The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-04-16

adopted, or likelyto be adopted. by any
other State of the Union. LIS this goo9
policy? Is it calculated to build up ana
give prosperity to our infant State! we
are told by the advocates of the voters
test oath, registry law and CONSTITUTIONS
amendment that the object is TO Keep
rebels out of Office. Is not the iron ciao
oath of Office sufficient for that purpose
twas a member of the first Wheenng
convention, and was present at the Dlrtn
of our new State, and as long as LIE snan
LAST and reason shall remain, Will wy
idly remember the throws and tnrals;
the homes and fears which prevadeu
this section at that time. Sc
find by reference to the Jouln a,ause
the convention that the Suffrage o,au
ofthe constitution bearing on treason T a tha
traitors is Just as it was reportea " '4 ~.
committee. There were two moVi9 y5o
amend ON that subject-one ny ot
Hall, which was defeated Dy .o'o u
thirteen forI to tbirty-three ageinSV, anu
the other by Judge Bowl IoI wnio1
amendment there were SIX 'otes. anu
forty AGAINST it. voted with the majority
againsf both amendments, after which
tTs section was adopted. There was
W here stood then, and there is where l
stand now. 1t is the advocates of test
oaths and unconstitutional amendments
who have changed, not me. Then it was
the best evidence of loyalty to vote for
the adoption of that constitution and the
neY State. Now man is not loyal VINO
does not labor to alter or amend that
constitution. Well, gentlemen, nay love
| for the constitution and our State mas not
I abated, but increased, and l cannot see
| the propriety or the necessity OF the test
oath or constitutional amendment Fer
hans that grows out of the fact that l
\ am an old man, industrious of any office
| whatever, and, perhaps, if / were young
| and ambitious my mental vision might
be better.
| After the surrender of the last of the
| rebel armies, tie President demanded OF
| the Southern States certain constltu-
tional guarantees before their admis,
| sion to represention in the Congress OF
the United States, which most of them
have given, and their representatives, If
nnouestionably loyal, should be admitted
TO seats but when these States gave the
guarantees required, their loyal as well
as their disloyal representatives, were
met at the door of Congress by radical
majority, and new and hitherto unheard
of demands and guarantees are required
of them. They are told that the right
of suffrage, and all other rights given to
the most intelligent and worthy white
men. must be given to the negro. AS
one side advanced, the other receded,
and yet political convention, in which
was the radical majority of our Legisla'
ture, approved of the action ofthe radi'
cal majority of Congress. True, they
also approved of the course of the Pres
ident, but that seemed to me like the
man who prayed, good God good
devil !"
The onlv hope | see for the country
is in giving to the wise, patriotic and
conservative course of the President a
hearty support, and prompt rejection
of all in0vations OH the constitutions
Federal and State
You refer to the sacrifice made in
the loss of my two only sons. The sac
rifce was great, indeed, and the shock
overw helming, and will carry me with
sorrow to the grave, They were kind
and affectionate sons, and yielded up
their young lives, in defence of theil
government, and to restore the Union
and to carry out their wishes increases
my desire to have the Union restored
and made blessing to our whole people
Respectfully yours,
JOHN HALL.
Messrs. Gen J. j. Jackson, j. G. Black
ford. j. N. Camden, G. j. Steady, and
w. n. Chancellor, Parkersbnrg