The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-01-11
From the Inteliigencer of Friday
The Democratic CcnyenIicn.

another day. But the General himself
fell a victim TO his own suceess, like the
man who invented the guillotine. After
rough encounter yesterday forenoon
with one of the delegates from harrison
county, who was rCck less enough To ln-
innate au opinion that the GeneraI was
a fire brand in the Conventional sort
of a Jonah on board the ship-and that
his rsOm would be more acceptable than
his company, tho venerable member
from Wood seemed to have become
somewhat disgusted with the whole
concern, and accordingly took passage
on steamboat for home, leaving the
Convention to get along the best way
they could without him.
His memorial, which was so promi-
nent feature of Wednesdays debate,
ingloriously fell through, the Conven-
ton, after sleeping upon the idea, hav-
ing apparently concluded that there
was danger that the Legislature might
look with favor upon their petition aud
thus deprive them of useful grievance
in the coming canvass. Accordingly,
notwithstanding the members had re-
mained over u second day almost on
nnrpose, as it seemed, TO get up mem
orial, the whsle thing took different
turn, and they c0ntented themselves
with passing resolution requesting the
Legislature to repeal the Lawyers Test
Oath. the Suitor's Oath and the Regis
tration law. Ga Wednesday the prOpO-
sition was to memorialize in favor of Il
modification of the Registration law, so
as to make it conform to the Constitl-
sion, but on Thursday they went BACK
on that idea and demanded, not It's
modification, but its repeal, fearing, as
it would suspiciously seem, that there
was really danger that their first pro-
iect might be more or less successful.
We do not believe that the COnven-
tion,-that is, the schemerS and plotters
in it-when they came To weigh the
matter, felt willing to run the risk of
success. There was too much at stake
for the party, in the coming canvass, to
have any of the capital stock frlttered
away by possible concessions on the
part Of the Radicals. The question
naturally came before their minds rs to
the effect of Il modification of the Reg
istration law! Where then would be
their opportunity before The people to
enlarge upon their distfcSseS and OPP
pressions! How could they hope to
play upon the public sympathes sue
cessfullYl Could they thus afford ia
endaugcr the success of the general
cause. The conclusion seems to have
been that they could not, and that it
was the part Of true policy to hold on
to all their grievances and go into the
coming campaign as nearly covered
from head to foot with sack cloth and
ashes rs possible.
OF course those who induced this back
track procedure on the part of the Con-
ventiou, knew that their present rcso-
lution calling for Il repeal of the Regis
try law was not likely 10 be entertained
by the Legislature in that shape. And
of course they also knew that even il
the Legislature were to modify ting law
SO as to take away from the Governor
the appointment of the registrars and
make them elective, that the oath pre-
Scribcd by the Constitution would still
be as great stumbling block as ever
to Il large number of Democratic voters.
How, for instance, could Sam. Woods,
one OF the delegates from Barbonr, who
was also member Of the Richmond
convention that passed the ordnance
of secession, and who afterwards idcn-
titled himSclfwith the rebellion through
out its existence, ever get vote or hold
an Office under mere modification of
the law ! And what good would such a
modification do Mr.. Martin, one of the
delegates from Taylor county, who
nIadya speech at Washington. Hall, on
Wednesday evening, since lc seems
that he was Il QuartermasteI in the
rebel service under Porteriield2 And
we know not how many more delegates
are in the same category with these
two gentlemen. As we saidyosterday
morning, it is likely that seven-tenths
of the Convention represented some
phase or other of the rebellion. Fol
instance, some twenty or more of the
forty odd members of the Marion cOun-
ty delegation are said to have voted
for the ordinance of secession. And
vet notwithstanding this notorious re-
cord they aud their brethrGa from all
parts OF the State desire and expect the
people TO put their party Ill power
| They have been here among us for two
days to organize for that purpose
And they expect to 90 home and en-
ter upon an effort to proselytC
their Union friends and neighbors by
nildly showing them how wrong and
mistaken they are, and how much bet
ter it would be for the Union cause that
the Democratic party should he rein,
stated in its former supremacy. IL viii
not be strange if the people should de
cline advice from these returned p:l
grims. 1t is hardly TO be expected that
they have forgotten the advice, enforced
as it was in so many instances by threats
rendered by these same persons and
their friends at the outset of the war
and likewise the record which they
made during its progress lin regard tC
the issues that so nearly concerned the
public welfare. The time Is hardly
come when this class of persons will bt
made the guardians of a State that owe:
! its existence TO the overthrow OF al
their efforts and sympathies against it:
struggle tor life.