The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-05-12
Policy In west Virginia.

The article In the Monroe Republican,
to which reference was made in this
column yesterday, discussing the need
of amending the State Constitution so
as to conform to the altered and i'm
proved condition of the State, remarks {:
In this and a number of the adjoin-
ing border counties, an average OF three
fourths of the formerly qualified voters
are denied all voice in q government
they are taxed to support, all share in
the framing of laws they are expected
to assist in enforcing. This condition
of things Is unnatural, abnormal, and
anti-Republican.
Growing out of the peculiar condition
OF things existing at the close OF the
war, the State Legislation imposing dis
abilities is incur judgement seriously
defective in merging all degrees OF po-
lItical crime, and visiting with the same
rigor, the comparatively innocent, and
the culpably guilty. A large portion OF
the people OF this section went INFO the
rebellion under mistaken conviction
of duty, and as consequence OF per-
sistent, gross misrepresentation OF
facts, and convinced of their error have
since its termination, in good faith ac-
cepted the results, and given an honest
support to laws whose proscriptiVe lea
lures have operated harShIy upon
themselves. "A OlSIlnCIlOu suOuIu Do
made between citizens OF this class ana
those who up to the time when Granite
election became certain were engaged
in. persistent effort TO brand 1eAlty to
the Union as both social and political
crime. Up to this time we have been
stupidity treating friends and foes alike.
The Acknowledgement of ex-rebels,
here discussed by the Republican, is a
subject which cannot much longer be
ignored. Political excltements having
ceased, the discussion of more engross-
ing questions having terminated, the
question, What Is to be done wit the
disfranchised rebels here7 presses upon
us for attention. The Acknowledgement
OF the blacks is, we trust, already as
sured. And now the question of en-
franchising the ex- rebels will grow in
prominence until in some way a solu-
ton is reached. There is no help for it
It is our Banquo's ghost it will not
down at our bidding. President Grant
expressed q we'll worn truth, and one
illustrated by the history of slavery in
this country, when he said that the eX-
clusion of any portion of the citizens in
State from the privilege of suffrage
would provoke agitation so long as that
exclusion continued.
There is in this State body of men
varIously estimated to number from
10000 TO %. 600, (probably midway be-
tween these figures would not be far
from the tact,) who are disfranchised
and suffer other disabilities on account
of their participation in the rebellion
We have always defended the policy
which DISTINGUISHED them. 1t was q
measure of self-pr0tectioni and since in
war the laws are silent, it was not incOn-
sIstent with the principles by which we
had to be governed at thu time. 1t was
justified by the maxim that tho safety of
the people Is the supreme law. So long
after the cessation of hostilities as the
same rule required 1t, the continuance
of the same policy was justified. Be
yond that it cannot be defended. For
we are to remember that when we de-
cided to whip the rebels back into sub
lection in the Union, we of necessity
accepted the consequences of doing so.
We did it TO maintain the republican
character Of the Government and to
compel them to be citiZans under it.
The foundation stone OF our Govern
ment is, that it rests upon all It's citizens
alike. OF course, therefore, the perme-
nent exclusion of any class from an
equal voice in it does violence to the
fundamental principle by virtue of
which alone II exists. 1t follows that
just 80 soon as the SGtWs popuIi permits
1t, we must deal with these subjugated
rebels precisely as we deal with other
citizens. These are truths of universal
acceptance. The question which every
one can best answer for himself is,
whether the time Cfdanger is past. We
have Grant in the White House, with
Congress overwhelmingly Republican.
The power OF the South Is thoroughly
broken, her negroes voting, the people
who made the rebellion cured of any
wish ever TO renew 1t. The very theo-
ries on which they built it were COM
pletely refuted by the most irresis-
tible logic known to human affairs.
Their system of labor, TO maintain
which the rebellion was inaugurated, ia
overthrown irredeemably and another
built on its ruins. For the first time in
the history of the country the South
Is thrown open to the world; and money
and men from the North are going in
and buying up the land, establishing
Industries, building up a population
and creating a sentiment which will
soon eradicate the last of the rebellious
spirit and make that region in all
things homogeneous with the rest oft
Republic. Danger from the South is
past; and the sweep OF events, rapid
and ceaseless bears US farther away from
1t every day. Is the public safety still
threatened by the ex rebels in the
mountain counties of West Virginia?
All Intelligent people recognize the
principle that law can only rest upon
reason. Whenever the reason ceases
the law becomes anomalous and arbi-
trary, and cannot be long maintained in
a government like this because the
sense OF the community revoits against
1t. The more we try to enforce such a
law by mere arbitrary exercise of pow
er, the more certain we render its ulti-
mate overthrow, because we drive from
law is supported.
Those who are familiar with the
movements of the popular mind
throughout the country, know that ir-
respective of party or political opinion,
1t is rapidly setting towards desire TO