The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-02-23

| f0rce ana 616cC oil law. In Yet0ing the
bill the President had manifested his
| devotion to the constitution and
the fundamental principles OF the
government. The people must rally to
his support stand by the President and
sustain the cause of civil liberty. In the
legislature in .this State the same spirit
| that actuates the dominant party in Con.
| gress has been displayed. The people
we're divided into two parties; the rad.
ical party and conservative party. Rad,
icalism proposed the accomplishment of
it's aims In defiance of all law; conserva
tism proposed to save and enforce the
constitution. By which shall we stand
We are not willing to tamely and useless
| ly sacrifice the liberty which has been so
| dearly bought These men propose TO
legislate merely for their own aggran.
disement aud continuance in power All
| considerations ofright have been thrown
away and everything disregarded which
did not contribute to the welfare OF the
| radical party 1t is time that freemen
were awake. There is danger ahead and
we must meet it like men. We must
avoid extremes and put down the men
who would cut loose from fundamental
law. Let us 60 and arouse the people
and | am sure they will do right and
stand by the President. The Southern
States are still in the Union-they never
have been out-but the radicals
now assume that the acts
of~secession were valid and that the
Union has been dissolved, while they
propose to extend over the South gov
eminent in which the people of the
South have no representation. Is this
liberty Is it republicanism A republi-
can government was founded upon the
doctrine that all the just powers OF gov
ernment are derived from the consent OF
the governed; republic could not exis-
in name alone; right and the enjoyment
of constitutional liberty and equal rep,
resentation make government free, no
matter by what name it is called. If
we would preserve our liberties, we must
Law aside passion and mere party pride
and support and uphold the President
as the champion of the constitution and
civil rights
Colonel Johnson was frequently in
terrupted by applause and took his seat
amid loud cheering. Jas. PAUL, Esq,
was next called for and was greeted by
noisy demonstrations Of delight
He said he was gratited to meet so
many of his fellow citizens assembled to
consult together concerning the political
situation cf the country and to approve
the policy adopted by the President.
For this purpose, the day, it being the
birthday Of Washington, was most
auspicious. We must return to the
n
principles (which actuated him,
ton to its former prosperity. 1t was
almost impossible to contemplate his
character without catching, to some ex.
tent, the influence of his pure heart, and
he almost believed if some OF tue men
now acting with the dominant party IN
Congress we're to visit Mount Vernon
and stand by the tomb of the Father Of
his Country some ray of his patriotism
might plant a loye Of freedom in their
hearts even as tue dead man was
restored to life vho touched the
bones of the Prophet Elisha We
have departed from the teachings OF the
past: we have forgotten the counsels vi
the fathers, and sadly have we learned
our error. We were Solemply ly'warned
against the formation Of sectional par:
ties, parties bounded by geographical
lines, and, as though the warning OF
Washington was the result Of prophets;
inspiration. no sooner did sectional
party attain power than civil war en-
sued. No warever resulted from the ac-
cession to power Of the old Democratic
party whose chosen leader was known
as "Old Hickory" and whose motto was
"The Federal Union must and snail ee
preserved;" no civil war ever follow ed
the accession to power OF the OLD wing
party whose leaders, Clay ana
Webster, we're controlled by the senti-
ment, Liberty and Union. now ana Tor
ever one and inseperable" but upon the
accession of partywhose limits were de,
fined bv sectional lines began the fearful
struggle through which we have Just
uassed. The radicalism of the present
day is the outgrowth of that party we
were told a short time ago that the peo-
ple should cheerfully submit 10 a ueprt
vation OF their liberty because snch ne
nriyati.n was considered /. war measure
the constitution knows no such power
| Ruin and desolatiOn have been spread
over half the land, the burden ot taxa
tion far more grieyOus than any ever
before known here, has been laid upon
the shoulders of the people. AT length
the rebellion was crushed and we JOY
! fnlly hailed the return ut peace ana
| hoped for the speedy restoration 81 all
| tLa state, to li,air constitutional TeIi-
tious w,th the government But after
the misery wrought by the W1r. tttef
all the suffering we have endured, the
fruits Of our victory arc TO be turned
INTO ashes on our lips. It's this which
has driven the soldiers from the support
of the radical party, it j. this which
| brings them here to-nigut At ths open
ing of congress eleven States we're de
barred from representation. II was de
termined that there should be no re
unisD. no reconciliation no restoration
of harmony until they are compelled to
subserye the interests OF the party III
power. IA this that party still persists,
aud through their revolutionary action
eleven States are deprived OF their con
stitutional rights According to them
the Old flag the emblem otnatioual uni
tv, power and glory - a stupenaonS
falsehOod Eleven stars are stricken
from the constellation. Thaddeus Ste
yens well said IN the House OF Repre-.
,entatives few days ago that he stood
upon an earthquake trust that earth
quake NAV vet strike terror into the
Learts of all such enemies of republican