The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-05-12
RArR.oF suRscRIPTIoNs.
Fo the People ST west vir.

IF. montheE...:.::..:.::.:t:...:..s.t::tsl o o
to the People Of west vir-
.e,,gl., ginia. e,s 10
The Election throughout the state on
Thursday the 2lth or May. 1866
What tue People are Called Upon to
Decide.S..ShaII the Traitors OF the
Late Rebellion Rule the State. -.
FELLOW CrTIzENs.-on n Thursday the
| 9th day or Nay 1S66Aa very few days
now-the people of West Virginia will
be called upon to vote upon the follow
ing amendment to their State Consti-
tution4TEiz.- 2 Z. Isl QEB u
"No person who, since the 1st day OF
June, 1861, has given or shall give vol
untary aid dorassistancetoth the rebellion
against the United States, shall be a
l,citizen of this State, or be allowed to
vote al any. eIection held Therein, Inn
less he has volunteered into the militia
Iry ornaHal service of the United States,
Itand has been orshall be h0norably dis
charged thefeftom. ''4H 'tAts,i' ~ lt,l,i
The design of this amendment is to
keep out Of power altthose persons who
plunged the country into the late war,
and, Who are Responsible for tho two
hundred and eightg-tfve thousand lives
that werelost ON the Union side,fn put
ting down the rebellion, and for all the
widows and fatherless children who
mourn throughout the land, and for the
great debt of twenty-seven hundred
millions of dollars that has been entail
ed upon us for generations to come. :
This Ame4d4ient DOES not hurt or in
any way offend single man who did
not, of his own free will and choice, be-
come traitor, during the rebellion, or
E)who, IN so doing, did not 4renderaid
either by taking up arms or contribu-
ting money or means of some sort to
those who were in arms.
And we, ask you, fellow citizens,
whether in your hearts you belieye that
a man who, of his own free will ana
choice, left our midst and went South
to take up arms against the Govern
ment of his country, from which he
had never received an injury OF any
sort during his life, but which Was and
is, as we all know, the best and lhe
freest Government on earth, ought
now come back among us and be the
same in public respect and in political
rights as those who remained at home
and either, bore arms in defense of the
good loIds tlag of freedom, or else re;
lfnaifled at home with their families and
wished we'll to the Union armies, and, at
Zines. as they were called upon, gave
all the assistance in their power TO the
final success of the Union cause.
And we further ask you, fellow clti-
zens! if those who remainedihere along
side of you, and who enjoyed the pro-
lection of their lives and property the
same as yourselves, ana VINO WI on. never rt,r
gave even SO much as good wish Tor
the Union, but who secretly gave mon
tteyI clottes, and other aid ID nd IA Sslst-
| ance to rebels In arms, Ought NOW TO be
considered just as good in all political
respects, and to be entitled 10 equnl
honor with those who were true and
loyal to their native or adopted coun-
ttys fbe an n endIlient for %hich;of ngainst
which YOU will vote on the oath, pro-
poses only that Chose men who gave
actual aid and assistance to the rebel
lion, and who for years sought elmer
of themselves or by furnishing money
and means to others, TO oreak up the
Union, to destroy our entire form OF gov
ernment, TO bloteout squr free 1nstltu-
tions. and to reduce us all under the
despotism of slave empire, shall not
again cpntrol us nor set up among us
afiy Or the remains of their wicked re-
bellion.
tell yoria great deal about the negro,
They would like to keep your eyes
away from their conduct during the
war by keeping them 5on the negro.
Unless they thus induce you to over,
look their wickedness they'know 1ull
well that y9p would p,;e woe 9hat5 tnSin sal
lieve that If they can mako you
think that the great Union party OF the
country own, friends and neigh
bors here IN Wheeling being members
of that party-desire to make the negro
equal with the white man-that then
you will forget all about traitors and
rebels and be willing to join win jlL.ell mem
This IS their cunning game We fear
some of you have been already de-
| ceived.
no party in this country desires 10 nluhe
the negro the equal of the white man;
Itwould be impossible. Iraitors 1lI anu w.
TkbhI' 's&nipathizers tell you 50 in order
| to get you to vote with them, and thus
cover tlp their own records during the
vvaf. 9The.U Uniouf men of the country
simply desire that the negroes OF the
South shall enjoy in peace ana quiet the
freedom which was gained for them IN
the war. They desire only thal the ne
~
| i6is late masters and Oppressors-one
81 Gods poor creatures -nnd Athatt ne
| has n riaht to own his own wife ana
Ecbf1dtaIS. the same as other men, and be
naid wages for his daily labor instead
Of Iasties at the whipping post as IN the
lldays before the war. The rebels ana
| their eirsympathizers hate the negroes, not
\ for any fahieof the unfortnnateS Screai7
] tiIfes ffiemsel yes, bnt because they are
| NOT white and have not as much sense
| as,wlifle men, and be6ause they were
/ trne TO the country in the dark ana
| doubtfiiI days when all Union men
were glad to get tile 'helprof any friend
| whether, his skinlwas white or black.
l. AS Union metI we desire only to see
4 the negro left alone-lett 70 work..ioE
/ himself I'M the 3plhceS where he once
l2liyed as a slave-left to get along the
4 hest way he Gcan-with mo- body TO
/ abuse him, aud with fair chance TO
limprove his conditions. The bitterest
l rebel In our midst ought to be ashamed
4 to say that heis not willing 10 see the
l,poorest of,salI human beings be his
I color7what it may, have q. tatr chance 70
work his way through lie. =,
4 not allow your minds to be confused
with .thistalk ofrehel lsympat athizers. DC
mot suffer such men TO close your eyes
lto the real issne that is before you in
l.this election. Do NOT forget the records
Of these men who are talkingsto you
i about negro equality. They do not pc,
iieve a word of II themselves. They
are simply using your votes 10 get pacR
ia6ain into their old places sot Influence
4 and power, You must be- aware tnal
Il YOUR Union fellow citizens here ~
Wheeling and West Virginia are more
4 worthy to be believed and more worthy
4 TO be Your political friends than thoae