The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-01-21
Letters from the People.
FROM GRANT COUNTY.

FROM GRANT COUNTY.
The Political siiuation-stevens' En-.
milling Act-Our State Liquidation
What it shonld Be-Remnrkable
Freak Of Nature.
LUNEY's CREEK, Jan. 16, 1867.
Editor Of the Register:
We are now testing the problem
whether people can successfully live
and prosper under republican form of
government. The great civil war
through which we have just passed only
tried our military resources and not our
political capabilities. They are entire
" two distinct questions altogether. A
people may be united for military pur-
poses, and yet, after their compact,
which they mutually entered, had
been fulfilled, they afterwards became
enemies to each other and waged war
one against the other as though they
had never been mutually associated be-
fore in defense of some common object.
This policy is now, and has been, very
prevalent among the South American
nations. European history, too fur
nishes many instances Of this kind.
The people of the Northern States uni
ted themselves together under the firm
belief that the resolution passed by the
Congress of the United States, In July,
1861, in which they said emphaticaiiy
that the war was waged for no other
purpose but Constitutional restoration
Of the Union as it was before the break
ing out of the war. Congress soon
abandoned the Interpretation which the
people put upon that resolution. Inc
people of the North soon became deci-
dediy political; one party, the Radicals,
advocating the most extreme measures
towards the Southern people; the other,
the Democratic party, favoring Con.
stitutional prosecution of the war, and
a Constitutional restoration OF the
States.
This was precisely the political status
of parties in the spring of 1865, from
which time the parties began to divergc
80 rapidly that at this time, January,
1867, the two great opposing parties IN
the North are as far apart as the North
and South were during the war; thatis,
SO far as the policy of the Government
is concerned. If the radical party shall
continue to oppress the people OF the
South with their vindictive and re-
engcful measures, another bloody rev
olution is inevitable. Bat it will not
be a war for the sections, or for slavery,
but it will be for the salvation and
preservation of the Constitution and
the country.
If the Democratic party shall succeed
in rescuing the government from the
hands of the party now IN power, wei
indeed will it be for our country; but If
not, then will the solution of Repub-
lican government be a lamentable one
indeed.
1t all depends upon this one event. If
Thad. Stevens enabling act is to be
forced upon the people Of the South, all
hope of a reconciliation between the
sections is lost, and lost forever. Ha-
tired, intensified; anarchy, confusion,
and revolution, will complete the evils
that will follow.
Our government is now passing thro'
an ordeal severer than the civil war.
We have no faith in the disposition
and ability Of Congress to save us from
the i'm priIdlug storm. 1t Is from Con-
gre.s that all the ills under which we
are now suffering have come. Had they
coincided with the President the Union
would have been restored long ago. The
Union must soon fail, or the Radical
party will; one of the two will abso-
luteiy take place III short time.
The history of nations authorizes no
other conclusion. We hope for the best
always, but it is hoping against hope,
SO tospeak.
From the National Legislature, we
turn now for few moments,
to the Legislature of our own
State. And the first question which
presents itself to us is, what kind Of
Hesitation need we expect for the
State, of the present Legislature Will
il consist of additional test oaths,"
and disabling acts, such as gave noto-
riety to the last Legislature III so, II
had better never convene Mt all. The
last Legislature was disgrace to the
State, and it is to be hoped, for the good
name of eur State, that we may never
be disgraced again, by such mob and
rabble.
The present Legislature have many
important duties to discharge to the
people. We. want railroads, turn
pixies. and other means of com
mercial intercourse all through the
State, in order that she may de-
yelop herself more fully, and the
people be blessed with rercmunative
returns for their industry.
We are much in want Of good roads
here, and especially railroad. If the
Legislature will aid in theproposed rail-
road through here, its advantage to the
State would be incalculable. The pro-
posed route starts at Point Pleasant,
on the Ohio river, and then comes
through the best grazing, coal and grain
raising section of the State, and taps the
Valley road, in Virginia, ut Strausburg.
By a reference to the map of the State,
| il will be seen that this road, il ever
made, will be great thoroughfare for
the whole State. But upon this subject
l propose to give my views more fully
| in another communication.
OF county news, / have nothing much
Of interest TO write at this time. Our
winter is one of the severest we have
had for ten years, or since 1856.
Quite n freak of nature occurred in
the South Branch of the Potomac at
this place yesterday. The river rose
suddenly, the ice broke with great vio-
lence, and the river soon became impas-
sable to horsemen. 1t was showing and
freezing all the time too, at a fearful
rate. But the ice soon moved off, and
the muddy stream offered no solution
of the episode.
1t is the opinion Of our weather-cocks
here, that it must have rained at the
head of the river, while it showed here.
Such thing never was known here be-
fore. All the other streams are still ice
bound. WEST VIRGINIA.