The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-04-04
The Status of the Rebel, by Ne-
constructed Rebel.

The following sound views OF uutS
reconstructed" robel we republIsh from
the Clarksburg Telegraph for the ben.
eft Of those who think their 8" rights
iufriugcd by the late "radieal" Les's'a'
ture. It presents our views OF their true
position:
MIR. EplroR 1T is not supposed
that &" reconstructed rebel would have
much sympathy with tho teachings
weekly promulgated in your paper but
however severe you may be upon US,
there is no one who will tako an Impair.
tial view of the question but what will
saw YOU arc right !; that is, no one VINO
has the moral sense to discriminate be-
tween right and wrong. Let US take n
Retrospective view of our actions, and see
what conclusions VIC will &c naturally
lead to: =,
In 1861, thinking that the Savc
States were unjus,Iy dealt with ny the
FREQ States, because those Free States
had persisted in clcc,ing Mr.. Lincoln
upon what VIC considered sectional
platform, We inauguratcd the movement
Of secession or rebellion. We attacked
Fort Sumter, aud thus threw down the
gauge Of battle ourselves. This was
levying war against the United States,
and ali intelligent rebels knew this was
treason, and knew that in thus !cvy'ng
war n.niust the Government Of the
Upi:cL States they we-o forFeiting their
lives, provided they failed Of success
We in a pad hour appealed to the God
Of battles, aud lie decided against US.
We we're ovcrpowcrcd, and in accordance
with law every one Of Us was liable to
suffer death for the crime OF treason, aud
nothing but the c'cmency Of The Govern
mcnt has saved our lives. Through the
Ieniency Of the Federal Generals in
parolius and the President in extending
burdens, we have been permitted to re.
turn to our homes and 20 unpublished.
But what is the effect Of these paroles
and parlons? DO they restore US to the
privileges which VIC abandoned? DO
they suali:y Us 10 vote AID hold oNcc1:
L. NV opinion they do not, bn, they
merely absoIvc Us FROM pnniahmeat
which we had iucarrc,! by violating the
laws. They restored nothing. We had
lust except property, which Was a"o;hcr
act Of cicmracy Of the Government.
They cave US our lives which wo had
forfeited. Such being the casc, can we
rxpce, to com" back here iH'o Yves; VIZ,
ciria, from which wc acd-whosc !oyI!
people VIC ignored, aud rar'iripa'c III The
control Of political Affairs eqia!!y with
,hoss who rc,aai"cd loyal - tac Gov
eminent. 1t must he remembered TIA:
We tried to destroy these people an'l
their Government. They remained true
TO their allegiance to the Government Of
the United States, aud organized new
and loyal State which aided the Govern
meat in mai:.;aing its supremacy. We
,uurht against the Government, and
rough, acairs, the new State, and cannot
conceive that We have any right to ask
for a participaucy in controlling the
;,C;airs OF State. If We choose to live
here aad earn our bread By the sweat Of
our br0ws, aud the Government protects
our property, Go think we have no
ri.h,'to complain. It is not to be cS.
pcc,e,l that the inccnIiary will be en-.
ploye,. to rc;pa;r tie h%ii1;rg which be
iaborel 20 destroy. 1t is ,r"c that it
would be great privilege to US tc vote
if &c could ob;itcrat: the cvchts Of the
rcbc!lion-if We couIl drink the lethean
waters Of iorgctiulncss. bat il the law.
! rivers Of West Virginia mad seen proper
to restore Us to all Of our privileges:
would not the remembrance Of Oh:
crimes have covered US with shame and
confusion Now am S7eaAir% 0: these
matters il com@oE se">H. christian
like way. ain ruled b. no Split Of
madness. am jus; viewing myself as
4 traitor and Il rebel. aui AS ! believe
the ,ivilized world regards such. We
have received better treatment than VIC
had any right to expect. We have no.
been punis!rl according TO what our
crimes ElfE.lcu, " S.i, W. '"''' ~ "'y
rebel friends may say, We did not regard
secession and rebellion as criminal. II
matters not how We regard il. The civil
lied world regarded it as sach. aud VIC
stand gail'y bcIarc the worl II Of having
committed high crime. and civilization
demands cur punishment, but the elem.
crry Of our Government has committed
! he punishment, but not removed the
| disability. 1t becomes us to submit
phi!osophical!y to the few disabilities i'm,
p sed upon us--takc things quietly, and
after awhile, if We conduct ourselves
properly, these disabilities will he re-
moved, but We can never inhiynot" them
away. We will never do i! BY run ming
our own :ickct in opposition to the
Union ticket. The Union people are
no, going to be bullied into letting us
vote and hold Office. Men flushed with
victory and success are not cSactFy the
men to bully. Let US reverse the cause
! for c moment. Suppose we rebels had
| been successful, do you suppose that We
would have given tie loyal men in West
/ ~. ,,S, nr;r;l,oos NOT nrivi.