The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-03-01


act as criminal which was innocent
when done. If the act of treason was
innocent when done, then his argument
is good, but Just before this he had in
formed us that treason was crime to
be punished with death, imprison-
ment, fine or contiscation;" so that the
Senator makes one of his arguments
the executioner of the other.
Because the punishment provided for
those who have committed treason has
not been inflicted; because those who
have been guilty of it have not been
deprived of property; because we have
not clamored for their lives, which
which the violated law demanded; be-
cause we extend to them all civil rights
we are asked to go further, and by a
solemn act of the Legislature, dignity
treason, by lifting upon the platform of
political equality men who have wtlful-
iy committed arson and murder-to
strike hands with men who have Ia
bored and still labor to compass our
overthrow.
The Senator speaks feelingly about
depriving men of political freedom be-
cause they,have differed with us in re-
gard TO the administration of the gov
ernment." Now when it is remem-
bered that this law depriyes no man of
political freedom, except those who are
rebels from choice, this language
sounds strangely from Senator upon
this floor. Is it meant that the Sangui-
nary struggle through which we have
passed is to be regarded as n mere diff
ference of political opinion? Does the
Senator mean to say that rebels who
have desolated the homes of our people,
who without provocation took the lives
of their own neighbors, and who only
ceased their murderous work when the
strong arm of military power struck
the bloody weapon from their hands,
are to be regarded in all this as "only
differing with us in regard 70 1ne ao-
ADMINISTRATION of the government?"
/ know, sir, we are told that returned
rebels and their sympathisers, who to-
Cether, make up that conservative"
party which is just now crawling out
from the skin of the defunct Confeder-
CIV, are the most devoted friends of that
very constitution which they inaugura-
ted a bloody war to destroy-they are
the most boisterous defenders of the in
tegrity of West Virginia, too-the very
men into whose hands we are asked 10
surrender the management OF q COM
monwealth upon which they brought
anarchy and war. These are the men
we are now to listen to as the expound-
ers of the constitution and the law. The
bare idea of such thing is enough to
bring smile from under the ribs of
DEATH
But the Senator tells us this law is
intended to keep the present party in
power. What party2 Does he mean
that Union organization which is made
up of men of all the old political organi-
cations, those who stood in the front
during the dark night of rebellion, who
struggled all the way through for the
separate State existence of West Nlr-
giflia, and who declare that now that
| last and brightest star shall never be
al In NEWs
| Who can be trusted with the manage
ment of our State affairs if not its loyal
people-that people and that party to
which our State owes its very existence?
| Does tho Senator wish to hurl from
| power this great Union party made up
as have said from all the old political
| organizations? And does he propose to
breathe the breath of life into that Cop
perhead party who draw theil inspira-
| ton from Richmond, and that political
| brood in the North whose representa-
tives in Congress voted in solid phalanx
| against the admission of our State into
the Union, and who but lately gave an
unbroken vote against tho addition of
Jefferson and Berkeley counties to West
Virginia, and who would if they had
the power to-day turn us over to the
| IMPOVERISHED but still rebelliOus State
| of Virginia?
President johnson is referred to by
| the 10 prove LluL luGSS
persons-those who have been actively
engaged in the rebellion, should be al
lowed to vote and hold office. Let
Andrew Johnson answer for himself
One short month ago Mr.. Johnson, in
reply to the Virginia delegation, used
this remarkable language:
'tI am free to say that all the respon-
sible positions and places ought to be
confined distinctly and clearly to men
who are loyal. III there We're only five
| Thousand loyal men in State, or less
number, but sufficient to take charge
| of the political machinery of the State,
those five thousand men, or the lesser
number, are entitled to it, ii all the rest
should be otherwise inclined. l look
upon it as being fundamental that the
exercise of political power should be
confined to loyal men,"
a stronger argument than this IN
| favor of the bill before the Senate could
| not be framed out of the English lam
The Senator speaks of the social and
political freedom of Union men in old
| Virginia. If we are to believe the tes-
timony of the Union people themselves
who live there, and the single newspa-
per there that dnres to write n word in
their behalf, they are ostracised and
driven from social position and advan-
tage AS for political freedom, the
loyal men of Virginia have less of it
to-day than there is in the Turkish en-
pire. Virginia, with the disabilities
placed upon her disloyal people by the
Alexandria Constitution, was loyal
with these stricken off, she is as rebel
now rs in 1861.
Tennessee has been referred to. This
| State, instead of furnishing an example
to strengthen the Senator's position,
gives most conclusive one against it.
Restrictive measures, more severe than
/ those of our own Sfala aarlv nlaced
upon rebels, saved that State from i'm
pending anarchy and ruin. Kentucky
lin an evil hour removed disabilities
| from her returned rebels, and she stands
alone to-day the only breast-work on
| the border to turn back the waves of a
higher civilization, which are destined
| to sweep away the remaining vesHges
| of rebellion and slavery.
| Maryland has chosen the better part.
She allows only loyal men to conduct
her affairs, and while Virginia and
! Kentucky still Haunt their treason in
the face of the nation, she stands I'M
conditionaIly by its side.
Turn for moment to Missouri,
which from its once seething popula-
ton, turned out those "border rufliansn
who desolated Kansas, and who tracked
their way across that ill-fated territory
by the burning homes of its people.
This same State by depriviug traitors
of power, is found now standing un-
reservedly on the side of loyalty and
freedom, and there she will stand for
ever.
Let me assure the Senator that in
voting for those restrictive measures we
are actuated by no vindictiYe feeling
toward those whom he styles our Ter
ring brethren" but by that instinct of
self preservation which it would be
wicked not to obey. L trust the conduct
81 INnIE hE taf IN ~