The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-09-28

doned their country, they expatriatedi
Joined the Southern Confederacy, The
Southern Confederacy has evaporateuI
and these poor devils are IKE tne
Wandering Jew, they have got no
country or home. If they Will prlhE
forth fruits meet for repentance tue ~
may be we will extend the franchlse
and let them vote. They tell us we
should cultivate a love aud fraternal
feeling. They are the viper they want
us TO nestle in our bosoms that rs soon
as it is warmed into life will sting US 10
the heart. The object is to take the
government ;out OF the hands OF those
who have controlled its affairs eight
years past. They complain that we
have been running the government a
we'll, Notwithstanding the war. Despite
that it has been period of unPrece-
dented prosperity; Notwithstanding the
hundreds of thousands killed, those
left behind worked the harder. We
have built up the country, and its pos
pect improves in every direction.
Nov, my fellow citizens, they brought
on the war. Do you believe candidly,
any Of you, that man who deliberate
Iy went 10 killing three hundred thou
sand Union men, and in entall1nS a
debt of IS, 500, OOO. 600 upon the people OF
this country, 81, 500, COO. 600 of which yet
remains unpaid-who engaged in
breaking up our railroads, destroying
all the works of art and Improvement
they could lay hands on, burning cities
and villages, and numbering our citt-
zens, ought, in honor and In truth ever
10 have the privilege of the suffrage
conferred upon them. [Cries of mo !
No p'1 That would be what they ex-
pecteu. That would be a light punish
Inent for their crime. They expected
that and more If they failed; and they
did fail.
The speaker then took up and re-
viewed the legislation of Congress pro-
posing to the Southern States as basis
OF reconstruction the XVIII Article
of the Constitution, reciting Its proYi-
sions and explaining its operation. II
did not require the enfranchisement OF
the negroes; but provided if they were
DISTINGUISHED the whites should not
have representation for them in Con-
gress. All the rebel States but Tennes-
see scornfully rejected the proposition.
Their demand therefore was that they
should have representation for their
whole population, while only the white
should vote. The effect of this would
be to give white vote in the South Il
great deal more political power in Con-
Gress than a vote in the North. In
South Carolina two white rebels would
have as much representation as five
loyal men in West Virginia. Yet this
inequality was embodied as g funda-
mental principle In the Democratic
platform. 1t was the same old game OF
the aristocrat against the working man
that used to be played in Virginia;
when everything.a poor man had, even
down to his daily wages was taxed
while the property OF the Shareholder
was exempt. If any man dared raise
his voice against 1t then he was de-
nounced as an "nbolitionist." II he
dares do it now he is Radical"
We hear great deal from these fell
lows about ''nigger equality" o, yes,
big Niger is going to marry some
gentlemnu's daughter. Now to ease the
this subject, petition will be circulate
ed this winter and brought to the
Legislature and there is going to be u
resolution of the Legislature passed,
resolving that no Democrat shall mar
ry IA niger. [Cheers.l When that
matter was proposed in the Kanawha
Valley come time since, says they
"Governor that is carrying the joke "A
little too far. We are not going to have
our privileges cut off in that way"
lMerrinent.
But these men say, the Southern peo-
pie laid down their arms lin good faith
Did they? Georgia in passing her Con-
stitution under Mr.. Johnson's order
spread upon the record of her COnVen-
ton declaration that they did not re-
linquish their right to claim pay from
the Federal Government Tor their
slaves. Maryland has already taken
action to obtain pay for her slaves, so
has Kentucky. That is the popular
idea now throughout the South, that
n gl -
be paid for them. a part of the situa-
tiou was the liberation of the slaves,
yet they say they accept the situation
In good faith.
know something about these people.
learned something of them during my
five years over there. had the
Alexandria constitution TO enforce. /
found that constitution provided that
no man could vote or hold Office who
had willingly given aid or comfort to
the rebellion since 1861. found there
were whole counties in which there was
not single man who could vote or
hold Office. L found in other large
counties like Albemarle Pittsylvania,
and Halifax about a dozen in a county.
In the county OF Culpeper was inform
ed by the only Union man in it, that he
was the only man in the county that
conld vote. They poured in by COM
mittees from every direction. 30, yes,
Governor, all we want Is q government
We never intend, go far as we original
secessionists are concerned, 10 ask any
Office or hold any power; nor do we
intend that any man who took
an active part in the rebellion
shall hold any office. 1t was
great mistake we made. We have
brought destruction on ourselves and
country. We intend TO leave it to the
best Union men that can be found in
the State to manage and govern the
State. Just organize our Governments"
l found the only thing L could do was
to get the Legislature to pass an act, as
the Constitution empowered them, let
ting them all vote. i said to them that
if theyNaccepted their situation in good
faith the Congress of the United States
would accept them in good faith, but
ii they did not that would be the end of
1t. Before September knew that An
drew Johnson had broken faith with
tho great Republican party and L
Iearoed from number of the rebels
throughout Virginia that he had told
them to go on and carry out their
laws according to their own liking,
that he was going to build up a
great party out of the conserya-
ttves of the North and South.
When their election came, instead of
electing men who could take their seats
under that Constitution, more than
one-half of thedelegates to the Legis-
lature could not take the oath required
by the Constitution. They took before
a notary or justice OF the peace an oath
to support the Constitution of the Uni
ted States, went into the Legislature.
organized, elected the most obnoxious
rebel in the State as Speaker of the
nd of 1,