The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-02-23

. 5 Long
ASSISTANT SECRETARIES.

ASSISTANT SECREIARlES.
c. w Breckuner, c. r Tingie, u. r
Wolf, Samuel Harper.
Immediately after the completion OF
the organization, Daniel Lamb, Esq 4,
was called upon for a speech. His APP
pearance upon the stand was greeted
with hearty and long continued ap-
plause from the audience.
Mr. Lamb said he did not come there
to make az address; this was no time for
mere political speeches The occasion is
an extraordinary one, and the circum'
stances which called forth the meeting
were peculiar. A crisis in the history OF
the government had been reached, and
this was time for grave reflection on
the part of the citizens, and earnest con-
sideration OF the duty they should per
form. The issues presented are
of the utmost Importance, involving
no less than the preservation OF
national liberty and the maintenance Of
the constitution, a party holding i'll
its control a majority OF the members OF
each branch OF the national Congress
had for partisan purposes passed bill
violative OF the Constitution aud sub
versive of popular rights This bill,
Andrew johnson, President OF the Uni
ted States, has vetoed (Applause.) He
has made the issue and appealed to the
people for support. VIII you sustain
him2 (Cries Of we will" from all
parts of the house, Congress has taken
1t upon itself to decide that the Union
is dissoly ed; that eleven States are not
entitled to representation i'll the national
assembly. But the people have not so
decided, and demand that the whole
Union be restored we will be satisfied
with nothing less Whether the Union
be restored or not depends upon the
President and people OF the United
States. The same SpiTit winch pervades
the radical party III congress prevails
also in this State. The dominant party
IN this State has passed an act t. pro
Aibit from voting all the citizens who
Will not vote to keep them III power.
They have prepared to minac!e the
people OF the State and bind
them as slaves to do theii
bidding aud to labor for their prof and
mower. Against this legislation we
protest, and while piedgins ourselves to
opposltlon to the revolutionary mas>
ures OF the radical party iii Congress. We
also pledge ourselves 10 oppose bN all
legal means III our power the 10 less
revolutionary course OF the radical party
in this State The blessings OF free
government must he transmitted nnim
pared to our posteuty.
Mr. Lamb concluded hr> reMML~, OF
which the above is mere synopsis
amid hearty lud OciterOu~ applause and
was succeeded npon the speakers stand
| by Colonel d Johnson, member OF the
House Of Delegates from Tyler comfy
He was loudly applaudsd by the audi
ence aud said
He had learned in childhood t9 love HI
country, and he ha3 spent nearly tOul
wears in its service III the held ho has
| loved il for its freedom AMI ii was to1
this he had fought We were met 10
| night to decide whether We desired the
peTpetuity OF free institutions or Hhethe,
we would submit to see our liberty
trampled in the dust. Ii has been re
corded by historians and commented
upon by political philosophers that civ
| liberty cannot survive tue NuOCh5 Ol III
testine war Our nation is about to tes
whether this principle j. to bt
applied TO MS as people, whether IN The
extremity OF partisan rage, atterthe ma
tional arms have been triumphant, W,
are TO lose the very rights for which We
are conteudng. The idea of the domi
uant party is that it can do as itplease
irrespective of constitutional restraint
and in denial of popular rights. The is
sue is between the friends of the consti
tuition and its enemies; in this contest h'
was proud to say that Andrew johnson
stood with the people i'll defense OF th'
constitution and of civil liberty. Gap
plause) The Congress had proposed Il
put the liberty of the people III th'
hands OF irresponsible agents Of th'
Freedmen's Bureau They were to b,
invested with powers higher than thu
courts, and even a Judge clothed in in
dicial ermine and sitting for the lega
administration of Justice, NAV be drag
ged from the bench aud imprisoned 6y
one of these agents. The President il
his veto message had stated the position
fairly The bill proposed to take ava.
the right of trial by jury and give TO th