The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-05-21
me Present Commotiou in west yIr--
From ne ClUks6lr0 Telegraph. :

There is now a great buzz in the cop
perhead hive of this State. Meetings
are heing held at every cross roads In
rebel communities, to resolve that they,
the coPperheads aforesaid are very In
dignant, very much outraged at the
West Virginia Legislature. Why are
these things done2 What did the Leg
islature do at its recent sesSiont that was
so grievous3 Did It deprive one of the
soldiers who fought for the Union of
his rights2 Did it deprive one of the
citizens who remained at home and
obeyed the laws of his rightsf We are
all aware thatitdid not. Who then are
the aggrfevd ipartfesf We answer that
none have any right to complain. There
were men in West Virginia, in 1851,
who organized themselves and attached
themselves TO the armies of the rebel
effort to overthrow the Government of
the United States, and establish an in
dependent confederacy of their own.
Failing in their l1pholy work,
many of these men laye returned
and are now residing In West Vir-
ginia, and their lives and property
are protected. Our Legislature has
citizens of the State are required to
take ere they can exercise the privilege
of the elective franchise. They are re-
quired to swear that they have not vol
UNFAIRLY borne arms against the United
States since the 1st day of June, 1851,
and that they have not given laid and
comfortn to the enemies of the United
States. If men cannot take the forego-
ing oath, whose fault is it7 Does the
sin lie at the door of our Union legisla-
tors3 They enacted the law that Will
prohibit men from voting who have.
been guilty of certain high crimes, but
they did not commit the crimesI Ip
2 fTtk d. f2RFl nr haaN
guilty of certain crimes are not worthy
of enjoying certain political rights, and
If men have beenguilty of those crimes
it is their own fault, and own mis- lor-
tune, and not that of the Legislature,
whose duty 1t Is to make laws that Will
secure the greatest good TO the greatest
number and which will most ettectually
guard our Stale and its institutions
against the encroachments of dlsloy-
altv.a 81
st Men who have done all in their pow
er TO overthrow our Government and
only yielded when compelled to. can
not expect to be restored Immediately
to the same rights as loyal men possess.
We have never thought that IL would
be policy to keep disabling acts long in
force. Times change, and the political
aspects of the country are continually
taking new phases. and new issues in
process of time will etface the nld ones
upon which the people are now dtvtd-
ed j, and in the course of a few years it
may be prudent to restore all TO their
privileges, but now the cause of recent
strife is in the minds of all. The line
of distinction is plainly marked. Time
will oblfterHte the cause of hate, and
new issues will beget new interests, and
it is TO be hoped a healthy comming-
ling of sentiment, but Il few years pro-
baton will not hurt the rebels. 1t will
wean them from the wild hunt for Office
and make better men eff them.
We are no advocate of placing disa-
bilities upon rebels merely because we
have the power. to do it, but for the
public safely alone, and as soon as it
safety will not be jeopardized by it, we
would have all disabilities removed,
We will say frankly TO the rebels and
their sympathiztng friends, thnt the
steps they are now taking in abusing
our Legislature are only prolonging
the disabilities thrown upon them.
While party exists whose object is
palpably to legislate for the benefit of
rebels the Union party will assuredly
guard against the encroachments of
that party. Tie Union party made the
new State-it sustained the Govern
meut during the rebellion, and it will
control matters its own way, and when
the rebels are restored TO their privileges
it will be done by the Union party-not
by the copperhead faction that Is SO
given to indignating. The Union purity
will deal justly, but 1t Will not be bull
lied into measures, and however angry
copperheads may feel; they had better
smother their indignation, and quietly
s'bide their time.p
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