The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-09-12
a Plain Statement of Fact
Abstract of StevenSOn's Ne
gro Suffrage Speech
in Marietta.
The same Crowd that Cheered Steven
son, Called Langston 10 the
stand and Applauded Him
Just the Same.


oath day of September, 1867, he made 1
speech to his political friends on thi
side of the river, in Marietta. Tw'
"Radicap mass meetings were hell
here on that day-one during the after
noon, which was addressed by Colone
Mckee of Kentucky, and Senator Thay
er, of Nebraska; the second at night
when Deacon Gray, VIM. Stevenson ant
John NJ. Langston spoke.
The subjects which Mr.. Stevenson dis
cussed were much the same as thos
presented by the other speakers-ex
cept that to Deacon Gray was special.
assigned the mission of slandering tn,
wife of Judge Thurman-and he talked
about the Congressional policy of re
construction as contrasted with that o
President Johnson; of the condition o
the conquered States at the South, from
the Radical stand point, so as to fur
nish pretexts for extending the right o
suffrage to the negroes-as well for the
protection of the loyal white men a
for their own.
In this connection, Mr.. Stevenson
plainly and decidedly advocated, o.
right in itself and expedient anyhow
the support of the proposed amendment
to the State Constitution of Ohio
which, had it been adopted, would hav'
clothed our negroes-the very blackes
of them-with the franchises of white
citizens. While on this subject, b,
quoted and endorsed the words which
have been attributed to General Sher
man: "The hand that laid down tn,
musket should take up the ballot" He
spent few minutes in the vindicatior
of the natural capacity of the negroes
as a race. He eulogized their loyalty
He would trusta loyal cOlored man will
political power sooner than h0 would
On franchise the white rebel. He insisted
that the colored men of Ohio who hat
volunteered into the Union armies an(
fought to suppress the rebellion, hat
thereby demonstrated their ability t.
comprehend the nightly political issues
involved in that struggle. And the!
had proved, as well, their attachment
to the true principles of the govern
ment.
Mr.. Stevenson dwelt upon the i'm
portance of the canvass in this State
lie did not seem to be apprehensiye, Q
the defeat OF the state ticket of hi
party here, or of any loss, except pos
sibly the Negro Suffrage Amendment tt
our State Constitution. Its success, h'
maintained, was essential to the wei
fare of the same party in West Virginia
They felt q deep interest over there
about the result of the election. l.
Ohio stood firm and unflinching for thC
great cause of equal suffrage to al
loyal men-black and white-Wes
Virginia would yet be right. Colone
Mckee had said substantially that un
less they could somehow have negro
suffrage in Kentucky, the rebels would
always win there. But this they could
never do in West Virginia. There reb
els were not allowed to vote.
John NJ. Langston, a negro lawyer
who lives at Oberlin, had been speak
ing, during the day, at some celebra
tion, by his people, i'll another part o
the county. He came to the meeting
at 10 o'clock, perhaps, and got in among
the crowd, as if to avoid being noticed
When Mr.. Stevenson had finished hi
speech, Mr.. Langston, who had beer
observed, was announced by the pre-
siding officer, and vociferously called
out. He came forward and plead, fol
excuses from speaking that night, hi'
fatigue and hoarseness, and the late
ness of the hour. He had an engage
ment to discuss the paramount question
of the day, in this city the evening o
to. morrow - Wednesday. However
while up, he got off some tolerabl'
rhetoric--he never speaks badly-ant
ne kept on for ten minutes, perhaps q
quarter of an hour. Mr.. Langston nigh
have held the meeting together un
til midnight. He was welcomed a
heartily, and was made as much of, o.
any of the orators who had preceded
him. In good sooth, he seemed tC
eclipse Mr.. Stevenson. in the estima
tion of the people before him. How
ever this may be,--their cause was his
and his cause was theirs.
We quote the local notice In th'
Times, September 26, 1867
"The Republicans held II mass meet
ing on Tuesday, in this city. Col. Sam
Mckee, ex. x.Member of Congress from
Kentucky, and General j. NJ. Thayer
United States Senator from Nebraska
made speeches in the afternoon. A
night, Deacon N. A. Gray, of Cleveland
formerly editor of the Plaindedler; Wnl
E. Stevenson, of West Virginia, ant
John NJ. Langston, of Oberlin, were th
speakers. The latter had spoken during
the day. at Fleming, and was very
hoarse. He did not talk more than
quarter of an hour, but promised 4
make speech the next evening. o
course, the "loy-al" swallowed every
thing said by the different speakers n
law and gospel"
But to make clearly manifest the dis
Iingeniousness of the denial that Nj
Stevenson spoke from the same stan,
with John n. Langston, we give an &c
count of this meeting from the Mariett
Register, September 26, 1867. To Civ
no occasion for carping, we present tn
article unaltered in any way
THE UNION MEETING.-The Unio
meeting in Marietta, Tuesday, (Ser
tember 24,) was splendid success
There was no noisy demonstration
on our streets; no band of music march
! ed through our thoroughfares, to "drur
up o crowd" but at the place Of meet
ing large audience quietly assemble
some larger, we estimate, desiring no
to exag gerate, than the recent Thurman
Pendleton meeting, aud that was place
by our neighbor of the Times, at no
less than three thousand persons on TIA
ground" However, that was an ovel
estimate. No "bush whackers" fror
Virginia were present.
Colonel Mckee, of Kentucky, VIII
was in the Union army and was foul
teen months in Libby prison, was th
first speaker. He is an eloquent an
able speaker, and held the audience I
the utmost silence, except to applaud
for two hours. He is a young man {
high personal character, and has
"brilliaut future" before him.
l He was followed by General j. y
Thayer, United States Senator fror