The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-11-20
boasted that they conld not and would

boasted that they conld not and would
feel disgraced if they could. Without
mentioning names, one gentleman, cleo
ted in Alabama by large majority, de-
clared in his address to the people before
the election, that the true pen of history
would record the emancipation act as
the most monstrous deed of cruelty that
ever darkened the annals OF any nation,
and another gentleman, who ayow
ed that he gave all possible
aid and comfort to the rebellion, de-
nouncing the Congress OF 1862 as guilty
in enacting such an oath. Ga voice, put
them in probation.) The South is filled
with men who cannot take the oath
which declares II have not voluntary
taken part in the rebellion" Every con-
script i'll the southern army can take
that oath because he was forced into the
risk by their conscription act, and every
man who stayed at home and refused to
accept a civil or military Office could
take the oath, but these were not the
choice of the States lately in rebellion
Fourth, While it was expected that a
majority of these States had cherished
for years their feelings of disloyalty, the
country has right to expect that before
their members are admitted to a share
in the government of this country A
clear majority of the people of each of
these States should give evidence of
their earnest and cheerful loyalty, not
by such speeches as are so common that
they submit their cause to the arbitra-
ment of war, but that they are willing
to stand by and fight for the flag of the
country against all its enemies at home
or abroad, The danger now is that
we may be too precipitate But
let us then make haste slowly
and have the hope that the foundation
of our Government will thus be recon
structed on basis of uudisputible loyal
ty, aud it will be as eternal as the stars.
[Applausel In President johnson |
have uumistaken confidence. | cannot
forget that i'll the Senate, at the opening
OF the rebellion, he was the only south
ern member who denounced it and its
origiuators, and that he was faithful
among the faithless; nor do / forget that
when On his way from the Capital he was
iusulted at many rail way stations, yet
he never faltered in his devotion to the
Union nor can forget his speech when
military Governor of Tennessee, TO II
mass meeting of the colored men at
Nashville, in which he declared that all
men should have fair start and an
equal chance i'll the race of lite, and let
hlm sncceed who has the most merit
Again, all remember his speech to the
coored regiment of the District of Col
umba, where he repudiated that sterO-
typed declaration that this is Il white
mans country. You remember, also, his
remarks to the South Carolina dele
CATION, that the only right system
was 10 protect all, whether white
or black and that if they got gen
eral principles right, details and
collaterals would follow. All remember
his earnest dispatches in the Southern
canvass and that he signed the death
warrant of every one who had been con-
victed of conspiracy. The great Union
of the country carried it
aided by our heroic defend
ers. Through the perlous times OF the
past four years our beloved martyred
President leaned upon it in the darkest
hours. 1t stood by the national cause
unfalteringly-it votod down the Chica-
90 platform which declared the wal to be
Il failure and which demanded cessa-
tion of hostilities-the people have pla-
ced the whole power of the government
in its hands, executive, lesslat i've and
judicial, and reassuriug it by the bril-
liant victories of the fall. Let us emulate
the example of its friei.ds in all the
States, Let us study unity i'll the light
of duty and | believe the executive and
legislative departments of the govern
mcnt when they compare views together
will cordially cooperate in this great
work before us and so act that the toun-
dation Sol our Union wisely and patriot
cally reconstructed shall be eternal Us the
stars and with a hearty acceptance by the
south ufthe new situation. | rejoice to
believe that, under Il systom of paid free
labor, and respecting the rights OF free
men, it will go forward in career of
prosperity, wealth and progress unparal-
elled in it's previous history. 1t has
more genial cline than we have in the
colder North wider range OF produc-
tion, for it has cotton, tobacco, rice and
sugar, which command such high prices
now in the markets of the world, and has
a boundless water power almost entirely
unimpaired Rid now Of this shiftless
system of slave labor, it will, with its
loans, give MS new rival in The race of
prosperity.
In conclusion can but echo the words
OF our departed President in his last in
augural on the steps of the Capitol
with malice toward none. with charity
for all, but with irmness to do the right
us God gives us to see the right, and all
will we'll"
The address was chccred throughout.
and at its conclusion many rushed for
ward to congratulate the speaker. while
the band played patriotic airs.