The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-02-17
ProscriptiOn-NO. 4.
Editors Of tho Register:

/ EultOiS VI tuo uoSiStoi'
As the proscriptive character OF our
State Legislature becomes more clearly
pronounced it may be advisable to con-
slider somewhat of certain results that
must eventually follow such policy
Some preliminary observations are,
however, necessary. The avidity OF
those who struggle for power and hav-
ing attained it, would perpetuate it in
| themselves and those Of their ,cay Of thinking,
| is fairly dissolved in that ancient Rob
Roy rule
That good old rule--the simple plan
That they shall rule who have the power.
And they shall keep toho caH T.
1t is very easy to discover the germ ot
a proscyiptiUe tendency az legislation an indi-
riQual appetite for poorer. Power seeks
weapons tor its seltseCurIty ; Tor its ag-
grandizemeut for its perpetuation.
These weapons IN free governments natu.
rally consist OF the limitation Of franchises
and rights Of prescribed parties, and may, in
the intempeTancs OF radtcalism, De extended
to cOnfScdtiOa Of then estates. This state
ment of the case does not So much I'M
pugn the motives OF a mere party Of pro.
scriptiou, as assert general principle OF
humane action. la u tine passage, going
| to the very pith Of this subject from the
accomplished pen OF the historian, Ali.
son, we read: That the dominion Of
| free States over conquered counties is
always more tyraunical than that Of any
other form vi government, has been oh.
| served evor since the birth OF liberty iii
| the Grecian States, by all who have been
| SO unfortunate as 10 be subjected ~ this
| rule If we except the Roman Republic,
| whose wise and beneiiCent policy is So
| entirely ut variance with anything else
which we observe i'll human affairs that
| we are almost disposed TO impute it 10 Il
special interpostiOn OF Providence, there
is no free State in ancient or modern
times whose government, towards the
countries whom it subdued, has not
been of the most oppressive description.
We are acCustomedt to speak of the mater
nal government oftree governments, but
towards their subject provinces, it is
generally the cruel tyranny of the step
mother who Expresses her acquired
children To favor her own offspring
"Nor is it diticuit to perceive the reo,
| son why popular government IS natu-
rally inclined, III the general case, to Sc
| verify towards it's dependencies A sin
ole monarch looks to the rereNue alone of
| the countries whom he has subdued, and
as it necessarily rises with the
| prosperity which they enjoy, his obvious
| interest is to pursue the measures best
| calculated to secure it. But in re
publics, or in those tree gOvernments
where the popular voice exercises de-
dided control the leading men of the
State themselves look to the property of
| the SiJjcCi C0WEby as the means of their
| individual cSaltation Con6Scations
accordingly, are multiplied with a view
to CRAFTY the people or mobiles Of the
victorious country with grants Of the
confscated land. Hatred and enmity
are thus engendered between the ruling
government and the subject provinces
aud this, in its time, gives rise to new
copfsoaJiOns, by which the breach be-
tween the higher and lower orders is
rendered iyreparable. Whoever Is &C.
quainted with Tue history Of the do
mluiop which the Atbepiau and SYRIA
eusan populace held over their subject
ciliesi with the governments Of Genoa,
Venice and Florence, IL modern timesi
or with the saHGuiuary rule which Eng.
land exercised over Ireland during the
three centuries which followed her SUBJ
jugation, will know that this statement
is not overeharged."
The very principles set forth, and for
the very reasons assigned by the phi.
lOsophical historian, are in their fullest
and most destructive operation Just now
in this country, and nowhere more &C.
lively than in our own State. A war,
| bloody, disastrous, destructive, alike of
property aud life, termipateir dove
eyed peace" again broodiug over our
stricken land, while policy, Christianity,
philanthropy conspire to advocate the
healing of wounds, the binding up of
the broken, severed members of national
unity and prosperity; how wide, how
beautiful, how eunoblipg a field lies
| open for a generous, liberal humane, en-.
hgbtened craftsmanship. Instead of
this, shall the avenger Of blood still
walk the land, 40 healing of the ma.
tions" be proposed, no legislation con.
template anew harmonious blending of
people one, ,nd!riSible, in language, arts,
religion, government, destiny And
whom to CRAFTY! 1t is certainly not
the people: for when the horrors of a
civil war are ended, they would return
to their simple, honest avocations, exer-
else their best energies TO repair its
breaches, aud to "beautify and adorn"
geodly land, their fathers heritage
Not the people For before them lies a
broad and lovely field that demands
their remuneratiyo toil-"The harvest
is grsat. and tAe labOrers are tree !" Not
tie people, bEt the dsmogogues