The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-10-20
The CampbsII-Hubb Platform

The SOW her mirey walow."
The CampbsII- Hubbard Platform.
As if it were not folly sufficient to
provoke party contest while their own
ranks are disorganized, Messrs. CAMP
BELL and HUBBARD come before the
people upon platform which offers no
adequate remedy for the political evils
of our State. They propose to repeal
the Oaths for Suitors, Lawyers and
Teachers, but in the resolutions adopted
by their Convention there is, according
TO Mr.. HUBBARD, ne provision for q re-
form of the registration law. Feeling
the force of this point, the Intelligencer
attempts to substitute the Ohio county
Address, signed by one hundred and
thirty.two out of the twenty-five hun
dred Republican voters in this county,
for the platform adopted by the Repub,
lican Convention, and which, of course,
is the only authoritative expression of
party sentiment. The Intelligencer de-
sires US to aid the substitution by print
ing au extract from the Address.
The extract, being superseded by the
platform, has nothing in the world to do
with the discussion, but out of pure
compassion for the IntelHgencerS worri.
ment, we print it, as requested:
We do not advocate au instant abro-
CATION of the disfranchising clause in
our Constitution, for that is impossible,
but we do favor prompt steps by our
next Legislature towards putting it in
process of repeal-a process, by the
way, that will consume upwards of two
wears from next winter. And, in the
meantime, we shall hope to see the
next Legislature take early opportu-
nity to do away with the test oaths now
resting upon Lawyers, Suitors and
School Teachers. These oaths have
had their day, and, whatever their
services in the past, their future ad-
vantages to the State may well be
doubted. AHd as for the voters oath,
we presume by the time it can be legal
ly dispensed with under the repeal pro-
cess alluded to, there will be few, disin-
terested citizens in our midst, how
ever bitter their remembrances of the
war, who will really regret its discon-
tinuance. Aud finally, as regards the
present registry law, while expressing
our earnest attachment to the plan of
guarding the purity of the ballot.box
by a registration Of all the qualified
voters of the State, still we shall receive
with satisfaction at the hands of the
Legislature such a modification of ex-
isting features as will, among other
things, provide for the election OF the
officers Ofregistration by the people, in
stead Of their appointment by the State
Executive, and in such manner, also,
as will secure the minority one repre-
sentative in every county Board, be-
lieving that these changes will secure
the best guaranty for an impartial exc
cutiOn of the law.
The Intelligeacer desires us to state
"what this extract is" AS our cotem-
porary clearly don't know himself, anu
as no mortal man can fathom the mean
ing which CAMPBELL and HUBBARD have
concealed in the above labyrinth OF
words, we can only aim a reasonable
conjecture at the "What is iti" In the
first place the Legislature should take
steps towards putting the disfranchising
amendment in process of repeal. How
many years may elapse before all those
steps are taken and the process com
menced, finite understanding cannot
even guess. But when it is com
msnced, we have the satisfactory
assurance that it will take "up
wards of two years." but whether
upwards" means five years or fifty the
oracle leaves no data to determine
They hope to see "early opportunity
taken by the Legislature to do ava!
with the Oaths for Lawyers, Suitor:
and Teachers, but if "early opportuni
ty" does not offer, it is fair to presume
that the signers being reasonable mel
I will not be seriously disappointed. Tht
Voters Oath is to he continued until the
completion of the repeal process before
hinted at and will therefore remain like
the disfranchising clause, upwards" o
some time, after which the Address as
sures US "there will be few disinterestet
citizens in our midst who will
regret its discontinuance," or, it nigh
have added, who will remember its au
thors or the date of its enactment.
Such modification of the registry Law
) as will provide for the election of tn
registrars by the people will be receives
with satisfaction" but if Messrs. HUB
T BARD and CAMPBELL, after being strucl
by lightning and getting into the Leg
. islature, two events equally probable
should decline to make these "modif
cations" there is not even an implle
pledge upon which to hold them re
sponsi BILE or to base an expression G
dissa tisfaction.
\ At best, if the Legislature were I
t provide for such election as the Ad
I dress hints at, it would not be held IN