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

mon to declare his principles and be die
not hesitate now. His principles were
"Tbg Constitution, the Flag and Andy
Johnson must besustained. (Applause
| The acts of secession were unconstitu
tional aud the war had been waged tC
compsl obedience to the constitution
and nov after the expenditure of mil
| lions Of mouey and the sacrifice of thou
sands OF lives to support the supreme
law of the land aud to restore the Union
shall we quietly aud tamely submit to
have the constitution violated and the
Southern States prevented from return
ing to the Union merely that the radical
party may be kept in power2 The
people w3nf DO Il (Applause) A year
ago the legislature of West Virginia
passed an unconstitutional act imposing
a test oath uponvoters He knew it was
unconstitutional, and not all the Attor-
ney Generals or Governors in the United
States could convince him to the contra
ry It was regarded as bitter dose by
the people. Then the constitutional
amendment disfranchisng and depriving
of citizenship all who had ever had
anything to do with the rebellion
was passed by the Legislature and
was regarded by the people as worse
than the test oath. Aud recently the
legislature has added another act called
the registration law, which is worse
than either of the others, because it dis
franchises everybody but the Governor,
daughter and appiause) The speak
ers father had served three years in the
war of the Revolution; he had himself
spent four years in the service of his
country and he was willing to carry a
musket and fight for Andy Johnson.
(Great applause, during which the
speaker sought to retire, but was called
back amid cries OF go OH go on W lie
hoped always to have courage enough to
stand up for right, and so tar as he was
concerned he had never, as member of
the legislature, bowed his knee to Baal.
He was in favor OF enforcing the consti-
tuition to the letter. We would appeal
to the ballot box, and if we can't get
there the rights to which we are enti.
tied by the constitution of the United
States and of this State, we know what
we can do. (Applause). He had fought
for the restoration of the government
and was determined that it should be
preserved in all its benifcence and free
dom Captain Darnel concluded his
speech amid tremendous cheering and
Mr.. O'Brien, member of The Senate, was
called for
He said that few years ago We en-
loyed Union, peace and human rights -
A departure from the original principles
of the government was the cause of all
our troubles We should now seek to
return to the principles which actuated
the fathers OF the republic, and he be-
lieved that Andrew Johnson had been
selected is the instrument of the great
Jehovah to lead the government back
into the safe and peaceful paths we for
merly trod
Mr.. O'Brien's remarks We're we'll re-
ceived and heartily applauded, and, at
the close Of his speech. thc committee
on resolutions, through their chairman,
Mr.. Lamb, reported the following
REVOLUTIONS:
Reso,cei That the Union has never
been dissolved
Regolrcd, That We desire the speedy
restoration OF peace, harmony and good
feeling throughout the Union, and, there
fore, abandoning former party ties, we
unite in the Hearty support OF the Pres
ident of the United States in his efforts
to accomplish this great object.
Resosred, That we cordially apPLVvs
the recent veto message of the President
and the many other indications he has
sc l;c 1a-o+iop 70 +ba Jvalfnra Df
the whole country. in opposition to the
radical faction in Congress, who would
sacrifice the Union, the Constitution, aud
Liberty itself in order TO establish their
own despotic rule
Reso!red, That, while we shall ever
oppose, by all lawful means the unjust,
tyrannical and unconstitutional meas
ures by which the majority in our Leg
islature seek to perpetuate their own
power, we pledge ourselves to support
ana maintain tue State of West Virginia
in ITS integrity
Res0lrsi, That we believe that the
dominant party in this State, under pre-
text of excluding rebels from power, de-
sign to prescribe legal voters because
they are political opponents, and to
DESTROY the freedom of elections and OF
speech IL order that they may them
selye, more securely reign over Vest
Virginia
The reading OF each resolution was
greeted With cheers aud the whole we've
adopted unanimously and enthusiast
cally. After the reading and adoption
OF the resolutions r. Richardson, Esq
and Hon Sherraii Clemens addressed
the meeting, each in his happie~t vein
We will cndeavOr to publish a synopsis
Of their speeches to morrow
The meeting adjourned at about
eleven o'clock with cheers for Andrew
Johnson and the Constitution