The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-04-30
III. Un,oa pnr,y.-Nu,ienur and STATE,
z ring tho past FIVE years the pOlitica

.s4y z4.-. 10 been called Union 10 eeUlngs.'
cl"pnion" has been appropriated
tttoand proclaimed as the con
SIS psession Of its political creed
.t1m sane time an effort has been
Oh by implication and dnec0
ao to fasten upon ali the oppo-
nss.ts I'll that party the charge Of being
- iydri5nsts, and hostile to the resT"ra-
ton of the Southern States to their con-
stitutional relations TO the Federal gov
eminent. A perfect hue and cry was
raised against all who dared to question
the wisdom or gainsay the motives oil
that party, and prescription, persecn-
ton, oppression and insult were heaped
upon all who did not vote the Union
ticket" and blindly endorse every act of
the President of the United States.
On the part of the leaders Of the Re-
publican party these pretentions OF
Unionism were false from the beginning
They never have been Union men, were
not really so during the war and are
not friends of the Union now. But there
were many persons in the rank and file
of the so-called Union party who hon
estly desired the preservation of the
Union of States and who believed that
the loud professions of their leaders pro
ceeded from hearts as sincere rs th cir
own. There were mauymen who acted
with that party and voted for it's candi-
dates in the belief that they were there
by expressing their devotion to the
Union and doing what lay in their power
for its preservation.
To this latter class of men we woHld
like to address few plain questions
and call their attention to the existing
state of political affairs.
First of all, the war is over. The Fed
eral armies have been triumphant the
rebellion has been suppressed the
authority of the general government is
audisputed in any portion of our coun-
try; the national flag floats securely
all over the land, aud peace has been
officially proclaimed. But is the Union
restored as you wished it to be when you
acted with the Union party Have your
expectations been realized Are the
Southern States now recognized rs mem
sels of the Federal Union Are
their delegates admitted to the national
Congress, aud is the aation free, pros.
aerous, happy and united Is you faueed !
= would be upon the successful cerluiua-
si0a of the war; Every homes man
vino knows anything Of current ar.-t3
muse answer at th3se questions r. he
regGdvs Then what is the reat0u fer
tbe present distracted and discordao-
condition Of political aGflirs ITdois il
that stands in the way Of reunion
Who is il that, now shat the rebellion
has been suppressed, declares that the
Southern States are not members Of the
Federal Union, and shall not become
States in the Union until they submit +"
requirements unauthorized Ivy the Con
stitutiOn, aud unheaTd of until after
the termination If he war are
not the men who ror ~
pose the restoration Of tho
Uniou that very nan who dur,
lug the past five years have beer loudly |
9roclaimIn5 themselves Union men,
STEVENS ana SUMNER aud the men who
follow their lead and GO their bidding. IN
congress and the nation atlGrgo, are the
7D'~ foes 70 fbe restoration Of he Union
70 be found in the whole nation The
6"rtD"rn States have submitted, With
'h- 'rsf possible grace 10 'he rof2lr OF .
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. 81. r~-.-, III 800
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