The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-06-26
rLe Polic, ef Baaishment.

|
The Policy OF BaaiShnaent.
l We are occasionally in receipt OF let-
ters from exiled West Virginia Confed-
, crates. which set forth the reasons why
thew have left, and why others Of their
class will leave thisState. One ofthese
letters came to hand yesterday, from
Mel can county, Illinois. The writer
says; ;,,., r.-aa. -
Isnrrendered I meant submission. i took
the oath in good faith, intending to de-
mort myself as q law-abiding citizen of
West Virginia, and expecting if / did so
to be protected as such. But alas for
human expectations To-day finds the
negro enfraRchised and myself dis
enfranchised, at least so far rs West
Virginia is concerned.
| | concluded that could no longer re-
main in State where was called upon
to perform the citizens duties and de-
Aied his privileges, when at the same
time those privileges were conferred
upon Sambo. Acting upon this conclu-
sion. came to Illinois, where | am at
least the equal Of the negro, ana can vote
after Il residence of twelve months"
Letters like this indicate state of
facts that may not be unworthy of con-
sideration. They show, in the first
place, that West Virginia is driving
away her population. This is not de-
MED by those who uphold prescription.
The answer is that the class in question
are rebels, and the State will be better
off without them. OF those who make
this argument sincerely, it is charitable
to hope that they know no better. COP
giveth to some men understanding, and
to others the faculty of being lunk-
heads. The latter class, when they ap-
pear in politics, never reflect that the
productive power of a rebel wOrkingman
is of Just as much value to the public as
that of "loyal" laborer; that rebel
brains and enterprise and wealth can
confer Just as much benefit upon the
State, as those of any other class, and
that if we drive them away the loss is
not represented by the number of dis
franchised men gone, but by the physi-
cal, mental and financial power which
| their departure withdTaws from the ag
! gregate resources of the State. Men
who caunot see the effects of proscrip-
tion in this, its true light, belong to q
class with whom argument would be
as useless as braying them in mortar.
The bubble that ifrebels don't like the
condition of affairs here they can leave,
is generally used for want of something
else to say. It's signal of distress, a
sure sign that the proscriptionist occu-
pies defenceless position. The State
has no right to make her limits unin-
habitable by any class of people who
behave themselves and contribute their
share to the moral and financial sup
port of the Government. To tax men,
number them in the basis of representa-
tiOn, and require of them military ser
vice and every other duty of the citizen,
without allowing them to approach the
polls, enter the Courts, or practice their
professions, is policy that libels free
institutions shamefully. There is not
even the poor excuse of self-prOtection.
In the first place no danger is to
be appreheuded from the late rebels,
and in the next the effect will not be to
accomplish their permanent disfran-
chisement, bat merely their exile. As
rapidly as possible they will go else
where, where the mOnstrOus inequali-
ties maintained here do not exist.
j But there is another fact cropping
out from this letter that We may do well
to remember. 1t is that other Republi-
can States are not pursuing this policy
of prescription. While in effect West
Virginia banishes her rebels, Ohio, In
diana and Illinois offer them homes aud
equal privileges with their citizens.
Those States understand the folly of
perpetuating the bitterness of war ideas
Ohio was emphatic in her decision. She
refused by majority of fifty thousand
to disfranchise rebel residents er immi-
grants. Those States also know that
rebel muscle, mind and money are just
as valuable to the public as those of
the best Radical voters in their midst.
While we are working to drive out these
elements, they are ready to absorb them.
The process is already going on and
will continue to do so, as long rs their
wise, liberal and far-seeing policy of
amnesty contrasts with the fauatical,
narrow and shOrt-sighted notions that
obtain in West Virginia.
The results of 'let-up" do not strike
us as being at all dreadful, compared
with the ruinous effects of the depletion
now going on: If prescription were
abolished, rebel lawyers would come in
to our Courts whenever they could get
clients and no oftener; rebel teachers
would be employed in oar public schools
where the people wanted them, and no
where else. Rebel creditors could col
lect their debts, possibly thousand or
two of "loyal" debtors, who interpose
the Suitor's Oath between themselves
and their obligations, wsuld be called
upon to settle. Rebel voters would
come to the polls, and there would be
more equal division of political power
throughout the State. Possibly the rul-
ing party would 20 ont of power, but II
so. il would be because its measures
could not command the approval ef the
people. Last and best of all, we would
retain our population at home; their
resources would be applied to the de-
. yelopmeHt of the State; instead of be.
ing a divided, we would be united peo-
pie, and from our union would come
prosperity.
:. Tr A.. o.k-, - y,arar cannot see this