The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-12-22
The Puuishncn, Of Obsiinacy.

Second YrInch--J. L. Sheppard.
The Pnnishncni Of Obstjnacy.
The reduction of the Southern States
10 territorial condition is claimed to
be a Just and meritcd punishment for
their stuhb0rnncSS in refusing 10 ratiiy
the Constitutional Amendment. Mildcr
measures and moral suasion have been
tried, we are told. and tried i'll vain
Hereafter justice, untcmpercd by mercy
is 10 characterize the conduct of Con
grc>S towards the South. The terrific
rial plan is supposed to he peculiarly
obnoxious TO the people who are to
he dealt with under it, and because
they are thought To regard IL
with repugnauce, the more malis-
uant of the Radical leaders are
advocating its adoption with tiend-
ishzeal. Theorgans ofpublic Sentimen
in the South give us no evidence that
they wouid regard territorial condi-
that ofunrepresented States. As States
they are entitled to representation
which is denied them; rs territories
the, would have ut least nominal
representation, which they do not have
at present. and their expenses would be
dcilavcs. out of the Federal treasury.
Between their present status and that
with which they are threatened there
is no such difference as will make the
Southern people regard the latter with
that dread which is aScribed to them.
10 hc sure this territorial plan, if
adopted. will have its hurtful consc-
qucuces hut they will fall upon its
authors rather than upon the people
whom il Is designed TO injtre. The men
vino have conceived, and will enforce
this device for pcrpetuating an outrage
upon the sacred sovereignty of indie
pendent States, will only become in
famous in proportion as that outrage
is prolonged, and the people Of the
north who sanction the wrong
will find its effects upon theii
material interests to be such us will
convince them of the futility of an at
tpmptto oppress and degrade Que section
without prejudice to each and every
other. We annex an article from the
Joarnal of Commerce, which presents the
case in an aspect decidedly different
from that i'll which it is generally re.
gMdcd:
Some of the gentlemen i'll Congress
seem To bc acting under the deIusior
that hy remanding the late rebel States
Ia a territorial condition, the Southern
people will he made to feel more SEN
sihly their impotence contrastcd with
the power OF the General Government
The testimony from the South, gathered
alike from newspapers and individuals
is well calculated 10 dispel this false
idea. The state of public sentiment III
that part of the country seems to JUS
tify the telegram from Milledgeville
printed in New York papers of Saturday
which said, ''the sentiment in the Legis'
lature seems decided in favor of terri
torial government rather than the &c.
ceptauce of the constitutional amend
ment, or similar terms" The truth is
the people at large are Indifferent as tC
the course of action which Congress:
may adopt. The question as to whether
they shall have territorial or some
other form of government, is most re-
mote from their thoughts. The subject
now pressing with terrible significance
is, "How shall We get something to
eati" Everything else is subordinate.
They conceive their condition to be as
bad as possible e-sterritorial government
could make it no worse. First of all,
they want to know how labor can be
made available. About Mobile there
are $1,000 negroes living in Incidence,
while many Of the best plantations are
overgrowu with grass and cottonwood,
and on the levees above New Orleans
scarcely any produce is seen except that
landed from Northern steamers. There
are some signs of improvements, from
the discovery on the part of the me-
groes that their dependence on the
FrecdIaen's Bureau is precarious, in con-
sequence of which some are making
oyertures to their former mas
ters for employment. The more intelli-
gent. especially, scorn to approach the
bureau, regarding it as best suited to
panpers. IL is believed that considera-
Die numbers will be compelled to work
The coming winter. from sheer necessity.
strong desire is felt on all sides that
the local authorities shall regulate
the employment of labor, SO far as
relates TO the enforcement of laws,
and all interests favor an equal pro-
lection, regardless of color or condition.
These subjects, relating to the means
oi obtaining subsistence, are the ones
mat command earnest attention, and
eahot be evaded. About politics peo-
PIE care little and say less. So Con-
sreSs need fear no remonstrance, what
ever action it may see fit to take.