The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-02-07
Tho Constitutional Amendment


Among the other important matters
for the consideration CT the Legislature
row 10 session in Wheeling, the above
is not of the least Importance to thu
lyyai citizens Ct the border counties o.
tbi, State. There seems 70 be little
doubt thai, with tie aid Of recent derel
onmcnts CT the rebel onimus, this meas
ure will be adopted By the Legislator
aud submitted 20 TIE people for ina
ADDITION or rejection. Yet it will meet
With strong opposition, az men OF ineu
cree have lent their aid 10 their rebel
fricrds, and vi! work with will against
al measures disabling their clients.
Although these men, and these OF their
ex rebel friends who are honest IN their
opinions, cannot but acknowledge the
;xsiice Of these measures, excluding thos"
who have been engaged in an effort to
overthrow the Government from office,
from the bar and from the polls, they
s,!!l e1c!aiui tia: "a free and victorious
people can afford to and should be mag
unanimous toward q fallen foe" This
sounds very we'll in tic abstract, and no
one would be more rejo:ced than We in
generously extending such masnanlmity
to fallen loc-bus when tina. Toe rises
up and spurus the hand that saved its
life, or like the viper sinks its fangs into
the breast that warmed it, then it il
time to take the alarm and provide self
protection against such pcr6dy.
But the maSuauimity which VIC arc
asked to bestow, consists Especially in
the border counties Of West Virginia.
in bes,oHing. upon those who arc still
By their own professions and actions
our GiTerest enemies, the power to govern
us-to choose officers and representatives
for us-and that from among class Of
men whose hands arc dyed in loyal
blood, and whose minds arc 6lled with
prejudice and hatred against US and our
institutions. From the very nature Of
our form of Government, The mojortty
rules. Shall we then place our loyal
brethren Of the border counties, who
have mauGully stood up in deftusc Of
their country, at the mercy OF the very
men who, tcn,uo u,hs ago, were seeking
their lives as bushwhackcrs? Such u
course would certainly be reward for
treason, instead Of making it odious.
Our brethren Of the more northern
counties have not felt the danger in THIS
direction, because the majority With
them was always loyal, and they have
no. been disturbed With the fear Of bciu.
left to the mercy Of those who openly
set the law at defiance, and threaten the
lives Of Union men. But We believe
recent developments, both in our own
State and elsewhere in the South, cannot
have failed TO open their eyes, and re do
not frar tut that the Amendment will
pass and become tho law.
We believe all good Union men Join
with our worthy Governor in rcsrct,ins
the course the late rebels aud their
friends have taken, as partisily revealed
at the late election, and tic consequent
aecessiiy Of the passage Of TIC Amend,
ment, aud other measures, restricting
their franchise; bu. i: IS an ole saying,
"whom the gods would destroy they
first make mad" and SO it seems with
the "riSh;s' Of our c1rctcl rticads.
The following, from a correspondent;
Of the Wheeling iatc!i;ysnccr, living in
Hampshire county, wo tel;cve fairly
represents the facts, and contains coscut
reason, for the exclusion OF rebels from
the elective franchise:
You arc doubles. aware that in nan.
Of the border counties the Jormer rebels
constitute the the majority, and conse
quently. can and will unless by l1;o pre-.
vented. rule these counties to the Irtri
menaof the Union citizens. | know i,
may DO urged that w should be coa<>r
rotire, aud pass, by no "shJt or de:iee.
any &c pos! .fac'o laws o. amendments
Cudcr any other circumstances than
those in which VIC now find ourselves
conservative or liberal action might do
But in treating this subject We must d.
it practically and take or view things as
they are ond not as We might Wish they
~ere. The facts arc, those who we're the
patriots aud loyalisIs 10 one Of the e.ca:.
est and most important struggles the
Uo Id ever witnessed arc now arrayed
politically sSains, to1mer rebels, and
ere <ccms 20 Dc no moro con.rpiality
or sthnisy between the two than oil and
water. Consequently one will, rs far as
possible, rule the ether. These being