The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-11-16

If Is extremely difficult for the
Wheeling Register to tell the simplest
truth about political matters. Yester.
day In trying to break the force OF a
communication In The Parkersburg
GGzctte, (copled In our columns yester-
day. critIcIzIng liz selfish course In the
late election, tho Register makes these
statements touching the canvass In this
county:
The registration law according 10 the
ground taken by Mr.. Hubbard and the
Republican Convention which nomIna.
ted him, waS TO remain unchanged. An
amendment to the State Constitution
enfranchiSIng "All citizens" was favor.
ed, but ~ under our Constitution the
rebels arc not citizens, nobody would
have been benefited Uy such an amend.
ment, but tho negroes, and such Union
men as are DISTINGUISHED BY the regls-
trAtion law.
The same assertions were made by
the Register and exposed by US In the
canvass. The platform OF the Repub.
lican Convention OF this county ex-
pressly declared that "all inequalities
among citizens" which could be reach
ed by Legislative act should be removed
by tho next Legislature; and II the
registry law operates unequally, as the
Register AYERS, 1t was Just as much
embraced In this as were the test oalhs
for lawyers, sutherland teachers. Fur
.hermore, 80 far as concerns Mr.. Hub
bard, he put forth an address over his
own name declaring In explicit terms
that tho registry law should be amend.
ed so as to secure perfect impartIality
In It's execution, and 90 that the officers
OF registration should be elected by the
people, with such a provlso as would
always secure the minority party (no
matter which 1t might beg one repre-.
sentative on the coanty boards.
Now as 1t regards the assertion that
"under our Constitution the rebels are
not citizens" the fact Is this: The Con-
ssltution OF the United States declares
that all persons born on the soil or
naturallzed are citizens. Our ConstI-
tuition says that no rebel shall be olti-
zen, but In this II ls a nnlllty, for the
Constitution OF the United States Is
1.-THE supreme law of the land anything
In the Constitution or laws Of any
State 10 the contrary Notwithstanding"
II overrldeS tho provision OF our State
Constitution 10 the contrary, and makes
every man born on the soil or natural
lied citizen. Probably there Is not an
ex-rebel In tho State who Ia not either
native or naturalIzed, and therefore q
"ciIizen" despite the verbIage OF our
own State Constitution. The editor OF
tho Register knows this as we'll as any
one; and when he asserts the contrary
1t Is out Of q wanton disregard Of
truth; and he knows at the same time
that the knowledge of oil his intelll-
gent readers contradlcts him.
On the other hand, the truth which It
suits his purpose to conceal Is that the
Republicans OF this county proposed II
successful TO pursue q course 30 fair
and generous towards the ex.rebel cIti.
zsns-So exactly equal and just 10.
wards all citizens without regard to
past offences, race or color-that the
Register was afraid II what they pro.
posed should be done, the scepter OF
blood and thunder denunclatlon by
which 1t has so long ruled and led the
Democracy here would depart, and
there would be, what II for selfish reA-
Sons least Of all things desires, actual
peace and harmony among our long
divided people.