The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-03-12
The Address.


and of all candid men throughout the
State, to the Address to the people OF
West Virginia, published this morning
1t is clear and irretutable argument to
show that the party now dominant IN
this State has violated the constitution
has placed itself in antagonism to Inc
policy of the Federal administration
has oppressed the people, and has strlck-
en- down the most sacred and highly
cherished popular rights, Read ii care
fully, and ponder upon the truth it sets
forth
The situation of political affairs in
West Virginia is peculiar The issues
involved are mainly Of local nature
but they still present many features OF
similarity to the questions which are
agitating the people of the whole ma
ton. The policy pursued by the radl'
cal partisan Congress OF the United
States finds its counterpart in the course
of the legislature of West Virginia. The
fanaticism which rules the Congress and
excludes eleven States from the priv
ileges guaranteed to them by the Federal
constitution finds its development in
this State in the disfranchisement of a
large class of our citizens and the dri
wing away of many of our people to seek
elsewhere that liberty which they are
denied in the home of their birth.
The history of the radical faction in
this State is istory of repeated uSur-
patton and oppression. 1t has exposed
portion of our citizens to robbery or
violence and denied them redres in the
Courts 1t has made a mockery of jus
tice 10y excluding from juries all its pc
utical opponents. 1t has thrown a
shield around judicial incompetence and
crime, and denied the right Of petition.
1t has deprived some of orr citizens of
the means of earning n livelihood and
has placed CALLING restrictions upon the
exercise Of the industry of others. H.
has attempted by meanssof Intimidation,
force and fraud to stltle the expression
OF the popular will, aud has repeatedly
prevented officers legally elected by the
people from performing the functions OF
then office. 1t has deprived large
class of our people of the privilege of
voting. and IS seeking to take from them
all the rights aud immuuities of citi
zens
All these thiags have been done IN Vi
olatiOu of the constitution OF the State,
and in disregard of solemn Oaths Dur
ing the past two years the chief oh
iect OF the dominant party has been
to lcgislate for its own benefit and
retention III office For the accomplish
ment of this end it has paralyzed indus
try and diminished the wealth and pop
ulation of the State, and fixed barriers
against the development of her material
resources. Discord and strife have been
promoted, and an effort has been made
to keep forever alive the passions engen-
dered by the civil war
If we would enjoy liberty ourselves
and transmit our free institutions as q
heritage to our children if we wodld
have our State prosperous, her wealth
and population increased and her citi,
zens peaceful and cOntonted We must
defeat the radical party at the polls next
May and shake Off its influence for
ever in the elections to be held in OctO-
Der
There are many encouraging indica-
tions and omcns of success If all the
opponents Of radicalism put forth n
united effort they cannot fail. The Adj
dress that we publish this morning is
designed to call forth such a vigorous
and determined rallying together of all |
the friends of constitutional liberty as |
will thwart the designs and crush the |
power of that party that has So sadly
misgovcrncd the State. We heartily
commend the document to the favora-
BILE attention of all thinking men