The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-09-09

the People.
FSOnl the Baltimore Ame1feur
The Democratic State Conventions
held about these times furnish amusing
instances ofthe troubles Ofa party with
out principles-Or ratherofon one that uses
its principles, not as the helm, but the
sails of its vessel, and turns them every
way in which it may hope to catch the
breeze OF popular favor. Conventions
which declare in serried phalanXes of
resolutions that the war was unright-
eously commenced and unjustly prose-
cuted that it was caused by Northern
aggression, fanatical "AbolitioniSts,"
by the election of Abraham Lincoln, by,
in short, anything but its true cause
Slavery-yet close their proceedings by
nominating men who are only known
as Generals and Colonies, and who have
earned the very popularity that gives
them position through services MS Union
soldiers in the war so bitterly denoun-
ced. Look Mt the Ohio Convention for
an example. Engineered by Nallan-
digham, whose consistent treason whilst
the rebellion was in progress kept him
iii opposition to every war measure of
the Government, this Convention passes
resolutions endorsing extreme State
Rights theories-thevery theories which
the war with II bitterness very little
short of the inHective of the Richmond
Sentinel in its best days, and does-whnt
does the reader think? OF course IL
dominates Nallnndigham or some other
prominent Peace Democrat. No such
thing. Having laid down as correct
principle the theory on which the South
seeded, and condemned the war, the
Convention next commended the bra
very and devotion of the soldiers of the
Union who fought the war, and nomi-
mated a General and II ColOnel-neither,
however, very distinguished for impOr-
tant services in the tield-tO the two
chief offices i'll its gift, Could the ludi-
| crOus and despicable be more effectual-
ly displayed?
The New Jersey Democratic State
Convention in some features of menda-
cious hypocrisy perhaps overtops the
/ Nallandigham cnbal. Nearly every
prominent Democrat in New Jersey has
been equally prominent in the Peace
| fnction. And their task is corresponds
ingly difficult to preserve some sort OF
consistency with former professions,
whilst they avail themselves of what
ever popularity may be secured by
spreading their sails toward breezes
that come from an opposite quarter.
| They declare that the war was need
less" that it was brought on by "Abo-
| litionists" and "Secessionists," that il
was "wanton, fratricidal and sectional. u
In other words that there was no prin-
ciple involved in it, that 1t has settled
nothing, and has brought TO the conn
try nothing but Stupcndous suffering
and an enormous public debt.
y war thus originated and conducted
must rs necessity have been bad, and
only bad. There could have been moth
| ing about it that could have received
I FFh Il
| puTists of Democratic New jersey. We
are prepared therefore, to hear from
| them sweeping condemnation of the
/ Generals and soldiers who fought in
this wicked and causeleSS war. But no,
that would be n legitimate conclusion,
but it would not be popular, The New
\ Jersey soldier is ut home now, and the
Legislature can therefore no longer
prevent him from voting. Accordingly
he IS patted on the back, and rendered
| "our sympathy and support" and ap-
plauded for his "valor, bravery and he
roisin," No wonder that the swallow
ing of such u mixture of fulsehOod and
hypocrisy was too much for the stom-
ach of these Peace Democrats, and they
quieted their qualms with a Character
istlc fling at the negro. The credit of
our victories, it is declared, is ''due
alone to the white officers and soldiers
All! if the negro could only vote, with
what haste these Democratic PLATFORM
makers would find reason for COM
pliment and flAttery.
y succeeding resolution expresses
alarm Mt the enormity of the public
debt, and very correctly calls for re-
duction of the public expenses and the
adoption of system of rigid economy.
But votes are still to be won; the New
Jersey soldiers have just caLse of Of
fence against these democrats who re-
kNnraGW. II
in the field, and the convention there
fore resolves First, That the hun
dred dollars bounty ought to be paid
: to the one year men; Second, that a
g Government bounty ought to be paid
. TO all soldiers alike, no matter when
they volunteered; Third, that the
b0unties paid to the soldiers of 1853
g and 1864 ought to be paid to the SOL
:" diers of 1861 and 1862" The effect of
this would be to add four or five hun
dred millions of dollars to the debt that
has already been pronounced too large.
Another resolution asserts that the
=" Democratic party was the first in this
" state to advocate equal taxation''-
this, be 1t remembered, is in the State
of Camden and AmbOy," whose pub
lie treasure is kept supplied by unequal
and unjust tnXes levied upon railroad
travellers from other StateS-''and we
:" hereby protest against the law of
SohSsAtSS eAcllplluS government
" bonds from taxation.'' This blow is
aimed at the credit of the Government
and the good faith of the country. but
it.falls short. 1t is not the law of Com
gress but the Constitution which ex-
empts Government bonds from State or
local taxation TIE Supreme Court.
speaking through Chief Justice Mar,
shall, has said: 1.-THE tax on Govern
ment stock is thought by the Court to
" be a tax on the contract, tax on the
power to borrow money on the credit
" of the United States, and consequently
" to be repUIndRt to The Constitution"
or course the Convention closed its
labors by nominating n soldier for Gov
ernor, Gen. Runyon, who commanded
n brigade during the war, but who was
never in n battle, and failed to perform
any services that made his name famil-
lar to the readers of the war news. He
accepted the nomination, and made n
speech in which he had much to saw
about New Jersey being tbeacon
light" &C., but was most profuse
when he got on Secretary Stanton and
military satraps.''
RIcHARD CoRDES AS a PHoPHEr-A