The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1869-05-20

tue lIaCtS VI tue IbCtHL COuulCA W TO-
moving political disabilities. The bust.
ness Interests OF the country demand ii,
and these are now assuming tina, place
oil prime Importance which the abstract
ions Of politics have so long held. AS
a prsclical question, II was founi i'm
possible to re-OrEanizo civil governments
in the Southern States without The CO.
operation Of the ex rebels; for they we're
not only the body Of The white people
there, but they were the intelligent class
and capsule Of more usefulness than the
Others. Those States have been reor.
I ganizsd By rule that disables less Than
tenth Of their white people. In Vr-
GINA, where the Republicans attempted
to carry through constitution impo
sing an iron-cluL cath, the attempt has
been abandoned. Mr.. Wells, the Rad
icol can lidS'e for Governor, has dscln.
red against it, So has Judge Uuler-
wood That proVisiou is to be submit
ted separately; and all parties being
against il, it will be defeated Of course.
and Virginia, reorgnnizod, as Mississippi
and Texas will be, on the same basis as
tho other States. The ouIy States where
in disabilities are imposed By State laws
are Tennessee Missouri and West Vir.
ginia. In the two first struggle for
their removal has been going on for some
time the Rspubli ans being divided, 10
Missouri some Of the ablosl Republican
papers arc advocating total abrogation
of these laws. We are not exempt here
from the wide spread movement ofpopu'
lar sentiment which these things indicate.
Some other of our Republican papers,
like the Point Pleasant Register and
WCllsburg Herald have already plainly
expressed wish TO see the present poll
cy terminated Others doubtless would
il they felt more assurance how il would
be received. We know that privately
leading Republicans talk very freely Of
the necessity Of preparing for change;
and from all wO can see, the feeling is
growing apace among our Republican
people generally The same assurance
of safety, the same confidence 10 the fu.
ture. and tho 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. Tho
article in the Il publican from which
We quote is but one of many ou'crop.
pings Of the fact. 1t is the first expires.
sion from that region where tho disfran
chised population is Chiefly situated that
has found its way into print, but We
have no doub. it expresses a feeling
which even there. where the greatest
hostility 10 "let up has always been
manifested, is not confined to few.
"Jnst what it would be best to do, it is
not specially our purpose to discuss in
this article, 1t is true, as the Repubf-
can says tina, our Constitution makes no
discrimination between grades Of offence.
Those who aided the rebellion even for
a day, or under mitigating circums!an-
ces. are disfranL hised. Those who led
others into it and who adhered to il until
the final close are no mora. II we were
fixing grades of punishment for grades
Of crime, the suggestion of the RepuJH
can would be very forcible one, But
we have never been wiling 10 admit that
these disabilities we're imposed as pans
ishmeut, 1t was simply as ptocaulion.
The relief il granted is therefore, we
conceive, upon different grounds from
those suggested by the Republican, for
all grades Of rebels are now alike pow
erless for harm. Congress has chosen
the policy of taking the power OF amnes.
ty into their own hands-that is of re-
lieving what are considered merilorious
cases by special act; and hundreds have
been SO relieved from the disabilities i'm
posed by the 14rh amendment. Our
Legislature might adopt this policy; but
an amendment to the Constitution
would FIST be necessary, because its
provisions cannot DO set aside by mere
legislative act. There is ore objection
to this course at the outsst. That is the
objection which obtains against all spe-
cial legislation. It degradss the law
II liking power into a nero dispenser Of
fsvors. To make our legislature ped
dler Of amnesty, regulating its action by
no principle that can be made apparent,
is not calculated to elevate the tone Of
Legislation. Every one realized this
last winter when the passage of special
acts for the relief of rebel lawyers was
carried to such lengtha as to make the
whole business arcical.
"Another plan suggested lie to amend
the Constitution so that the disability
should cease at fixed period 10 the fu-
,ure, say three or FIVE years hence. No
amendment at all can be consumnIed,
lot US remember, before the fall of 1871.
"Few who read this will differ with US