The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-07-06

fayoys Of fortune. The provisions tnae
defend our reputation and MAKE
ali attacks upon it penal anu
criminal were designed as q ualaoa0 nd
restraint upon the tongue OF slanuo, az
the pen of libel. Unless, then, We 10
spect the legal safeguards that were co
Itablished for the security OF otner nlen,
we ourselves can claim no exemption
from AGGRESSION. Suppose the IDEA 10
be universally adopted t9ae eaT ;ahbny
violate at viii the rights OF ms NJ, tho
Selfinterest is Immediately na9e en
sole guide and rule Of the lnaiViuuai
law becomes mockery, for IL hone vooy
then none can enforce; society resolves
itself into its original elements an an
archy ruled by violence succeeds; tue
weak become the prey of the strong, who
in turn must yield to still greater
force, until all the conditions OF the saw
age state prevail and civilization re.
lapses into barbarism. / am fully
aware that am only describing pos
sibility, not indicating what will prob
ably happen. At the same time, the
careful student of recent events must
have felt that the gravest consequences
are to be apprehended from that care.
Iessness with regard to the rights of each
other, which is beginning to character
ize the American people. In no way Is
tbis sentiment more clearly manifested
than in that fierce spirit of intolerance,
which has permented every avenue OF
our system, social, political and religious
and carried its bitterness into every re-
lation of life, whether public or private.
In the arena of politics your discussions
are conducted with the keenest personal
animosity and the most intense pltter'
ness. Honest differences OF opinion are
denounced as heresies and as crimes, ana
an independent exercise of the Judg'
ment is an offence for which there ls2o
palliation. Incentives to action are no
| longer derived from a consideration OF
the true, the Just, or the good; but the
course pursued is too often the dictate
of motives that have their origin IN pop
lular fears or popular prejudices. Inc
advocate of particular policy refuses to
submit it to the long received tests OF
political propriety, and let reason decloe
whether it be liberal in its nature anu
good in its results. The whizzlng party
lash is the argument addressed 10 tne
timid and the wavering while, Win the
the buster of the bully'
and the anathemas of the bigot, are ad.
duced ito prove the doctrine Orthodox
The Justice of the measure is estaellsnea
iby a rehearsal of the vices OF ITS oppoo-
nents; its legality indicated by cpl.
thets drawn from the vocabulary OF
Billings' gate, and its beneficial ten
denotes demonstrated by detailing, IN
language equally offensive to decency
and to truth, the alleged transgressions
of those who doubt its propriety. In
your public halls the same spirit pre-
walls and the same folly results. Catch-
words usurp the place OF principles
senseless preiudices dictate your leglsla-
ton; fanaticism triumphs over common
sense, and the voice of reason is stitfied
in the phrenzied iubilees of discord. No
conscientious scruples can justify indie
pendent action no integrity OF motive
on the part of dissenting manllness can
atone for obedience to individual Judg.
ment. The reigning diyinities permit
no questioning of their DEGREES, and the
bold statesman who revolts against die
tation, becomes at once an apostate
whuso rouer5 10 maledictien a hereto
for whose sins there is no paruoui d
reckless, hopeless, goddess wretch, de
famed by licensed scandal, denounced by
privileged scurrility, scoffad at. hnnted
bounded by the bowling minions OF BAT
fed inquiry and disappointed usurpa'
ton. 1t would be but repeating the ex
pericnce of every man present to follow
through the various relations OF LIE, the
workings of that intolerant spirit which
brooks no differences Of opinion upon
points which it assumes to decide
Wherever it appears, the same impa'
thence of contradiction the restless un
der opposition the same aversion to
freedom eff the reason that it manifests
in politics and in legislation are its
characteristics, and wherever it prevails
the dying throes of peace and order pro
claim its triumph, and the harmony
unity and happiness of society are vic
tins of its progress.
Freemen of America, will You remem'
Der your obligations and discharge them!
Citizens of West Virginia will you rise
to an appreciation of your mission and
perform its solemn dutiesl Men of the
mountains will you rise to the dignity
of your responsibilities and meet them!
The time was when the citizen of West
Virginia was distinguished for devo
ton to liberty as pure as the gushing
water of his native rllls, and celebra ted
in story and in song as the possessor OF
spirit as free and untram melled as the
wild air he breathed, as calm and lofty
as the clouds that fioated over his noun
tain home Reared amid scenes the
most majestic that ever excited human
emotion, sehooled beneath the sublime
instruction of heavens own tutelage
"lulled to sleep at night by the roaring
Of the cataract and walked at MORNINGS
dawn by the scream Of the wild eagle,
his character was representative OF hui
manity's grandest nobility and typical OF
natures most exalted manhood. God
grant that the shining traits which IL
lumined the character OF our fathers may
light up the lives of their sons
God grant that the intrepid devotion
| which won for the pioneers of West Vir.
| ginia a glorious knighthood in the I'M
tutored chivalry of public virtue may
likewise elevate and ennoble their pos .
terity. Under its inspiration may every
free son of a free sire be able to vindi'
cate his attachment to the principles OF
free government in triumph, establish
his enduring interest in the cause of
constitutional liberty with the evidence
of good deeds, and champion the Impair
tial unity of these American States with
such fearlessness, determination and
force, that neither dangers, difficulties
| NOR dPath shall hova mower tn 6aunt his