The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-08-29
Thankful for Small Fnvors

Thankful for Small Fnvors.
At Radical Convention. held in
Kiugwood, Preston county, on August
18th, the following resolution was
adopted:
Resolved, 2nd, That the Convention
denounce the recent Act of Congress in
creasing their pay from $4,000, to $4,000
and feel proud that we have at least
one honest representative in the State
in the person of the Hon. w. L. Wiley
who voted against the bill.
As this State has only FIVE represen-
tatives in Congress, all of whom are
claimed by the Radicals, the Preston
county people seem to think that one
"honest" man, out of so small number
is something of which to be proud and
for which to be grateful. 1t would ap-
pear that, as o general thing, honest
men do not exist among them in pro
portion so large, and the probity of ouI
Congressional delegation being decided
ly above the general average, their
Kingwood constituents feel elated and
proud. To Senator WILEY belongs the
honor of elevatipg the standard Of his
party's uprightness: No man expected
no man had right to expect that in
any portion of party whose sins are
innumerable and whose virtues infni-
tesmal, one man out of FIVE would prove
honest. The proportion of the upright
few to the corrupt many had not hith
erto been sppreciable Therefore Sena-
tor WuLEY's action IN proving that i'll
the higher degrees of Radical member
ship, the element of honesty exists in
the ratio of one to five, deserves, as it
has received, the thanks and praise of
his constituents. If the general charac
ter of the party were at all respectable,
there would be nothing fattering in the
discovery that integrity was the gift of
but one fifth of the disciples. But in
an organization, hitherto deemed devoid
of all decency and virtue, even the
slightest traces of these qualities are
worthy of commemoration, and are fit
subjects for rejoicing and congratula
ton. So, at least, seem to be the
views of the Preston county folks.
While the resolution we have quoted
pays flattering tribute TO Mr.. WILEY,
it is somewhat unfortunate in its i'm.
plicatlon concerning his associates. If
The versatile Senator be our only
honest representative, TO what class
are we to assign his colleagues "Er.
presto aaias, erclasio alteriHS. s"
Senator WILEY being named, the 9th
ers are excluded from the category OF the
upright In IGNORING him, they have
made knaves ofhis colleagues. We have
no objections TO their be- praising and
dignifying Mr.. WILEY to their hearts
content, but We do protest against such
special discrimination as reflects directly
upon the probity of our own represen-
tative. Is it thus to be limited that the
distinguished member for the First Dis.
trict Is less given to virtuous practices
than our Senator'S Admit that. he did
deviate little in the case to which the
resolution refers, is there no exteauation
in his subsequent course? Is there no
atoning virtue in repentance and res,itp.
ton. Is twenty-six hundred dollars
worth of righteousness to be as filthy
rags in the estimation of these rigid cen.
sors Of Congressional morality. If such
be the case; ifpecuuiary sacrifices ofsuch
amount and character can work no ex-
piation for official ipeccadilloes, then let
no such. sacrifices be required. Give
back his greenbacks to our penitent rep
resentative. Lett him enjoy the pro