a despotism similar TO that exercised by
LOUIS NAPOLEON in France. Was it for
this that our independence was gainedl
Was it to preserve the nation for this
that we have just passed through the
most terrible war the world has ever
seena Was it to celebrate tie establish.
ment of Napoleonic empire upon the
ruins of tho republic that, les than two
weeks ago, our people made the welkin
ring with glad shouts of reioicing2-
Shame and confusion should rest forever |
upon the man who so lightly prizes the
blessings of civil liberty and the safe
guards Of constitutional law. These
men should remember that they are set
ting bad example and establishing pre-
cedents which may sometime lie quoted
to thei' disadvantage. 1t is beyond hu-