The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-09-15
Mo DIarket Street Acrobat.

linfexibility Of opinion Is not one Of them.
His readers have scarcely forgotten that
the only position he ever held on this
question has been in favor of practical
notification OF the Amendment to the
Constitution by the immediate repeal Of
all laws for It's enforcement They re-
member how last years canvass was
prosecuted on the platform adopted ibyihlS'
County Convention here, demanding the
immediate repeal Of these laws, There
was no waiting till the Constitution could
be changed Our proposition to amend
the Constitution In the lawful mode was
scouted.-as It has been ever since. save
for q short period after its adoption by the
Legislature. tits amatter ofsttll fires her
recollection that the Charleston Conyen-
ton, whose action was dictated by the
editors and attschsof the R4gStor, voted
down q proposition to endorse the pro
posed amendment to the Constitution,
under which the late rebels would law
fully become voters, because twas the
determination to fight the canvass on the
proposition that they should be allowed
to vote in spite Of the Constitution. The
platform, written by the branch editor Of
the R4gi3ter, accordingly demanded 1.-THE
prompt abolition d every test oath on the
statute books" and 20 free ballot for white
men and theimmedate enactment Of such
measures as will secure It," No waiting
there 70 amend the Constitution, because
the plan was to repeal the laws enforcing
It and let the rebels vote "in violation" Of
it n
If any proof of this purpose was want
ing, beyond what every, intelligent man ID
the State is possessed of,itmay be found ip
the Reg4tsr's own columns The featureor|
the platform above quoted was !@com2
mended particularly by that sheet to the
acceptance Of It's readers and at another.
time in replying to some objections of the
Parkersburg Gazette, 1t defined more ex-
pliciuy what 1t understood the Charleston
platform to mean, as well as It's own, posi-
tion. It said: 1.-THE Democratic platform
demands the restoration Of the ballot to
all white persons in the most speedy man
ner in which that desirable end can be
accomplished. The editor of the Gazette
believes the shortest route is through the
FLICK Amendment. He can so believe
and endorse the platform. Webelieue there
il a IOrter route. We can so believe and
endorse the platform" Now, if there is
any shorter route 10 the entranchiscmcnt
Of the rebels than by an amendment to
the Constitution, pray what is it,
There is mono, as our readers know, with
out "a violation" of that instrument.
What that shorter route" is, the Register
thus defined when it said in italics /" The
candidate tchO receives tie support Of any
Democratic uOter in IEest TTrginta ought q
| be pledged to The IMMEDIATE REPEAL Of he
tvltole batch Of pracriptire kgiSLation,' and
wien in the same article itsaid that the
registry law and voters oath 9 ought to
be abolished at once" Now, how would
our neighbor propose to keep the Consti-
tuition inyiolate Il these laws were re.
pealed? shas never proposed any law
I'm place Of them to enforce its provisions;
and tho conclusion Is irresistible that, he
does not intend its provisions shall be en-.
forced; in other words, that he does design
the immediate enfranchisement Of rebels
ain violation" of it; for no argument is
needed to- show that without them ortheir
equivalent the Amendment Of 1883 would
be dead letter, aud the rebels would
everywhere vote IN defiance Of 1t, And
this is exactly what the Wheeling Register
and its wing of It's party are fighting for
They cannot endure the thought Of wait
| ing two years; for by that time their indi:i
vidual chances for Office mightb be added.
! But 1t would. seem our neighbor has
discovered that he cannot sustain himself
on such ground even with his his, own
party. Whatever their views may be as
to the proscriptive legislation in existence,
the more judicions men Of the Registers
own party do not approve the multiplying
and violent policy advocated by that sheet.
They prefer to proceed in alaWful mode.
With consciousness that the bottom has
about dropped out from under It's teet, the
RegiSter now hastens TO assume the aground
on which It's Republican opponents stood
rlast fall, and stand now. In doing 30, IL
rctracts all its utterances in the past and
repudiates the present platform Of is
party. Without undertaking to decide
how honest ourneighbor Is in this change
Tot base, it shows how simple principle
Of truth at last commands the assent Of
its most persistent and fragrant, and tor.
tuous deiamer, and illustrates anew that
EpiouS old saw, that zlsl-r'-lAoa
awhile the lamp holds out TO burn ~.
| The vileSt sinner may retaru.n ..ls.A
But:we fear a careful reading Of the ex.
tract shows that our nelghbor is not quito
sincere in his repentance, He.llmits the
assumption Of his present position to .the
I present campaign" Itshould be under.
STOOD "that in the present campaign" he Is
not insisting upon an immediate ehttan,
chisement Of rebels in violation q
L.tlle Constitution. and lint Il ia only Mat