The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-09-25
The Great CalngaignI s III = I. of z 20.
. FI1om HnrpeTS' TVeeEIU

The President has returned from the
stump. The Congressional and State
nominations are generally made. The
platforms are built, and the great po.
litica1 campaign pt, 1866 has fairly
opened. The issue is plainly presented,
and most unfortunately it is an issue
between the President and the Con.
gress, which were both elected by the
Union party. But it is difference
which we must accept, for we can
neither arbitrate nor avoid it.
At the ensuing elections we must
choose between two parties One, un-
der the plea of the equality of States,
asserts chat State ore combination OF
States may reno ounce its common pow
ers in the Union, may withdraw from
Congress, wage war upon the Union,
and then at its own pleasure, and in
absolute disregard. of the Fundamental
changes wrought in the Constitution by
the war, may, of Continuing right, 81
resume all its national relations with
out any, other than a technical inquiry
upon the part of faithful States and
citizens.a Thishis the platform of the
Johnson Philadelphia Convention. 1t
is a principle which totally inYalidates
every step toward restoration which
has has been o already taken, ak and for
Upon such theory the Emancipation
Amendment may be repudiated, the
Confed crate debt resumed, and the. acts
of secession remain upon State statute
books as merely imperative laws. The
party of this policy is a coalition COM
posed chiefly of the, Democratic party,
upon which, in September, 1864, at Au-
burn, Mr.. Seward charged the calamity
of attempted dfsunion; of those whose
conspiracy against the Union was de-
feated after terrible war; and of a
large body of office-holders under the
administration.
To this coalition stands opposed the
Union party. 1t has vindicated popu-
lar government without vengeance. -lI 1t
has abolished slavery; and it demands
that the change wrought in the Consti-
tuition by emancipation prejudicial to
the equality of the loyal States in Con-
gress shall be acknowledged by the late
insurgeut States before they resume
their full national relations. This par
ty is composed of the vast body of those
ut the North who sincerely supported
the war, and,of all those at the South,
of every color, voters or not voters, who
stood true to the Union with Andrew
Johnson through fire and flood, whose
hearts have not changed, and whom the
late rebels at the South and the new
friends of the President at the North
traitors. 53h
If this party, with its record, its prin-
ciples, and the character of its adj
herents, seems to any honest man
inimical to the authority of law and the
maintenance of order, he will, in seek
ing order and law, vote to intrust the
Government to those who took up arms
to avenge constitutional defeat ut the
polls and those who sympathized with
them. But if he believes that the
speedy, prosperous, and permanent re-
storatiOn of the Union will be DELAYED
if the lately insurgent States, in their
present inflamed condition, are restored
with increased power, he will vote to
contide the Government of the State and
the country to those who will patiently
and firmly require the adoption of the
constitutional Amendment.
The defeated States accepted the
Presidents terms because of the moral
weight of the united opinion of the loyal
States that supported them. They will
accept the honorable and legitimate
completion of those terms if we remain
united. The whole country has seen
with how instant and sincere and uni
versal welcome Tennessee was re-
stored. But they seem to us strangely
to misunderstood the character or pur-
pose of the American people who fought
the war to its end, who suppose that,
profound and earnest as is their desire
| of restoration of the Union, they will
buy 1t at the cost of plain injustice to
patriotic States, and utter betrayal OF
faithful citizens. They stood fast under
the tremendous pressure of '64; they
are not less clear-sighted and stout
hearted in the angry storm of '66.