The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-06-08
IT is of course useless for US to waste

Iris of course useless for US to waste
words with the editor Of the Clarksburg
Conservative, Major Bill Cooper, late of
the rebel army, as to his proper posi-
ton here in West Virginia. He does
not seem to see anything peculiar in it
himself. He regards himself az unjustly
deprived Of certain political rights, and
is seemingly not aware that he did any
thing 10 forfeit not only those rights
but even life itself. In his eyes there
is no disability Whatever justly attach
ing to his antecedents. Not having
been hung or banished it is altogether
proprieity In him to return to his old
post among the people whom he desert
ed in time of trouble and upon whom
he made fragrant war for years, and to
undertas g in an editorial way to foster
a feeling as near akin to his own as
possible He considers himself prop
er person to instruct public sentiment
in matters Of Constitutional duty, and
arrogates all the functions ola critic
whose record can not be impugned.
One would naturally suppose that
modesty and great charity ought to
be the distinguishing characteristics
of a man who had committed
treason, and whose hands have been
dyed in the blood of the nations
defenders. The quiet and least
demonstratiYe spheres of life are GER
tainly those best BETTING the occupan-
cy ofsuch person. But Major Bill
Cooper does not think so. Like the
brawling woman" described by Sol
onion, he yaunts himself shamelessly
on the house-top, and apparently fails
to realize in the least degree the re-
pronch ofhis status \ party whose
interests are served and advocated by
defeated traitor, is justly an object of
suspicion, and it is not strange that the
people OF West Virginia turn away
from it with persistent apprehension.
Its not from the pen OF such expOund-
ers that they seek political instruction.
They regard them in the light of con-
yicts and outlaws, whose presence is a
sort of menace against the integrity of
theState. While the large majority of
the people are content to tolerate them,
they nevertheless, do not fail to distrust
them, and, still more, to reprobate and
repudiate all such assumption and eff
frontery as characterizes the utterances
of Major Bill Cooper.
In the last issue of his so-called ON
serrGtiUe newspaper, this late rebel Ma
jor says:
arr ,nr ,..so,,,,, To-, li,.r, =.
the majority of the people of West Vir-
ginia, why Is it deemed necessary to
disfranchise majority OF the gentle
men OF the country in order that the Do.
litical friends OF the INTELLIGENCEE
may retain the political power of the
Slater"
Wecan answer this question in a very
few words. The people knew full well
that as soon as the war was over, large
numbers OF the rebels who had left the
outlying counties OF the State, would
return, and that one of their first en-
deavors would be to dominate in those
counties by the same arts OF po-
litical and personal bravado
with which the ordinance of seces-
sion had been carried. They knew
that rebels defeated in the field would
naturally seek to retrieve their lost
positions through the medium of poll
ties, and that no resource to effect their
purpose, even down to every species of
terrorism, would be left untried.
Therefore they passed law making an
attempt to regain their forfeited ascend
aucy unavailing. In other words they
prescribed an oath which such people
as Major Bill Cooper should take before
they could resume the exercise OF no.
htical power, and thus sought to pro-
tect the loyal element in the exposed
counties against subJugation by return
ed rebels. The vindictiveness of the
rebel element had been seen and felt,
not only during the memorable contest
upon the ordinance, but all through
the war, both in the way of
invasive outrages and in the
DISTINGUISHING and disabling stat
utes passed by them at Richmond.
such men as Major Bill Cooper were
the responsible authors OF those out
RACES and those statutes. They and
their fellows set up for legislators at
Richmond, and assumed to represent
the counties of this State, and to pass,
or procure to be passed, laws visiting
alienation and confiscation upon our
loyal people. Had they succeeded in
their rebellion the condition of the
Union men OF the interior can better be
imagined than described, Itfsnot very
likely that papers loyal to the Govern
ment of the United States or to the State
OF West Virginia, would have been
allowed to keep alive the attachments
OF the people to those governments by
deuunciative appeals against the men,
the principles, and the, legislation of
the rebellion. We should have had no
rights entitled to respect. This was
our prospect throughout the war. Re
cognizing this actuating spirit and pur-
pose on the part of those who had left
US, aud who were laboring to
destroy us, the people of West
Virginia took the precaution to
extend all possible protection to the
loyalists of the exposed counties by
politically disarming all returning reb-
els. The result of this precaution is
that to-day such men as the editor of
the Clarksourg Conservative are under
instead of on top. In other words,
they are in their proper places. They
are where they can do no harm until
NIL the dangers of reactionary period
have passed.
ANEW WORK on the Public Debt.
Mr.. ]. s. Gibbons, of New York, has
written book, published by Charles
scribner & Co., with the title, Public