The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-06-15
From the Richmond Republic. =,

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1t must be obvious to all that less
hopeful sentiment prevails at this time
than actuated the country for many
weeks after the fall of Richmond.
The rise of gold at New York is leading
incident and evidence of this depression
of popular feeling. The cause of the de.
preston is well known. The revival of
the negro question, in worse form than
ever, is what spreads dependency over
the land, and sickens again the heart OF
the people. ,..
1t is now insisted that the negro shall
vote, not because he is qualified by edu-
cation and knowledge to vote, but mere.
ly because he is negro 1t is not good
and safe voters that are wanted-vOters
that will respect this most sacred and
valuable franchise of the American citi-
zen-a franchise which every patriot
should foster with jealous care-but sim
ply voters with black skin. The thing
sought is an issue that will be CALLING
and humiliating to the white population
of the South; an issue that may breed
anger and mischief, and social disorder,
and int: necine strife; that may totally
disorganize and antagonize society in the
restored States of the Union; that may
check that revival of the old loyalty
which is universal among this people,
and plant gall and NORWOOD in the
well-springs of patriotism and loyalty
which are everywhere gushing forth
The poor whites of our country, who
have been the subjects of so much affect
ing defamation, the supposed victims,
whilom, of hectoring oligarchy, who
were so often invoked to rise up against
the degrading system which crushed
them down to the earth, these are now
turned upon as equally disloyal with
their other white ncighbors, aud it is i'll
sisted that loyal negro suffrages must be
invoked to overbalance the rebel votes of
poor whites and rich at the polls.
Every one sees the mischievions ten
dency of such an agitation, and every
loyal and patriotic heart, North and
South, sickens at the thought of what
must come of it Demagogues have done
mischief enough to the country i'll their
dealings with white voters. What mis-
chief they will do if let loose among the
blacks can be imagined The South has
not much more to lose. The fire brand
and knife, in the hands of incendiary
bands of negroes roaming over the land,
may soon complete. a ruin which is so
nearly finished, and, by universal de-
struction, establish that absolute peace
which presidcs over solitude Bnt the
North cannot afford to establish per
petual anarchy. They have far more.in-
terest in the restoration of order and
good feeling than the South, because
they have more wealth in hand to he inn
paired, and brighter prospects of future
prosperity to be blasted. This is the
reason ofthe dependency which has be-
gun to seize them; this is the cause OF
the fall of Government credit and the
rise in gold.
The new agitation defers indefinitely
the hope of restored cordiality and peace
1t fills the popular mind with distrust
and painful forebodings. 1t undermincs
and destroys that buoyant and exultant
| sentiment which 40 fully took possession
of the popular heart after the terminal
| ton of the wal
Reason and argument might be array
ed against this agitation mountain high,
but the necessity of having to argue such
a question at all is discouraging.