The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-11-05
VOTE OF PENpLEToS COUNTY.
Tbad stevens Makes N Proclamation
to His Countrymen

Tbad stevens Makes N Proclnmntion
TO Hi. Countrymen.
The malignant old fanatic of PennsJl-
yana has concentrated his venom, and
what he conceives to be his political
wisdom. into the form of letter. His
superserviceabe :ooi, JOHN w. FoRNEY,
in whose paper it was originally pub
lished, says:
The string characteristic views of
M STEVENS on the condition of the
rouutrv and The true and only way TO
restore it to perfect health, printed in
hi, mornings Chronicle, will excite
peculiar and general interest. The
uublIc prris have never called forth
.urh a strain of mastery eloquence or
more thorough remedies. And what
will add to these valuable opinions is,
that they were prepared in the intervals
Of the greatest physical feebleness and
suffering. They are published HOW at
this request of this venerable patriot
because he is anxious to commune with
his countrymcm ut the earliest moment,
aud brcAure he does not conceal his
fraT, that lie may not be strong enough
- give them utterance in the approach
ing session of Congress.
Every one who reads the letter will
readily concede that this exaggerated
paucgyric is based upon very sandy
foundation. There is not, from the first
line of the letter to the final period, a
single idea that is not burlesque upOn
craftsmanship and sanity; and the
whole thing gives conclusive evidence
that not only is the authors body trem-
bling upon the verge of the grave, bat
that his brain is crumbling also. 1t is
dry aud tedious defamation in favor
Of negro suffrage and negro equality,
aud these are assumed to be the sover-
eisu remedies for all of our national
difficulties. The views in regard to the
Constitution are crude, impracticable
and unsatisfactory.
MI STEVENS starts out with the ar
gumcnt that Congress has the cOnstitu-
tIoual power TO control the right of suf-
fragr. He admits that he dil for Il long
time doubt whether any such power ex-
listed, but since the adoption of the
fourteenth amendment to the COnstitu
tion, these doubts have been dispelled,
and he now believes that the power is
cleaE, aud that it is the duty of Con-
gre>s which the members cannot evade
without perjury, to exercise it, and
establish universal negro suffrage.
Upon this point Mr.. STEVENS whole ar
sument hinges. Before the adoption of
the fourteenth amendment to the Con-
stitution, Congress had not control over
the question of suffrage-since its adop-
tiOu it has the power. This is the doc
triuc Mr. STEVENS lays down, and by it
he must stand.
We agree with him that Congress did
not possess the pswer before the adop-
ton Of the fourteenth amendment, but
We maintain that it does not possess the
power vet, for the very simple reason
that the fourteenth amendment to the
Constitution is still pending, and has
never been adopted. 1t follows, there
fore, that even ii the fourteenth amend
mcnr, if adopted, would confer the
power, no such power yet exists. 1t will
be seen that Mr.. STEVENS gets himself
into dilemma from which there is no
possible chance of extrication.
1t will not do for him to say that this
amendment has been ratified by three
iourthS of the adhering States, and is
therefore legally adopted, for the Gov
eminent in none of its departments re-
cognizes this to be the fact. Even Con-
gress. with al! rs follies, absurdities and
crimes, has not set up any, such pre-
tense. On the contrary, that body is
even now trying to drive the Southern
people, at the point of the bayonet, to
It's ratification. If it had been already
ratified, the acceptance of it by the
Southern States would give it no addi-
toDal force and would not be regarded
as matter of any consequence what
ever. But we see that the ratification
OF the constitutional amendment by the
several States is made an essential fea-
ture in the reconstruction plan.
Mr.. STEVENS argument, starting from
false promises, is false throughout, and
quite as feeble as it is false. Evidently
the old man has outlived his powers,
and is now incapable of comprehend
ing the situation. He is passing rapid
Up TO his grave, but his heart is as un-
charitable and as full of gall as when
he was in his prime. Bad passions and
fanaticism, of which he has been the
victim for much of his life, have worn
him out, and broken down both his
mental and physical organization, and
left him wreck-a querulous, malis-
nant and impoteut old man, still willing
to do injury to his race, but without
any power to accomplish his purpose.