The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-09-02
MARIETTA, O., Aug. 8, 1s6s.
.eLirlq I,ltelliqe1lcer:

Editors Wheeling L,lteitigencer:
cut the above from the Wheeling
Register, and understand that the same
is being retailed ut public meetings In
West Virginia, by Jasper NeedhRmi a
Copperhead speaker from this county.
1. 1t is not true that Mr.. Stevenson
"made speeches in Ohio last Fall in
favor of the Constitutional Amendment
to give negroes the right of suffrage"
This amendment was treated by him
here, ut all his meetings, as a thing OF
our own local concern, with which he
had nothing whatever to do.
II. 1t Is not true that Mr.. Stevenson
addressed the people from the same
stand with a negro in favor ofnegrC
Suffrage" u 81 =.
III. tits not true that 'fMr. Stevenson
did earnestly advocate negro suffrage
in his speeches in Washington county,
". It is not true that Mr.. Stevenson
"spoke;on more than one occasion with
a negro from Oberlin in favor of negro
suffrage" b.. r..,-.,
v. 1t is not true that ''of these facts
[liesl proof can be furnished from the
newspapers giving Mr.. StevensOnis APP
pointments, and noticing in complf-
mentary terms the subject ofhis speech
es."
How much truth is left In the above
clip, the reader eau see.
This writer knows precisely of what
he writes, having been for years Sec
rotary Of the Union Central Committee
here, been with Mr.. Stevenson and
knowing his line of speaking ut our
meetings, and is the editor of the paper
hero "noticlng in complimentary terms
the subject OF his speeches."
Now for the facts;
/. Hon. Vim. e. Stevenson spoke for
the Union Republicans here in 1860, '63,
'64, '65 and '6I, some years ten times,
with great acceptation to us-never
violent or extreme, but ever winning
us Conservative votes rather than
driving them away and we would
have had him in '66, and would have
him in '6S, but for his canvass in his
own State.
II. The ''negro" referred to was the
half. blood, John NJ. Langston, who
came to this county strictly on the iu-
vitation of the colored people, and
spoke ut their celebration in the coun-
try, September "a, 1867. The same day
we had a Union meeting in town; and
at night Mr.. Stevenson spoke for us.
After 10 O'Clock, when many of the
crowd had left, Mr.. Langston CHANGED
to come on the ground, outside of the
Mr.. Stevenson was through speaking,
and was wholly ignorant that Mr..
Langston was near, when some indi-
viduals happened to catch sight of
Langston, and called loudly for him,
as he was known to be a very able and
eloquent speaker. He refused to speak,
refused to go forward; but the people
would not be quiet, and were vocifer-
Gus that he should "show himself" as
many had a curiosity to see him. He
finally went very reluctantly to the
stand, spoke few ringing sentences
only, excused himself, and gave notice
that he would speak the next night,
which he did ut the Centenary Metho-
dist Church, 10 an Overlooking house
Mr.. Stevenson speaking that night
twelve miles away.
This is the extent of Mr.. Stevenson's
offending, If offending it WASH thing
that violent Democrat could scarcely
claim. No Democrat here who knows
the facts, and has any regard for his
reputation, willundertake to deny the
truth, in every particular, of what 1
have written. r. NJ. STIAsoN,
Editor Marietta Register.