The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-05-13


this subject, and to cooperate in a
cause which as they foresee and admit,
is destined to triumph at no distant
day.
From the Wheeling Intelligencer May l2.l
Republicans Policy in West Virginiu.
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 number of the adjoining
border counties, an average OF three
fOurths of the formerly qualified voters
are denied all voice in O 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 in our Judgment seriously
defective in merging all degrees OF po'
litical crime, and visiting with the same
rigor, the comparatively Innocent, ana
the culpably guilty. A large portion, OF
the people of this section went into tho
rebellion under mistaken conviction
of duty, as q consequence OF per-
sistent, gross Misrepresentation OF
facts, aud convinced of their error have
since it's termination, in good faith ae-
cepted the results, aud given an honest
support to laws whose proscriptiye tsa-
lures have operated harshly upon them
selves. A distinction should be made
between citizens of this class and those
who up to the time when Grants cleo
tion became certain were engaged In
persistent effort to brand fealty to the
Union as both social and political
crime. Up to this time we have been
stupidly treating friends and foes alike"
The disfranchisement of ex-rebels,
here discussed by the Republican, is q
subject which cannot much longer be
| ignored. Political excttements having
ceased, the discussion Of more engross-
ing questions having terminated, the
question, What is to be done with the
disfranchised rebels herei presses upon
us for attention. The enfranchisement
of the blacks is, we trust, already as
sured. And now the question of enfran-
chsing tho ex-rebels will grow in prom
iueuce until in some way a solution Is.
reached. There is no help for it, 1t is
our Banquo's ghost; it will not down at
our bidding. President Grant expressed
a well-worn truth, and one illustrated
by the history of slavery in this coun-
II . In hof hn vpln nf
any portion of the citizens in State
from the privilege of suffrage would.
provoke agitation so long as that exclu-
sion continued.
There is in this State body of men
variously estimated to number from
10000 to $4,000, (probably midway be-
tween these figures would not be far
from the faCt,) who are DISTINGUISHED
and suffer other disabilities on account
of their participation in the rebellion.
We have always defended the policy
which disfranchised them. 1t was 4 |
measure of self-protection; and since in
war the laws are silent, it was not in
consistent with the princip pies by which !
we had to be governed at the time. 1t
was justified by the maxim that the
safety OF the people is the supreme law.
So long after the cessation of hostilitles
as the same rule required it, the contin- |
uauce of the same policy was justified.
Beyond 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 citizens under it.
| The foundation stone of our Govern
ment is, that it rests upon all its citizens
alike. OF course, therefore the perma-
nent exclusion of any class from an
equal voice in it does violence to the
fundamental principle by virtue of
which alone it exists. 1t follows that
lust so soon as the SGlaS pSpUH permits
it, 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 of danger is past. We
have Grant in the White House, with a
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 it. The very theO-
ries on which they built it were COM
pletely refuted by the most Irresistible
logic known to human affairs. Their
system of labor, to maintain which the |
rebellion was inaugurated, Is over |
thrown 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 buying up the land, establishing
industries, building up population
and creating a sentiment which Will
soon eradicate the last of the rebelllous
spirit and make that region in all
things homogeneous with the rest of the
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 eN-rebels in the noun
tain counties of West Virginia.
An intelligent people recognizes the
principle that law can only rest upon
Reason. Whenever the reason ceases
tue law becomes anomalous and arbitra-
ry, and cannot be long maintained IL a
government like this because the sense
OF tn? community Ievolts against it.
The m,re we try to enforce such law
by mere arbitrary exercise of power,
the more certain VIC render its ultimate
overthrow, because we drive from Us
the public sentiment by which all law
is supported.
Those who are familiar with the
movements or the popular mind
throughout the country, know that, ,irre-
spectiye Of party or political opinion, it
Is rapidly setting towards desire 20
oOliterate the traces of the recent con-
net Dy removing political disabilities.
Inc business interests of the country
demand 1t; aud these are now assuming
that place of prime Importance which
T the distractions of politics have so long
aeIu. As practical question, it was
found impossible to reorganize civil
governments in the Southern States