The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-01-20
MONDAY MoRNINe. IANUARY-ao.
TIE clarksburg Telegraph in speak
ing of the late Democratic State Con-


THE clarksburg Telegraph in speak.
ing of the late Democratic State Con.
vention in this city, says; aaz
We learn that the Convention was at.
tended by a considerable number,
Circumstances combined to make the
attendance large. 1t was near the
commencement of the Supreme Court,
and the United States District Court
and hundreds were called to Wheeling
on business who collaterally and Incl.
dentally attended the Convention.
To a limited extent the circumstances
specified by the Telegraph did no doubt
contribute to the attendance upon the
Convention. And yet there il another
and more important circumstance that
contributed still moro to that attend
ance. The present Democratic party
in West VirginiE includes within its
membership a large element that was
more or less identified with the rebel
lion. That element, occupying the
political status that it does, is FESTIVE
and impatient. The pains and penal
ties of an overthrown participation in
the rebellion attach to it. It stands
disfranchised and disgraced before the
laws and in the estimation of the Union
people. There is certain sort of stigma
upon it that practically operates as a
thorn in the flesh, and that naturally.
Induces keen willingness and read
mess to enter into almost any eombina-
ton to overthrow the party in power
and achieve a more desirable political
and personal relation to society. Del
egates to the Convention like Sam.
Woods, of Barbour, for instance, feel
that they have no hope in the future of
regaining anything like their old sta
tus unless they can in some way COM
pass the breaking down of the party in
power. A slight hope Of being able to
do SO, by inaugurating a successful
campaign. will not only bring them
Individually to the Convention, but
likewise will set in motion not few of
their old friends and sympathizers. 1t
Is easy for fifty adherents of the rebel
lion to get together in county and an.
point half their number as delegates.
Every man who voted for the ordi.
nance, every man who was quietly dis
loyal all the while, and every one al
most who had son or near relative in
the rebel army, naturally feels drawn
into such a convention and naturally
sympathizes with its objects. The old
county court house democratic leaders
of days gone by turn up inevitably as
delegates in such a Convention. They
know how to manipulate their own
preferment all the time. They. and
their friends, especially those who like
themselves stand dIsfranchised, stop
at no ordinary trouble or expense in
getting up these meetings and securing
an attendance on State Convention.
All the selfishness of human nature is
appealed to in their cases. They want
what they are pleased to call their lib
erty, their rights-those same sacred
rights that were coming to them at the
outbreak of therebeIlion. Not having
been hung, transported or confiscated,
they naturally turn their attention to
the old trade of politics, interpreting
the failure of the government to pun
ish them as in effect a verdict of
aequittal Of any offence that werrants
restraint upon them.
Such men, and all who are in a less
degree tarred with the same stick,
manifest zeal corresponding to the
exigency of their situation, and are
willing to make some sacrifices OF. both
time and money in ordeFto achieve as
near as possible a return of the "Status
quo ante belEuM." And it was men OF
this CHARACTER that furnished no small
part of the attendance at the late Con-.
veution, linen who had been openly or
secretly identified with the rebellion,
either aiding it in person within its lines
or assisting It in various ways, even If
only with their sympathy, on this side
of the line. The late elections in the
Northern States suddenly inspired
them withan idea that their time is near
Mt hand-that the day of 1eliyerance
is drawing highland like the virgins
in the parable they want to have their
lamps trimmed and burning for the
great occasion. They intend to rally
their strength next fall, hoping no
doubt that in the meantime the legfsla!
ture will do nothing to deprive them of
any Of their stock in trade. Like Mr..
Sperry of Greenbrier, theywant all those
dreadful wounds inflicted by the regis
tration law to gap as wide open as pos.
sIble, so that all the people may look on |
and be moved TO vote the Democratic
ticket. 1.-THE lawyers and suitors' test
oaths oanbe leftstanding on our statute |
books they will be all the happier and
become correspondingly stronger be-
fore the people. We can scarcely. inn
agine anything now that would more
certainly afIlict the Democratic leaders
ofthis State than the taking away rom
them any of their pet grievances. ri
Nasby's dream could come true, and
the niggers should all really die.
and the bonds should be paid
of In greenbacks. and the regis
tration law should be repealed, it
is not unlikely that many. of them
would perish of incontrollable grief or