The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-06-20
Candid Confession

Gu ul5OAOVhVh'
their reputation with us in that partlc'
Mar Their editorial of yesterday, IN
relation to the amendment recently pro-
posed by Congress to the Constitution
Of the United States, seems to us to be
very indiscreet article.
Referring to that amendment they
say
MARYLAND, Delaware and Kentucky
areouite certain to reject IL, SO tnaI ~
will need the support OF hve Oh Tue !aSe
rebel States, This is not to be e%pecteuc:
Nor is II important to the chief obJecG Oh
tTa measure, tho strengthening OF the
Republican party in the fall elections
It is not to be expected, then, that the
amendment will be ratified by the requi-
site number (three-fourths,) OF the
states The chief object is, not to make
II a part of the Constitution, but to
strengthen the Republican party IN the
fall elections. Congress are only trying
70 humbuq the people in order to bolster
up party
arowed ON the floor of Congress, But
we never expected so candid comics
sion of the fact from our very discreet
and prudent neighbors
The extravagant measures oil this
party have been hitherto gradually ou'
surely driving all honest and reasonable
men ont of their ranks This has pro-
eeeded so far as at length to endanger
the supremacy of the party. lime Is TO
some extent softening down that natur-
al maliguancy of the human heart TO-
wards those who were enemies, and are
now in our power, upon which tho lead
ers thought they had erected the perma-
nent dominion Of their party Some
measure carrying an appearance SIT least
of fairness, must be devised, by which
they could support themselves in the
Fall elections, and arrest the defection5
from the party that were constantly oc-
ourring They pass the amendment IN
question with this object, and throw It
out to the people as tub to the whale
See! they say, we are not such wild and
extrayagant men as you have supposed
It is really negro suffrage that these
men wish to establish. Not long since
the New York Tribune informed as that
mo one who knows anything Of the
interior workings Of Congress can doubt
that 4 large majority of both Houses are
at heart anxious to establish universal
suffrage. II is perfectly clear
that the Judgment Of Congress Is decided
IN favor Of the measure. The testimony
OF It's friends and its enemies concurs ON
this point Most of the Union
members would like to insist upon such
terms, if they only felt they could safely
do So
MI Greedy estimates that out OF the
49members of the Senate of the United
States, "a were really in favor of negro
suffrage, and told us that an analysis OF
the Lower House would show similar
result
1t was rot ouc If any regard 10 the
negro that they favored the measure.
By establishing negro suffrage, they
hoped to establish forever their own
party power. Estimating that the ne
groes would have 100000 votes, it WAS
said by the Tribune
who can estimate the permanent ad
dltion to the strength of a party which
creates 100000 men voters by "a single
measure all of whom know that they
owe to it every privilege that they en-
joyq"
But the party have come to the conclu-
sion that they cannot safely approach
their object in a plain, straightforward
manner. The country is not yet ready
for negro suffrage. They must accom-
plish theirpurpose indirectly, and there
fore in the amendment proposed by Con
gress bride is offered to the several
States. They say to every State If
you extend the right Of suffrage to the
negro, your own power in the govern
ment shall be propertionally increased
There can be no doubt, we think, that if
the amendment be ratified, it will lead
in the end to universal suffrage"
VIII the proposed amendment, howey-
or, answer its purpose in West Virginia.
Will it strengthen the Republican party
OF this State in our fall elections Very
few of our people, so far as we know IA
vor negro suffrage and in other respects
it places our radicals in an awkward di.
lemma.
Il. they take the proposed amendment
for their platform, they must condemn
their own favorite State measures. If
on the other hand, they adhere to the
acts of our legislature and Governor,
they set themselves in many important
respects in direct opposition to the prin-
ciples embodied in the amendment,
The Radicals in this State have de-
rived a certain class of our people of