The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-07-24
From the Wheeling Intelligencer, of July 23d.
Another Plan Of Salvation,

Those who have read Charles Dickens
charming story of Coppertield remem.
Der thaO little Davy once ran away
from a disagreeable apprenticeship in
London, and, having nowhere else to
20, wandered away to his aunt Betsey
Jane Trotwood's, at Dover. Davy was
a very little boy, the way was long and
dusty, and by some mishaps he lost his
outer garments, SO that when he pre-
sented himself to his aunt he was in q
sorry plight. Miss Trotwood, after puz-
z!ing some minutes over the question
what she was to do with this unexpect- =
ed addition to her small household, led
Davy before Mr.. Dick, the poor witless
gentleman, on whose wisdom she was
accustomed to rely in emergencies, and
put the case before him. New, Mr..
Dick, here's little Davy Copperfeld run
away from London, and the question /
put to you is, what to do with him p
Mr.. Dick looked at the forlorn figure
before him, took in the situation, and
answered at once, "Wash him-by all
means wash him !"
Now the question that puzzles the
Republican party of the State is what
to do with the ex rebel, so that he may
be voter and still not vote the Repub-
licans out of office. To this knotty
problem the Ravenswood NerS has ap-
piled its intellectual energies for some
weeks, and as the result of its cogitation
advises, "Swear him-by all means
swear him"
The Ne,cs put the matter on a theo-
logical basis, and argues that without
repentance there can be no salvation.
The rebels must repeat of being rebels;
they must put on sack-cloth and ashes
and clothe themselves in contrite and
broken spirit. Then they must swear
that they do repent, that they are con-
trite, that they are sorry for what they
have done and been, but that they have
been born again politically and will
never be wicked or rebellious again.
Having taken this oath, they are forth
with converted into what the Ne,cS de-
nominates "loyal rebels" they come out
from among the "disloyal;' and it at
once becomes "safe and eXpedient" for
them to vote. every truly penitent
ex-rebel would be glad TO take it," (this
oath) says the Ne,cS, and "every one
that would refuse to do SO would thus
furnish evidence that it would not be
consistent with the safety of the loyal
people to give him the right of suf-
frage."
The efficiency or propr:ety of oaths as
a political engine is something we never
had unlimited faith in. Oaths eught to
be very few and sacredly kept. 1t ac-
cords not only with reason but with all
experience that as they are multiplied
they are cheapened; and men come to
hold them lightly and violate them
without scruple. Then there is sharp
distinction between oaths where their
violation can be proven and those where
it cannot.
The ordinary oaths in law, while re-
cognized by and binding the moral
sense. have an additional hold upon the
person taking them In the fact that
their violation may be proven and in
volve severe punishment. This whole
some fear strengthens the conscience,
and in some cases, we fear, Is the only
motive of constraint. The test oath
now prescribed in the registry law has
this merit, that it is an affirmation as to
matters of fact, and the party taking 1t
runs the risk of being confronted with
prsof of the fact if he swears falsely.
But what merit Can there ever be IN an
oath that deals only with mems secret
thoughts, impulses and Intentions !
How could it ever be known in such
cases whether men swear truly or false
" ? and if falsely how could it be proven
and punishedi A law requiring such
oaths of any body a. any time, would be
a stupid farce, violative of all the max.
inns of good law and all the dictates OF
common sense. Because from the very
nature of the case it could never be
known, much less proven, whether the
oaths we-e honestly taken or sacrediy
kept; aud therefore the law would be
without results. Besides, it would
be bad and corrupting law in its very
essence, As proposed by the Ners this
would offer the most powerful induce
ments to men to commit moral perjury.
The object to be attained would be very
desirable, and the mans ewn secret con-
sciousness would be the cnly witness
against him.
The Ne,cs solemnly proposes that a
provision exacting such an oath of the
rebels, assthe price of the ballot, shall
be put into the Constitution. There is
little probability, we think, that any
Legislature would propose such meas
ure, or that the people would rasify it.
IL seems 10 us an expedient wrong in its
essence, out OF accord with the spirit OF
the times, unworthy Of an intelligent
people OF tolerant age, one which does
not comport with the ideas by which
the Republican party proposes to be
animated.
concerning the policy of osths and
tests III general, we ought to learn some.
thlng from the obvious movements OF
Puolic sentiment in other States: and il
We GO not 1T will be the worse for ms,
Cnquestlonably it is the RepubIican
poltcy everywhere else to do away with
tnese reiicts of our war policy, now that
tne war Is long past and the need Of
Ihem mas ceased. This is the policy ~
PRESIDENT Grant and his Cabinet Tbis
was the reason why he gave the peonie
OF virginia an opportunity to vote dow
the tests In their constitution a,d
why he has attoGed the people of N;s
sissippi like opportunity. That thu
will do this in imitation of Virg;n;s ;
there is no doubt. 1t is becansa
public opinion is meving in this Dr.
tion that Senter will carry Tennasseo
as the anti-proscription candidate, for
Governor, by large majority, and tbs,
nearly all the Republican journals o,