The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-08-06
WHEELING W. VA, AUGUST g. 1868.
a address, Of X. 4. Curtis, Esq, Anna
dale. Marshall County, JnIy 1th,

Address Of X. I. Curtis, Esq, Anna
dale. Marshall County, JnIy 1th,
1865.
My Friends and Fello,r- Coantryaea -
Permit me to say few words on the
situation OF our country as it was, is
now, and as | hope and trnst, it will
be.
With what enthusiasm did we cele-
brate the anniversary of American In
dence in bygone years-with firing of
cannon, music, fire works, and every
demonstration that it was possible to
get up. And in what glowing colors
did our orators and poets depict the
prosperous condition Of our country
and boast of eur glorious system of gov.
ernment, framed by the wisest and
best men that ever lived, unequalled in
the annals of the w0rld-admired and
envied by the lovers of freedom every
where. And here they said was an asy-
lum for tho oppressed of oil nations,
where they would he secure in their
lives and property, and have scarcely
any taxes to pay. And they confident
ly predicted that this should last
Till rolling years would cease to move"
Bnt alas! how the times have chang
ed. Now "none so poor as to do us rev.
erence" The spoilers came into our
fair Eden-demagogues, fanatical abo-
litionists in the North and hot headed
fire eaters in tie South, and created q
most wicked and disgraceful war
brothers fighting against brothers.
| A war, however, that might have
been terminated at comparative early
peried with an immense saving of lives
and money, had Mcclellan been ade-
quatcly reinforced. And why was he
noti 1t was either because those in
power wished to prolong the war for
the benefit of the shoddy; or, they
were envious of Mac and wished some
other General to have the honor Of
terminating the war-Behold Is it
not written in the chronicle of the
times
Happily, the rebellion has been sup
pressed, and blood has ceased to flow,
but the end is not yet. Ten States are
out of the Union. much to the satisfac
tiou Of the enemies of Republican liber-
ty, who sneeringly say "we told you 80.
We always said that men were not Ca
pablc of self-government, and your
proud Republics wonld 60 by the board
like all Republics that have preceded
it from the foundation of the world"
My friends let us falsity their prcdic-
tions. AS Shakespeare says
"Orr remedies oft in ourselves do lie
Our government is not entirely sub
verted. The people are yet sovereign,
and not the rump Congress. Wo have
freedom of speech and of the press and
the rights of the ballot box, but partial
ly, it is true, in some Of the States; but
there are enough patriots enfranchised
to restore the Union and rc-instate the
executive and judicial branches of the
Government. Fiity-iive years ago,
John Adams, one of the sisners of the
document | am about to read to You,
uttered these noble sentiments: "ShOuld
the cloHds of q public misfortune thick
ell to q tempest, shonld the voices of
our cOuntry's calamity over call us to
her relief, we swear by the precious
memory of the sages who toiled and the
heroes who bled in her defence that we
will prove. ourselves not unworthy of
those who so magnanimously Y taught US
the instructive lesson Of Republican
virtue" Let us now be true to this
pledge and transmit to our posterity the
government as we received it from our
ancestors.
1t would appear as if the rualp Con-
gress had been striving to drive the
Southern States again into rebellion.
They have heaped on them every pOssi +.
BILE indignity-placed them under sub
lection to their former slaves, and in
flicted on them the same grievances
that drove our forefathers to rebellion.
With patience and forebearance wor-
thy of all praise they have kept the
peace. Had they exercised little of
this virtue in times past we would have
had no rebellion. The only grievance
they had to complain of was, that
President was elected on q platform
that compromised their rights. There
was no necessity, nothing to justify
their going outside of the Constitution
for redress of grievances. Had they
remained faithful to the Constitution
for four years they would have had a
voice potential in electing President
who would know no North, no South.
But no, they were 50 eXaspcrated, so
blinded by passion, and so full of fight, |
that they rushed into the contest with
out counting the cost or the probability |
of success. And the Abolitionists of the
North were as anxious for the fight as
they were.
When they fired Oh Fort Sumpter, l
tell you it made me feel savage. Then
Z 4 lat 1nnSn thn InnS |
of war" As the war progressed, how
ever, / felt sorry for the rebels and yet
more sorry for the injuries they were in
flictipg on us but never for moment
wished them success. My code of NOR
ais does not make it crime to feel for
the calamities of our enemy. No one |
reioiced more than l did when they
were subdued. Theu said, let US for
give them, it is not magnanimous to
trample Oh fallen foe. Many of you
can testify that such has been my
course, and that in consequence, l have |
been called u sympathizer and rebel.
But let bygones be bygones-the past
is beyond our control, but we have the
present. 1t is our duty to repair DANA
ges to the ship of state-ts place her in
tho hands of able officers, and again she
will sail with flying colors, "The pride
of the sea and the gem of the world"
Are we not q christian people and
profess to be guided by the teachings
If our Saviour' What said he when
asked the question, if my brother offend
me how oft shall forgive him, seven
times II say unto you, not only sew
en- times, but seventy times severn
Again he says: "If every one of you
will not forgive Others their trespasses,
how can You expect your Heavenly
Father to forgive You your trespasses !"
The most sanctimonious OF the Radi- |
calls must confess that they have REBEL. |
ed against their Maker; if they will not
forgive them, how then can they ex.
pect to be forgiven These identical
words, / used u short time ago, in con-
versatien with clergyman; he cut me
short by saying II have heard enough
of such trash.' | give this as an illus
tration of how far the demon of party |
spirit will carry astray good, we'll mean
inc man I do not cav that Thal. Ste