The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-08-23


them AZ conclusive evidence that . great
majority of the Southern people, sick OF
| war and anarchy, and longing for res
toration of free Government. are reaay
to bear true allegiance to the G 1a ar,
ton and laws of the Union. we a,o'
therefore, unwilling to see the southern m.
people held longer in tyassalage. Iney
| are our countrymen, citizens OF Tue
| United States, who have incurred penai-
ties, but who have rights. Those who
| wilfully participated in the rebellion ana
| are unpsrdoned, are subject to the pen
alties prescribed for treason. But
| though individuals may be tried, coli
victed and punished, communities can
| not. No more can the States anu tne
neople. without plain violation OF tie
Constitution, be denied the right OF rep
| resentation through men personal y
oualified in the councils OF the nation.
| The intention of Congress seems to be to
| deprive them oil representation Just 80
| lsng as it suits the purposes OF the Radical
party. -,
Many assert that it will concede the
right whenever the Constitutional
amendment shall have been adopted, al d
each prescribed State shall have ratified
| it. But it is quite certain that tie
amendment will not be ratified by three
quarters of the States, and, therefore,
that it will not be adopted. Some, per-
haps many of the Northern States, vii
reject it, and We cannot expect its legal
ratification by any of the lately inst r
rectionary States. If there were no other
reason why the Southern States viii! re-
iect it, it is enough that it proposes 20
disfranchise nearly all the men In tie
Soutb, who have influence over the mass
of the people. If none were to be dis.
| franehised except officers of the rebel
army, we still could not expect the Sou; d
TO adopt it, for large majority OF MT n
in the lately insurrectionary. States,
through compulsion OF choice, served IN
the rebel armies, and their votes aloL 9
would overwhelming y defeat 1t. Wou q
| Union soldiers to recover political priNl'
leges, disfranchse their leaders, whom
| thew love and revere for their heroic viz.
tues? How then can we expect South
ern soldiers to disfranchise and degrade
their old commanders!
IF there is no probability that the
amendment will be ratified by three
| fourths of the States, the plan Of restora-
| ton which Congress appears to have
determined on is at best impractlcabl3.
That proposed by the President and alp
proved by the National Union CONVEX
tion. is feasible, and we believe safe.
We have no fear that the South can
overthrow the Federal Government, or
even disturb it career Of power ard
glory They VII he the last of the
States to rebel, aud if they shall again
rise in insurrect ION the loyal people can
we'll subdue, AID if need be destroy
them. The Government has asserted
its power for sslfpreservation, and the
devastation and misery of the South
proclaim to this generation, at least,
the crime and tie terrible penalties Of
treason. Beholding their woes and con
trasting their weakness and our strength,
we ceuld afford to show the confidence
and courage of magnanimiJy. We might
well lot our vanQuished opponents arise
and like James Fitz James at Coilan-
togle Ford, staunch their wounds and
forgive their treason. But we are not
asked to be magnauimous, but only con.
sisteut and Just This we cannot refuse
stitutIon of our country, and risk OF its
utter overthrow
awe seek and will have no association
i'm political action with men North or
South, who are not avowedly and IN
opinion sincerely faithful to the consti
tutional principles for which we fought.
But if men who have taught or practis-
ed treason now openly renounce their
errors, and maintain with US the true
principles of our Government, we shall
not reject their cooperation. When the
restoration of IT, Union and the preser-
walton of our foam of Government are In
issue, however much we regret to sever
cherished political associations, and to
co operate with former enemies, we must
prefer to act with those who have been
wrong and are now right, than with
those who wero right and now are
wreng
Believing til . our Government is
again n peril, We appeal to you who
have fought to ave it, and who held it
deare, and mo sacred than all party
ties, t. como to ne Iescue. Let the SOL
ders aud sailor agreeing with US IN SEN
timert, but whr cannot in person attend,
send delegates through the action of
their societies Il of local conventions.
Let us meet force at Cleveland on
the l7'h OF Sep mber, the anniversary
of the day whe the Constitution was
proca med byo forefathers; aud let rs
aid III restoring the union it created,
and the libcri 20 it was ordained to
secure GSigue' !
G A. CUSTER, Major General q S A.,
a Med. McCooK, Maj Gen'l U A,
l. H. RoUs> EAU, Mai. General
GEo. CROOK Maj General,
S. MEREDITH Brevet Maj General.
THos EWING, JR., Breyet Maj Gen i
Committee on Address
WASHING TON, August 10, 1866.
We cordially approve the call for the
Convention and recommend the holding
of local conveui lous TO cooperate in the
movement
Sigued by j IN A. Dix, James B.
Steedman, +. p Blair, II. w. Slocum,
D. Z. Sickles, Gordon Granger, J. \
M'Clernand, d p. Couch, W. W. Ayerill,
II Z Davis, j o. B. Wilcox, A. S. VIII
liams, G. Mort, Hugh Ewing, I. Runyon,
L. X Smith, William B. Franklin,
Thomas L. Crittenden, Marsena, P. Pat.
rick, Alvin c. Gillem j. J. Bartlett, G.
X Warren, Jefferson c. Davis, Joseph
P. knipo, \. II MARYLAND. Superintend-
ent United Sta IS Army Mail; Martin
T NJ Mahan, Brevet Major Generals;
I NJ