The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-06-19
Vitbout the knowledge of the COnVen-
tion itself. 10

few words Ol ISaoO" S
r,eIess in recalling our ParkersOuis
cotemporary to the true position u
og,irs In the first place the meeting
at Grafton was not "a CoHreH''O", O"'
business meeting of two Committees
toootbar with a number Of gentlemen
from different parts of tho State, whose
standing and experience rendered 'n0''
,resepce and advice proper and accept
able. We suppose that NOBODY Ml'N
less Imaginative power than the far-
kersburg editor ever supposed tha'
these Committees would exercise the
! functions of a Convention in the enuh-
citation of principles. 1t may be usual
in Republican experience for an unau-
thofized collection Of individuals
/ to lay out the course OF the
party, but with the Democracy, that
kind of work is usually performed
through the more satisfactory agency of
a regularly selected Convention. In the
next place, the meeting at Grafton was
one of Democrats, not of Republicans,
and for that reason need not uRneces-
sarily trouble such of our friends in the
other camp as respect the precept,
"m:nd your own business" Finally,
whatever was done or omitted, the
Times may rest assured that the action
of the Committees was entirely within
the line of duty for which they were Sc
| lected, and wholly satisfactory to all
concerned, unless we except our Par
kersburg cOtemporary, whose deep con-
Germ in the matter is at once unaccount-
able and out Of taste.
Accompanying its references to what
| it calls the Grafton Convention," the
Times has other remarks of an equally
singular character, undertaking to pre-
scribe tho terms upon which the Repub-
lican party of West Virginia will con-
l sent to the Acknowledgement of the reb-
els. It's language is not remarkable for
clearness or directness, but we think we
understand its meaning. The follow
ing paragraph is from the talk of the
, Times upon this point:
) The Republican party, and ourselves
as part of that party, have no desire
to prolOng the discussion of questions
which ought to be of the past if our Pc.
litical opponents would arise to an ap,
: probation of the issues which have
been forever settled by the war. If the
democratic party of this State-es
pecially if the rebel soldier element OF
that party would let the "lost cause" be
lost, would join us in recognizing the
negro as man clothed with all the
rights of citizenship, free, responsible
being-respsnsibl as white men for
their acts and amenablc to the laws as
other citizens; if this party would come
out in bold and unequivocal terms and
recognize these questions as settled, and
recognize further, in the same terms,
| the permanency of our young State, a
sympathy with our common school sys-
ten aud the encouragement of immigra-
and tue unfolding Of Law and order,
we would chrcrfully, and with an un-
prejudiCed Judgment, pass to the cOnsid-
Grafton of other questions, vitality affect
ing their personal interests as citizens,
as men and as party. In the absence
OF such a full and explicit declaration
on their part, in the absence of a word
OF an act, either individually or collect
lively on these vital questions, how can
they expect us to abate one jOt or little
of our present position
In brief, if the Democratic party will
indorse negro suffrage, recognize the
new State as fixed, support the public
schools, encourage immigration and aid
in preserving public order, they will, in
the words of the Times, reconcile the
Republican party" and "bring about a
state of things looking to the eufran-
chisement of all rebels, who have by a
consistent and honorable course since
the rebellion, given evidence of loyalty
and of good citizenship, and this with
out reference 10 their past, present or
future political action"
Nearly all of these requirements are
silly and pointlesS. The Republican
party of the State is the only one that
has ever encouraged mobs and lawlcss-
ness, as the political history of the
State will show. The Republican party
is the only party in the State that has
discouraged immigration, This it has
done by its proscriptivo and anti-pro-
gressive legislative policy. The Re
publican party of the State is the only
one that has assailed the public schools
Last winter, prominent Republicans in
the Legislature made quiet but ma
lignant assault upon these schools by
proposing certain changes which they
thought would render the system mop
erative, aud finally by placing it in the
hands of man who, if Republicans
are to be believed, is bringing it
into disrepute through bis utter inca
pacity. The Republican party is the
only party in West Virginia that occu'
pies ! position inimical to the new
State. The Republican State platform
last year approved the reconstruction
measures of Congress. These measures
deny the validity of the Government of
NirgiuiS which formed West Yir-
ginia, and thus deny the legal exist
ence of the new State. For the position
of the West Virginia Democracy on this
subject VIC refer the Times to the sixth
resolution adopted by the State Conven-
tion at Grafton last July:
6. ResoIred, That we denounce the
Radical party for having, through its
representatives in Congress, by the
passage Of certain military recenstruc-
tion bills, declared null and void
the Government of Virginia, which
formed the State of West Virginia,
thereby denying the legal existence OF
our new State.
OF the Times objections to rebel en-