The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-03-19
ON wrong scent.

Oh u NNEOnts SEGHL.
Mr.. Lamb quotes from an editorial
article in this paper, under date of Feb
Fuary LIST, 1862, the following:
tsIf the slavery matter Is likely to be
determined by Congress with as little
discretion as has been manifested in the
preliminary discussion of Il, Il may
well be doubted whether Congress had
not best drop it altogether, and leave it
to take, as General Rosecrans well said
in his Mcclure House speech the other
evening, the natural consequences Of
a stale of war; II seems TO be
forgotten by some of the members
that it is only rs war measure that
they can touch il at all
'dThe talk about Regulating for the
destruction of slavery, as If that were
an object In itself coming within the
! legitimate scope of congressional ac-
ti0u. grows out of vicious commission
of ideas; aud the vehement appeals
made for such action, on the plea that'
tFEnee slavery Is the cause oil the reoel-
! lion, there can be no permanent peace
until 1t Is destroyed, are really appeals
for the revolutionary overthrow OF the
constitution by its defenders.
'aAny such comprehensive action of
Congress, for the purpose of destroying
slavery, would involve the country in
hopeless anarchy and confusion, since
rebellion and divide and distract the
North"
Mr. L. argues from the above that we
have since changed sentiment upon the
slavery question. We beg the gentle
mans pardon, but the extract does not
show what he claims. Nobody in this
country has ever claimed, 50 far as we
are aware certainly We never have
and do not now-that Congress could
destroy slavery by Legislative act. Nor
has it been destroyed in that way. It
was done as q military necessity andby
virtue OF military power vested in the
President as chief commander of the
armies Of the United States. And to
secure the result against possible rever-
sion, it has since been legally abolished
by an amendment TO the Constitution
OF the United States. The proclama-
ton of emancipation was one of the
natural consequences OF a state OF
war" The quotation of the extract is
rather compliment than otherwise
We are shown 20 have stated the case so
exactly.
Democratic Acknowledgment OF the
state Of West Virginia
Fro1i he FelLslaDO Herald
At the recent mass meeting at Wheel
| ing, claimed 10 be an OufpOUring of the
| democracy, to glorify Andrew johnson
! as an adopted saint, and organize the
| marty into a better working condition,
| numerous spread eagle resolves were
adopted. Among the most notable OF
them, was one recognizing the State OF
| West Virginia as n fixed fact ana IN
culCating obedience in good faith to its
4 laws and ordinances, as among the
/ duties OF democrats hereafter. 1t was a
| very sensible and proper resolution,
and one which the party should have
/ adopted long time ago, and saved
/ itself the damaging inference that here
/ tofOre il has not held the state 10 DE
| very much of fixed fact. Although
/ late, the State of West Virginia viii
doubtless feel happy over the compli-
inentary notice; but what security have
| we, that once in power, they may not
] change their minds or rather their tune,
for really, they are not any better dis
posed to-day towards the State of West
| Virginia, than they were Mt any time
to be s'Iet alone"
Something will haYe to be done to
check the ravaSes OF the conservative
party Ifpermitted to go on in its ca
reer OF apprOpTlalin8 Things 10 IT'S oe-
hoof, as II has been doing of late, we
are very much afraid that it will be
claiming the abolition of slavery next
thing, ms one OF its meritOriOus acts.
Tho Herald is right. The copper
heads in this State are gradually COM
ing around, and acknowledging the
principles of the Union and new State
party. They have been very slow to
humiliatc themselves by confessing that
West Virginia was not what they al
ways said it was, bogus govern
mentr and usurpation; but they have
done il mt last. How sincere they are
| in it ench can judge for himself We
haven't observed that their coadjutors
in Congress or elsewhere have made
any such acknowledgment.
The fact is we begin to have hopes
that with proper management our cop
perhead friends here may in time be
converted into passably good citizens.
All we have to do is to be firm with
them. We have brought them by this
course to make one great concession,
and we shall expect that within n year
after the constitutional amendment is
adopted, they viii be foremost in de
Tending that measure and declaring
that they never did want the returned
rebels to vote and help them into Office.