The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-08-18
acknowledgement.
WERE THE FOUNDERS OF WEST VIRGINIA
uSURPERS AND TYRAHTS?
REPLY OF HON. JOHN HALL TO
HENRY j. FISHER.
How II Loyal Democrat Answers
II Rebel.


NlHWlNNltNs
From the Mason County journal.
Yuu will have NJ doubt noticed the
above article of "NINsoS's' in the Point
Pleasant Rtg&tr. That article, rs well
rs many others, bearing the same sigma.
iurr, were written by distinguished Con
irdcratc leader, and when we consider the
powrr and influence that that gentleman
wirl,ls amonglhc leaders of the COnIcd.
crate element in this State, il shows but
too phinlyth rank hatred and bitterness
Of feeling they entertain toward the Union
men Of the State, not only Radicals, but
even those who, by their votes and inllu
rucc, have opposed all prOsCriptivC and
humlImtiug measures towards the re-
turned Con!Cdcmtcs. The article refer
red To does not appear 10 have been writ
ten rs m argument in favor 81 calling u
Convention, but to have been gotten up
aud written for the express purpose Of
nursing and keeping alive the bitter feel
ngs, hates, slrifcs and passions Cngcndcr-
ed during the war, thereby provoking the
above named class Of persons, and il pos.
sibc, carrying the feelings alluded to
into the Convention, (lr one should he
rHllcd)
Since the close Of the war | have hon.
rslly and faithfully, with the limited in
lluCnCC | possess, labOrCd to produce u
tale Of good feeling, peace and harmony
between the loyal and dislOyal elements
Of the Stale ! have earnestly and con.
tricntiously opposed all proScriptiycmcas.
urcs imposed or sought 10 bc imposed
upon the cXUOnIrdGratcs, and no one
knows il better than the distinguished
Confederate leader Mason" yet it seems
M amount Of kindness toward them can
lessen their bitter hatred Of every one
loyal, or why this unprOvOkCd and Sian.
dcruus assault upon u body without CX.
ccpliDns) OF which he knew | was u LCm'
her? had intended to vote for n Con.
yrntion, (and "MNson" was well aware Of
that MCt,) not that | saw my particular
necessity for one, but rs an act Of libCr.
atty toward our Confederate fellow.
citizens, TO enable them to assist In max.
ing Constitution under which they were
live AS they had complained loudly
nj prescription, hoped they woulladOpt
"a liberal Constitution, conservative in its
character; but If VIC arc to judge Of the
sentiment and feelings OF the balance of
the ConicdurAlcs by the distinguished
Confederate leader MASON" then this is
no time for Convention; we had better
wait until the temper Of the ~hOiC people
becomes s0Ilcncl down. with this view,
therefore, shall vote against u C0nvCn
tom
This distinguished Confederate leader,
Mason" says that our present COnstitu
ton WAS made nj the city Of Wheeling by
nsmall set Of irresponsible mCn-A set Of
loyal COwardly rsurpCrs-mcn who chose
The city Wheeling rs their place OF
meeting because of tho convenience oil
i1r bridge, which would enable them to
rim across into the State Of Ohio to Cs.
cape Confederate bayoncls. That our
present Constitution was conceived in sin,
borni iniQuily and reared in blood, AMI
nuurishCd upon oppression, and il is unit
lor men like himself tOlivo under. take
this occasion To tell Mason that these
charges arc false, slandcrOus, and ma.
ltciuus, and are unworthy the considers,
ton Ol all honorable minded men,
II is well known that the Convention oil
1861 consisted Of G. members, and that
more than 10 counties were represented
The election OfmCmbCrs to that body was
authorized by AnACt OF the Legislature OF
the Commonwealth Of Virginia, and the
smgNcl provided for the time and place
n their meeting. AS to my presence in
that Convention the election returns ,Ol
this county NrC u sufficient answer. And
would here remark that would not
shrink from u comparison Oi the poll OF
the votes cast upon that occasion with
any that MASON ever received when he
was before the people either M n Candi.
date for the House Oi Delegates or for II
Iudgcship.
That Convention which "Mason" terms
amcrc uslrping body Of men, became
III actual necessity for the protection OF
the elves, liberty and property Of the
people Of West Virginia, by reasons OI
lie unwisr, arbitrary and revolutionary
teachings and acts Of "Mas0n' and his
associate leaders in Infringing upon their
country the deslruCtt-,lbOI property, the
sacrifice ii lie and the rivers Ol blood"
And for what purpOsuY Who has profit.
I'd by it2 Was il the young man who
Mason" induced by his cloqucncC, To en-.
ter the Confederate service and sacrifice
his life in behalf Of their "lOst cause p
Was 1t the widow whose son was con.
scriptCl into the Confederate service?
Was it the Union man who wns driven
from his home and sought shelter md
food among strangers ~ wandering
refugee Was II the heroes who tell and
persisted 0nA thousand battle fields? Or
was il the sorrow. stricken father and
moilrr, and the brOkGn.hrariGd wife and
weeping orphans that prOIitrd by "Ma
'oH's' teachings and inilucnrcy Let the
history of the past ten year! when writ.
ten, and the conscience Ul MACON II not
already scared too much Ivy prejudice,
answer
Mason" IL n man, admit, Of no mean
or ordinary ability or influence, and has
done ~ much, il not more, than any other
man in the State to bring on the troubles
that the country has suffered under dur.
ng the last decade Of years and Is still
suffering under. The question, then,
would naturally arise, if his counsel was
wise or bcnCilCialY
leave II to the fathers and mothers Of
thosc Gallant sons who listened to his clio.
uncnt appeals and entered the Confederate
army, and whose bones now lie bleach.
iug upon every battle. field Of the late war,
10 answer the question and say whether
Lisnlyicc was wise and counsel proIlla.
bic,
Tbcpuny argument charging the Con.
yrntion with COwarliCc and lear Of Con
Tolerate hayoncts, and, therefore, the Con.
slilution ought not to stand, is weak, very
weak; Int we would ask, would that oh.
lnciion he obviatcl Il "MasOn' had
framed it? It said that he ran long
and hard from n wholesome drcad Ol
Federal lmy0ncts Query Would n
Constitution made Nv Confederate COW.