The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-05-23

ton. The bitcress rebel in our midst
ought to be ashamed to say that he is
not willing to see tile poorest Of all hui.
man beings, be his color what i. may.
have q fair chance to- work his way
through life. ... ...... ..'
We beg, frllow.citizcns, that you will
not allow your minds to be confused with
this talk Of rebel sympa,hizcrs. d. not
suffer such men to close your eyes to the
real issue that is before you 10 this cleo.
ton. DO not forget the records Of these
men who ore talking to you about negro
equality. THY DO not believe word Of
it themselves. They are simply using
your votes to get back ugain into tLeir
old places of influence and mower. You
must bo aware that your Union fellow
citizens here in Wheeling and West
Virginia urc more worthy 10 be believed
and more worthy to be your political
friends than those who did all iu their
power during the war to bring in the
armies Of tho rebellion into our midst,
aud to destroy forever the present Gov.
ernmcnt under which all Of us, friend
and foe, have our freedom and our pros
pcrity.
Who and what is the party that stands
opposed to the Union party to-day in
Wes, Virginia.? Who "ro its leaders?
Who 20 YOU see prominent in its meet.
in"s? Who arc those that take tho
most interest in that party? We an.
swcr you that they rrc either actual reb'
ely or rebel sympalhizers. They nre
men who throughout ihc war were either
known as sccco.ionisis or us those who
in secret wished well TO tho rebellion
You never saw them at Union meetings.
You never saw them rejoicing over
Union victories. You never saw them
getting up subscriptions for tho families
Of Union soldiers. You never saw them
holdin. sanitary fairs for the Union ar.
mics. They never took part in the
public gatherings when our gallant boys
+! from the field were welcomed home or
furnished with meals TO cheer them on
their weary way
What DO you imagine, fellow. citizens,
these men would do had they only the
power? Would they carry out your
views as fought for and upheld by the
Union armies during the war? or would
they carry out as near rs possible the
views of those with whom they SO noto'
riously sympathizci on The side Of the
rebellion ? We put the question TO you.
What would be the natural course for
such party to take in ease il came into
power? What would Union men do.in
case the rebellion had been successful ?
Would we have ceased to hate treason
and would We have changed over to
sympathy with rebellion? Assurcdly not.
The rebels at least would have taken
care that wc had no opportunity 10 cx.
crcise control. They would have made
good the address issued by Charles W..
Russell und others from this section in
1863, which was that voluntary aid and
assistance to the Government Of our
country would never Ic forgiven or
forgotten" BY the rebel leaders " hen
they became successful, as they then
boastcd they soon would bO.
Fellow. citizens, wo. quote and endorse
the language Of President johnson in his
speech Of June 9th, 1851, at the city Of
Nashville, when he said that tho traitor
shat .fmfritcd lis right TO r9te 'r'th f9y'l
men wh"n he rrnoanrcd his citizenship and
sougM 10 drsIrny our G0rrrmmcnl' And
again, we especially endorse this Ian.
gnngc from the same source:
1--WE say to the most honest md in
du.trious foreigner who comes from
England or Germany to dwell among
US, and to ndd to the wealth ofthc coun.
try, Before you can be o citizen you
must stay here for five years. II We
ure SO cautious about foreigners, who
voluntarily rcrouuce their homes to live
with US, what should we soy TO the trai.
tor, who, although born and reared
among US, has raised parricdal hand
against the Government which always
protected hin? Ny judgment is that
he should be subjected to q severe or.
deal before he is restored to izcuship.'
And again. citizens, we endorse
and commend to you tho language Of
Daniel Lamb, Esq. Of Wheeling, who,
in our House Of Delegates in February,
1865, announced US q great public nc.
crssity for the safety aud per'nancncy o!
Wes. Virginia as State in the Union,
that VIC must
".Adopt constitutional restriction .fDr
Ms purpose Of prerenting rdeis from
canning here among as to rrrrci% the rtyh'
Of suffrage in attempting m control on
Affairs, after being engaged for gears IN
enDlcaroriing to DESTROY u.s." .r.
These words Of ,Mr. Lambs nrc ns true
and as important to!day as they were
the day he uttered them. Tho feelings
Of those. Of whom he spoke have not
changed stewards Union men or: the
Uuion csuse.s Except at our peril We
ca mot. t.ibSest the aidcrs md abettors OF
the rebsliioG;with the power Of the State
The 'n,ensWho pow dcnouuce our Con
sti,u,ional Amendment ss "tyrsnnical
arc those vho.insl9G1 resorted TO every
uppliapce Of force aud tyranny to bring
/ l.