The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-10-05
speech of GEN. PRANK p. BIaIr.


The following is synopsis of Gen.
Blair's speech from the balcony of the
Mcclure House on Saturday afternoon,
The entire speech occupied but twenty
five minutes.
Mr.. Blair began by saying that he
felt great interest in the people of West
Virginia, because they We're under the
oppression of radical rule. The people
of West Virginia were under the con-
troll OF model radical government
government in which all power was
placed in the hands OF one man. By
this man the dearest political rights of
a citizen could be taken away at his
pleasure, neither could the citizen re-
cover in any of the courts from this ar
bitrary ruler, the Registrar, since he
candidate sought Office at the hands
of the people he was accustomed
to go before them and solicit
their favor. Now elections were 'planed
concocted and determined in the back
room of a Registrars ofice.' Were 1t
not for this state, OF affairs he had not
doubt that the State OF West virginia
would go by overwhelming msjorities
for the Democracy.
This system of Registration in force
in Missouri, and not only there, but 1t
is also in force in the South. The loyal
white population are restrained
from exercising the franchise, while
the blacks are allowed to vote.
Had Secession been submitted to
the people in all the Southern States
It would certainly have been de-
feated and that by large majoritles.
The blacks of the South were loyal to
their masters and were not loyal to
the Government. The corn and cotton
and other articles produced in the
onA hFRh maintained the
Southern people during the war, were
raised by the negroes. The parapets
on which the blood of Union soldiers
was shed, were built by the negroes.
And yet the Government was stripped
from the whites, who established ii, and
given to negroes-to those who never
established or maintained Govern
ment in the history OF the continent.
But there is still further inequality.
The negroes In the South are given more
power than the whites in the North.
Three millions of blacks in the South
ern States have tlOehty (2O) Senators ana
fifty (5O) Representatives. In New
York four millions of whites have only
two Senators; Pennsylvania has but two.
In the South three millions of blacks
have Representatives equal to New
York and Pennsylvania taken to-
gether. Why is this? 1t is to give
power to the dominant faction. 10
make States submit 10 Ine mlllLhEy ueS'
potism which has been established. 1t
is for this reason that the citizens of
West Virginia have been DISTINGUISHED.
In the military despotism, trial by jury
has been suspended; the writ of ha6edS
corpus has been denied. ErpoSt Jdcto
laws have been passed in direct viola
ton of the Constitution. which says:
Congress shall pass no bill of attain
per or er post fdctO law. This fragment
of Congress has stripped the Presi-
dent of his right TO grant pardons, of
his right to control the armies OF the
United States, and has put Comman-
der-in-Chief in the place of the Presl-
dent. And now this Commander stands
with bayonets at the throats of eight
millions of white people to compel
them TO support him. Then this armed
candidate for the Presidency turns
round and exclaims, Vet us haze
peace" tell you, felIow-citizens, that
the peace offered you is the peace of
anarchy and armed despotism. At
this juncture, a friend informed the
General that the cars were in waiting,
and bowling his thanks to the audience
for their blindness" he Withdrew