The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-09-19
TAYLOR COUNTY.
Spicy Joint Discussion Between Gov
eruor stanton aud General Thomns

eruor stanton aud General Tho mns
Ewing.
Editors Of the Register
Judging from the enthusiasm mani
tested at the political meeting here last
night, and the triumphant vindications
of Democratic principles by General
Ewing and Governor Smith, we are un-
der the impression that You may safely
place the name of Taylor among those
counties which will, at the ensuing
elections, signally rebuke those reck-
less men who are plunging the country
in anarchy and rnin. Governor Stan
ton opened the discussion by a brief
recapitulation of the old song of rebel
impudence, in presuming to entertain
any aspirations towards political prefer
ment; and referred to the action of
Congress in placing the government OF
the South in the hands Of scalawag
carpet-baggers, and negroes, claiming
that they would keep under control
those naughty rebels who would not
come, in sack cloth and ashes, humbly
repenting of their sins, and wait pa
tiently for the fatted calf "No," said
the Governor, "instead of presenting
themselves in this humble posture, and
begging for pardon and mercy, they rath-
er seem to say, hurry up old man withthe
veal" He also endeavored to impose
upon tho audience by arguing that,
none but those whose income exceed
one thousand dollars paid any taxes to
the general Government, except, per-
haps, a few cents on matches and
stamps.
Gen. Ewing replied by stating that
the very men who were dsfranchised,
and set aside by Congress and the State
Constitutions of the South, were the
only men there who paid the taxes and
were uualiGod 60 frame oonstitnt ions
and make laws. And that SO long as
these important duties were cOntided to
Yankee scalawagS and negroes, there
would be no peace in the South. And,
said the General, | wonld say to Mr..
Stanton that / would much prefer put
ting those men in power who opposed
us manfully and fought us bravely, to
those irresponsible, malignant carpet
bagers and negroes whom Congress has
placed in power there.
Mr.. Ewing completely demolished the
Governor on the question of taxation.
Instead of being exempt from taxation,
NJ nf tlnn.
sand dollars, as the Governor has said,
you pay to the Government, indirectly,
by duties on imports and otherwise,
from 20 to 4O per cent. on nearly every
article you eat, drink and wear, and
you also have to pay taxes for the priv
| ilege of merchandising, praeticing in
all the professions, manufacturing, &c,
even down to box of lucifer matches
A laborer, in this way, whose family eX-
penses are six hundred dollars, pays
about one hundred dollars tariff to the
general government on the articles he
necessarily consumes. Governor ). and
his friends seemed quite restless under
this exposure.
After Mr.. Stanton and General Ewing
had delivered two speeches of half an
hour each, Gov. Green Clay Smith, OF
Kentucky, was loudly called. lie
arose and read from the constitutions of
Alabama and other Southern States the
clanse, as q text. prohibiting from vot-
| ing all persons who would not swear,
that they would allow the negro equal
social and political privileges, at least
so far to occupy the same positions in
clutches, schools, taverns, steamboats,,
&c, and that they would never abolish
these laws or amend these constitutions
so as to defeat these concessions TO the
negroes. Mr.. Smith spoke about one
hour in exposing Mr. Stanton's soph-
isms, and Congressional usurpatlons.
On the recons truction laws he said that
Congress had appointed Freedm ems
Bureau, whose special duty II was to
exteud a supervisory care over the me-
groes, in making contracts for labor,
&c, they being too ignorant to be al
lowed to transact their own business.
Soon afterwards, however, when 1t was
ascertained that negro votes would be
necessary to keep the Radicals IN pow
er, in the South, they were suddenly
found to be sufficiently enlightened to
fill the position of Lieutenant Govern
ors and occupy seats in legislative halls
Mr.. Smith spoke warmly and powerfully
on the questions which are agitating
the minds of the people, and closed by
an urgent appeal to the large assembly
to contend manfully for their rights un'
der the Constitution. He was heartily
cheered throughout the speech.
TAYLOR Co.
GRAFTON, September 10, 1865.