The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-08-01

, their purpose only the accomplish meni
of this design. This is the triumphant
policy inaugurated by their wisdom, to
assure the perpetuity of our Govern
, ment, not the integrity Of its territori
al dominion.
1t is our duty, therefore, to consider
this guarantee; and passing in silence
all questions as to the mode and man
ner IN which alone it could have been
rendered available, without the great
est violation of the organic law of the
land, we will confine our attentions to
, it's value. In how far is it calculated
! to allay our fears and give us hope and
assurance of safety in the future 7 To
guide US in our conclusions it may not
be amiss if We refresh our memories as
to the opinions entertained by the
fathers of the Republic, as to what, in
their Judgment, constituted the great
guarantee Of the safety Of the Govern,
ment they founded, and the mere men,
tioning of this will at once recall to
your minds that 1T was held by them;
that the success of their undertaking
to found republic for their posterity
depended upon the Intelligence and
moral rectitude of the citizens. 1t was
regarded by them as truism, beyond
all question, that no republic could ex.
ist unless tho citizens possessed high
degree of intelligence and moral excel
lence. Whom the war, therefore, broke
out, it was natural to conclude that 1t
was owing to want of these high at
tributes of national character that the
country became involved in mortal
strife. Had we possessed tho national
Intelligence to see the right, and the
national virtue to do the right, whence
could the war have originated Shall
we say then that the Fathers of the Re-
public were correct when they said
that the safety of the Government de-
pended upon the intelligence and virtue
Of the peoplei To my mind it is as
clear as that daylight appears when
the sun rises. For as the luminary of
heaven is the source of terrestrial light,
so is the intelligence and virtue of the
citizens the source of just laws, and
lust laws the source of permanence
and glory to the State. Believing
this, then, to be true, not merely
because Washington said so, Adams
said so, Jefferson said so, franklin said
so; not merely because all the trainers,
founders and architects of the Govern
ment said 80, and all the patriotic SER
wants of that Government said so; not
merely because the history of mankind
of every uatiOn, cline and kindred, of
every period and era, said so; but also
because it is the eternal nature of things
that like produces like, and that you
cannot pluck figs from thorns. And
since just laws are but the expression of
the collective Intelligence of the alton
and the guidance of individual action,
and public virtue is but the cheerful
obedience rendered and regard given to
these laws. how can the one be obtained
and the other expected from ignorant
and dsfranchised citizensi Believing
then, | say, that it is true that the
safety, success and permanence
of the Government depend upon
the Intelligence and virtue of
tho citizens, how are we to re-
gard these measures which have for
their object the establishment of negro
suffrage' These laws add four millions
of slaves to the active political citizen
ship of the country, from whom the
wisdom is to be selected which shall
make justice supreme and the Govern
ment permanent iu the future. Are we
to say that the nation was too intelli
gent and too virtuous, and that because
Of this excess the late calamity befel
the country, and that as q guarantee
for the future we ought to get rid of
this excess of intelligence and virtue by
DISTINGUISHING the Intelligent and vir-
tuous and cnfranchsing tho ignorant
aud disfranchised Can the patriot,
the well.wisher of his country, find
guarantees in this for the fnturei
But perhaps we are hasty in our con-
clusiOus. Perhaps these four millions
of slaves are not ignorant, not debauch-
ed. Perhaps they are capable of self
government, requiring nothing but to
be left alone to devolve into free,
prosperous and happy people. We
might believe this, my friends, but
alas, the very best authority says other
wise. The very authors of these meas
ures to secure negro suffrage and su-
premacy proclaim the reverse. They
will not permit us to believe this. For
but yesterday, as it were, they breath
ed new life into the expiring carcass of
an institution formed and. maintained
for no other purpose than that the ne
gres are not able to govern themselves.
Why did they create the Freedmen's
Bureauf What was the declared pur-
pose of this institution Was it not
because the nation had made freedmen
by law of bondmen by naturef Was it
not because these men with the rights
of freemen were found destitute of the
capacity to fulfill the duties offreemen,
and the nation, perceiving its mistake,
supplied the masters whom it had abol-
ished
Who makes the contracts for these
people? The Freedmen's Bureau. Who
cares for the destitute, the aged, the
infirm The Freedmen's Bureau. Who
educate their childreni The Freed
mems Bureau. Who casts their votea
The Freedmen's Bureau. Who did all
this before the warf The masters.
Do you say that these people are able
| to make their own contracts; that they
know the value of their own labor for a
day, q week, a month, a yeari Then
YOU differ with the Congress of the
| United States. For that body has SOL
ennly declared, by two-thirds majer.
ity, that these people are not able to
do these things, and for this very reason
created the Freedmen's Bureau to do it
for them. Do you say that these men
are able and willing to take
care of the dependent, the aged, the
infirm; then you differ with the
Congress of the United States; for that
body has created public charities with
out law or authority, and the Freed
mems Bureau to do it for them. Do you
say that these people are able and will
ling to attend to their own educational
interest; then you differ with the Con-
press of the United States, for that body
has created public schools without law
or authority, and the Freedmen's Bu-
reau to do it for them. Finally, if you
say that these people are capable to
make their own contracts. that they do
not know, and if they know, are not
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