The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-08-13
Tne a.ecttns Last Ntght.

last night, win the crowd gathered 10
hear discussion of the topics of the
day by Hon. W. E. Stevenson and
others who had been announced to
speak. Unfortunately, the chairs be-
longing to Sthe hall having been re-
moved with the expectation that others
belonging to the club would have been
substituted, the boat on which the lat
ter were shipped failed to arrive, so
that the greater part of the audience
had to stand throughout the evening.
A number ofladies were present and
these were provided with seats, but the
rest of tho audience stood without flag
ging and with unwearied interest from
eight o'clock till long nfIer ten.
Mr.. Henry Wallace, President of the
Club, took the Chair and introduced
Mr.. Stevenson, who was to occupy the
greater part of the evening and who
proceeded 10 address the meeting.
He said that before entering on gen
ernl questions he would refer to certain
statements made in the Wheeling
Register, both in protessed cores
pondence of that paper and in its edito-
rial columns. The communication
purp0rted to come from Marietta, Ohio,
and the statements contained in it were
repeated by that paper editorially. The
substance of these charges was that he
had last fall stumped Ohio with negro
in favor of negro suffrage. Now, he
had no opinions on any public question
that he would be willing to compro'
mise for the sake ofRuy public position
in the gift of the people. but he said dis
tinctly that this story about his can
vassing Ohio in the way mentioned in
favor OF negro suffrage was falsehood.
The Democracy had employed mean
fellow from Ohio, Il carpet bagger, to
follow him about the State in this can
vass and repeat this falsehoodr that he
could produce from Republican paper
speech delivered by Mr.. Stevenson on
the subject of negro suffrage. Mr.. Ste
venson said he had branded that state
ment as a faisehOod when first made
aud he branded it as such now. No
such paper nor no such speech
could pe produced. Nor was any
such speech ever made. He sald
that every fall since the beginning OF
the rebellion he had canvassed some in
Ohio in favor of the Union party and
policy, and he had the satisfaction in
believing he had done something to
help bury VGllandigham under 100000
majority. But he left the question Of
suffrage to the people there and did not
propriety OF its introduction at that
lime. but other questions OF great mo-
ment entered into the canvass. n Gov
eruor was to be elected. a Legislature
WAS TO be chosen, which should choose
Senator of the United States, and
which it was understood if Democratic
would repeal the ratification OF tie
XIVth article TO the Constitution of the
United States, which was by far the
ElCst important and comprehensive
issue before the country. The proposed
amendment 10 the State Constitution
proposed other important measures be-
sides the enfranchisement OF the blacks.
There was provision for disfranchls-
ing rebels, which the speaker was in
favor of, and another in favor OF dis
tranchlsing deserters and draft dodgers,
which he was in favor OF. These issues
ne discussed, but the question OF sun
rage he did not discuss at all in the
State OF Ohio. He thought it came
with an i'll grace, too, tromh party that
associated with, ate with, and for Hught
| he knew slept with negro delegate in
the Democratic Convention at New
York, and from II party that now in
every Democratic paper South OF Mason
and DIxon's line calls upon the cOIored
people TO come up TO The rescue OF the
Democracy, calling them their ''colored
| Democratic BRETHREN" giving them
their public halls TO hold negro Demo-
cratic balls in, TO charge him with hav-
| ing declared in favor Of negro suffrage.
While referring TO this matter he
would say that this question of sut-
| Irage was not and cannot be tissue In
| the canvass in this State, The consti-
tuition OF the State restricted the suf.
fraRe to white men. The negro could
only vote by change in the constitu-
ton. To change the constitution re-
ouires the following process: The pro-
position to amend must be made in the
Legislature. II a majority of the Leg
islature agree to it then 1t must be ad-
yertised for three months throughout
the State. Then another Legislature is
elected with this question before the peo-
BILE and with the knowledge that it Is to
be acted on by that Legislature. The
proposition is 10 be submitted then the
next year TO this secoud Legislature
and if again agreed to, it is sill not a
part OF The constitution. 1t must Ue
again advertised throughout the State
and then submitted at the next cleo
ton to the people themselves for adop.
ton or rejection. II u majority of the
people of the State are in favor of the
change and vote to ratify the PROPOSE
ton then the amendment becomes a
part of the constitution and the negroes
| vote. Not otherwise.
AS it regarded the Republican party
of this State being committed in favor
of negro suffrage, the reverse was true,
as the Republican Legislature had de-
clared against it in 1866, in resolution
Tor which every Republican member
except one voted. He was not discus
sing the propriety of the proposition,
but simply showing that there was not
and could not be such an issue in this
canvass, and that the Union party of
the State was not committed to it.
The speaker, who had just returned
from addressing the people at Wells
| burg, said it was the wish and inten-
tion OF Gen. Duval to be present this
evening, but he was confined to his
room by illness caused by his old
wounds received at the hands of the
rebels, and was unable to come.
The speaker then passed to con-
sideration of the issues involved in the
canvass. What is termed the Demo-
cratic party was the same party that
had precipitated the rebellion, having
then been in power and controlling the
Government. Every State that seeded
was controlled by that party. These
were matters of history. The inten-
tions of party were 10 be judged by
the character OF the men composing 1t
and by the declarations they make, He
| then at length recited the history OF the
New York Convention, showing who
composed it, showing the declarations
of the platform, who dictated 1t and
| what they had said about it, deducinS
the conclusion that the controlling ele.
ment in the Convention was as bitterly
rebel as the same party was in 1860.
| He quoted at length from leading
Southern Democrats, such as Hampton,
ToombS, Cobb & Co., to show the i'm
placable feeling entertained by them
towards the Union men OF the country,
and their determination toextermlnate