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

from the WlQ6 Spiodu hu'SoHo VI
ncnular sentiment which these things
indicate. Some other of our Republi.
can papers, like the Point Pleasant
Reoisfer and Weilsburg Herald have
already plainly expressed wish to see
the present policy terminated. Others
doubtless would. if they felt more as
snrance how it would be received. We
know that privately, leading Republi-
cans talk very freely of the necessity OF
preparing for change; and from all we
can see, the feeling is growing apace
among our Republican people generally
The same assurance of safety, the same
confidence in the future, and the same
wish to get into the old grooves, that
seem to have possessed the public mind
all over the country, have made their
impression here. The article in the
Republican from which we quote is bat
one of many outeroppings of the fact.
1t is the first expression from that re-
gion where the disfranchised population
is chiefly situated that has found It's
Way into print, but we have no doubt it
expresses O feeling which even there,
where the greatest hostility to "let
up" has always been manifested, is not
confined to few.
Just what it would be best to do, it is
not specially our purpose to discuss in
this article, 1t is true, as the Repabb-
can SAYS, that our Constitution makes
no discrimination between grades OF
offence. Those who aided the rebellion
even for day, or under mitigating cir
cumstances, are disfranchised. Those
who led others into it, and who adhered
to it till the final surrender, are no
more. If we were fixing grades Of pun
ishment for grades of crime, the sug-
gestion of the Republican would be q
very foroihIe one. But we have never
been willing to admit that these disa-
bilities were imposed as punishment.
1t was simply as precantion. The
relief if granted is therefore, we con-
ceiye, upon different grounds from
those suggested by the Republican,
for all grades of rebels are now
alike powerless for harm. Congress
has chosen the policy of taking the
power of amnesty into their own
hands-that is, of relieving what are
considered meritorious cases by special
act; and hundreds have been so relieved
from the disabilities imposed by the l4th
amendment. Our Legislature might
adopt this policy; but an amendment to
the Constitution would first be nsces-
sary, because its provisions cannot be
set aside 10y mere legislative act. There
is one objection to thiA course at the
outset. That is the. objection which OBJ
tains against all special legislation. 1t
degrades the law making power into a
mere dispenser of favors. To make our
Legislature peddler of amnesty, regu-
lating its action by no principle that
can be made apparent, is not calculated
to elevate the tone Of legislation,
Every ono realiSed this last winter
when the passage of special acts for the
relief of rebel lawyers was carried to
such lengths as to make the whole busi-
ness farcical.
Another plan suggested is to amend
the Constitution SO that the disability
should cease at q fixed period in the
future, say three or five years hence.
No amendment at all can be consumma-
ted, let us remember, before the fall of
1871.
Few who read this will differ with us
as to facts and general principles thus
far. No one ever contemplated that the
disfranchisement of our rebels was to
be perpetual. But the question about
which Republicans may and do honest
ly differ is, What is TO be dOnei How
long shall we maintain this disfran-
chisemeuLi Shall wo not ask ourselves,
How long can wei When it was enact
nl ,rn Loot tho M g n ,.ool
many moderate Republicans. The fig
ures show that we have been gradually
losing since. The election returns of
the past four years show that our ma
jorities have been steadily reduced o
little rising 1000 year.
The objection to "lot-up" is that it
would give the State to the Democrats.
1t would, assuming that all those en-
franchised would vote with that party.
But how long can we maintain Repub-
lican ascendancy if we go on under the
present policyf Every one must under
stand that there is nothing to make the
Republican organization throughout the
country stronger than it has been. 1t
never can be so compact and stroug
again as on the day Grant was iuaugu.
rated. The tendency is toward dislny
tegration. How fast that will go on,
or how far it will go, cannot be fore
seen. But it is certain that new ques-
tions are to take the place of old ones,
whether there Is an entire reCast of par
ty lines or not. We here can
not escape the operation of
these general movements. Up to
the election of Grant there were
powerful motives for keeping the Re-
publican column firm aud compact.
The chief mission of the party has now
been accomplished, and we are told SO
by such papers as the Pittsburgh Ga
sette. The motive for party discipline
having ceased in great degree, it is in
evitahle that the organization here as
we'll as elsewhere will grow weaker
rather than stronger. Every one must
see the probability that the disintegra.
tion will go on much more rapidly than
heretofore; and that while we have lost
fsur thousand of our majority in the
last four years, we may lose that much
more in the next two, if we fight it out
on the present line. A loOsening of
party lines is going on everywhere.
The philosophy of it need not be eX-
planned. We need only recognize the
fact.
To maintain Republican ascendancy
here, rs We humbly conceive, our lead
ers must widen their vision so as to
look beyond mere partisan ends. We
cannot do it by keeping up the old
feuds and the old issues growing out of
the rebellion. These issues are dead.
Let us bury them. If we insist on
holding on to them it is reasona-
bly, certain that defeat awaits us at
not very distant day, and then with
such prevocation to retaliate, a Demo
cratic triumph would be a real calsmi
ty. If the Republicans of the State
have the magnanimity and courage to
deal literally with their present foes,
and the wisdom to direct public atten-
tion to living questions of domestic
and practical character, We may bring
enough of them to US to maintain our
ascendancy. We may at least so far di-
vide aud dlsarm them as to render that
party harmless.
We write at present not with view
of suggesting practical measures, but
rather to excite attention to this ques-