The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-11-15
The Demecrnc, Criticized.

A correspondent OF the Parkers0uTg
Gazette takes the Democrats Of the State
to task for defeating sundfg Republican
candidates at the late election. He is
pleased to criticize the course pursued
by the REGISTER i'll the recent canvass
and intimates that the success of the
Democratic party in Ohio county is Of
moro Importance to this paper than the
repeal of our disfranchising laws. W.
publish his letter, and also the reply o
the Gazette thereto. The editor of the
Gasette is disfranchised. But he know:
how to draw the distinction between
| those who advocated the "let up
movement sincerely and those who sup
ported it from sinister motives. Hit
reply to "Old America" we regard q:
complete, so far as the general course
of the Democracy in the late canvass Is
concerned. Yet as this correspondent
has made the REGISTER and the Ohio
county Democracy the text of his dis
course, we beg to add few words on
our own account.
In the first place, we would respect
fully suggest that s'me of our distran'
chised friends have cot been pleased
with anything the REGISTER has done
from the commencement Of this "let up
agitation. When we advised the Dem
ocrats in hOpelessly Republican coun'
ties to support liberal Republicans who
were squarely in favor Of thorough
and speedy 'let up" they accused us
of desiring to "sell out the Democratic
party" When we insisted that especial
ly in Democratic counties, Democratic
candidates should be supported in pref
erence to Republicans whose professions
of liberality meant nothing, they con
demned us as "Old America" condemns
us, for "retarding enfranchisement."
We have letters from not few highly
esteemed friends among the dlsfran
chised, assuring US that if the Democrats
did not abandon the whole field to the
two Republican factions, they, and many
others like them, would be constrained
to cast their influence in favor OF the
Republican party. We threw no obsta
cles in their way because we recognized
the right of every man to choose his
own course. We merely mention this
To show how hard it is in this world tt
please everybody, and that whatever
might have been done or forborne in tht
late canvass, censure from some quarter
was sure to follow.
The Ga.ette's correspondent does not
we think, clearly understand the posi-
ton of parties in Ohio county. Th'
Republican programme was briefly this
They proposed to repeal the Oaths To-
Lawyers, Teachers and Suitors. Th'
registration law according to th'
ground taken by Mr.. HUBBARD and th'
Republican Convention which noml
mated him, was TO remain unchanged
An amendment to the State Constitu
ton eafranchising call citizens," wa
favored, but as ander our Constitution
the rebels are not citizens, nobody
would have been benefited by such al
amendment, but the negroes, and suct
Union men as are disfranchised by the
registration law. Finally they ex
pressly repudiated call coalition ol
affiliation with the Democracy" earn
estly avowing that "they contemplated
only the safety and perpetuity of the
Republican party"
The Democrats on the other hand pro
nounced in favor of the repeal Of al
Test Oaths, including that for Voters
and the prompt abrogatioa of the dis
franchising clause of the Constitution
They demanded this without hquirine
what party it would help or hurt. Nov
if this was "retarding enfranchise
ment," "Old America" is right. Accord
ing to his view the Democrats OF ohl'
county should have disbanded their or
gauization, taken up Republican candi
dates who had repudiated their supper
in advance, and voted to secure "th'
safety and perpetuity of the Republl
can party"-the price of their sham
being the enfranchisement. of the ne
groes and the concession to our disfran
chised white men of part of the right
of which they are upjustly deprived
odd America" may think the sal,
would have been good one. The Dem
ocrats of Ohio county, who had pos
sibly as much interest in the matter a
any body else, didn't think so. Henc,
the result.
u The first stone of the main edifice o