The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-10-05


o. one.third the electors in West Viz.
ginis IN favor ofretaining the word white
in the constitution is & striking common
tAiy on tue ditFlsive gable sbou: "shak-
ing hands across the bloody chasm' that
Mr.. GREELEY hiss INDUCED so freely
since the opening Of the campaign. mas
much is il shows more than third o!
the Democratic voters Of the State
unwilling to shake" in other words, TO
accept as tinal settlement OF the negro
question the civil equality Of blacks with
whites. The suggestion is not without
point, bat il we reflect that the prejudice
OF color in this country Is one Of the most
inye,erate the legislator and statesman
has 10 encounter, and that it hiss been
scarcely four years since any considers.
ble number, even Of Republicans, in this
State were prepared to give the negro
legal recognition as the equal in political
rights with the white man, there is much
to encourage US in the recent vote, where
ffty.four thousand votes were cast against
the senseless proposition to make color a
qualification Tor Office.
In the course Of its remarks, the Herald
Indulges these reflections:
"The truth Of the matter is, there hiss
been too much Of this maudlin Greeley.
ism in the entire closing up Of the war
Affairs. There are people who are 50
constituted that they cannot appreciate
msgnsninity, and hardy know what they
deserve until it is pounded into them, and
upon this class Of people, sentiment is as
utterly wasted as would be pearls before
swine. II is Of that class We unfortunate.
y have too many in West Virginia"
We believe the Herald was good deal
IN favor Of "maudlin Greeleyisu" in the
matter OF "let up" in this Stste two or
three years ago, and manifested some sat.
isiaction over the fact thst it had never
favored the harsh legislation then com.
plAi1ed OF. But thu; signifies little now.
lis, perhaps, little unreasonable to ex.
pee! the Democracy to give up all their
old doctrines and prejudices al once,
Some allowance must be made for the
siubbornLess OF human nature. Six years
ago, in the Southern Loyslists' Couven.
lion at Philadelphia, if we remember
Alright, the Governor Of this State, now q
Senator Of the United States, who rather
out.Herods Herod in the intensity Of
his Republ;csnisu, declared thst the
proposition to confer suffrage on the
regTo would be suicide for the Repub.
lican party in West Virginia We don't
say the; he Was not right. We don't say
that the inveteEate prejudice against the
negro and the TACT that the Republican
psrty raised him to the political level Of
the white, did not have much to do with
the overthrow Of our party in this State.
But We refer 10 the views OF RepubIi.
cans themselves here on this question s
very few yesrs sgo, simply SIS 8 reason
why We should no: be TOO unchsritable
il tie lifelong coniennecs o. the negro
are still no; quite resGy 10 bury their
psejudioes, rooted in generations OF SIS.
very, in bloody chssn" and shake
hands over il with those Of Us who A1;sg.
onized snd tEiumphed oTer them. We
have TO deal with hrmsn nsture as We
ind it and should always allow q gener,
oUs margin for habits Of thoughts and
feeling. Nothing in al the wonderful
history Of this country in the last Ten
years Is so remarkable IS the growth o!
liberal and enlightened sentiment OF the
question Of color. Let Us be encouraged
By natural nArvels and not ask 10. mir,
Scles.