The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-03-21

he found them, as he did now, in the
quiet and peaceful enjoyment of those
constitutional rights; when he knew
they formed . part of the political COM
m1nity which by its votes overthrow
the monster prescription on the fourth
Thursday in April, 1871; carried call
for the Convention in August, 1871, and
that they are now constitutionally rep
resented in this body BY their votes cast
in October, 1871, how could he now
apply the axe to the destruction of any
Of their existing political rights without
violating every principle which he held
sacred, and for which he had been bat
ting for the last seven years.
He, (Mr. F. had commenced this
war against prescription. and had con-
tiuued the battle until all its strong
holds in this State were overthrown
and demolished. War against proscrip,
ton" was the Shiboleth Of the conserva-
tive and Democratic parties until final
victory crowned their arms. This Con-
vention was one Of the first great fruits
of that victory; and now, here upon
that very altar which liberty and re-
form had erected as the shrine OF her
worshipers, appears that same evil
spirit OF prescription against which we
had battled for 30 many years, and
which is Turing US on to that grave in
which our opponents lie buried. de,
(Mr. F, came here the sworn enemy
OF prescription; he came here to eradI-
cate and eliminate from that system
every trace Of that detestable policy; TO
batter down all unjust, invidious and
arbitrary Determinations among his
fellow citizens; to place every citizen
upon the same platform of civil and
political rights, and to trust to the
genius OF free and popular govern.
nent to rectifv and redress every evil
that might result from the broadeSt
concession OF popular equality and pop
ular rights.
This hostility to the eligibility OF the
colored man to office in State like
West Virginia, when their numbers are
so few, aud their power so weak, Isl broad
declaration of want Of confidence in the
intelligence and capacity Of the white
race for selfgovernment In what dis
trio ? in what tow nship? in what county
Of this State, can a negro be elected to
office, except by the votes OF white
men? And if he be that Ignorant, de-
graded, and uncivilized creature which
gentlemen represent him to be, was It
not a satire upon popular government
was it not an lmputation OF the deepest
character upon the virtue and intelll-
gence OF the people to suppose that he
ever could, through their influence and
votes be elevated to office.
He (Mr. F. was not much given to
profession, but he had ever cherished
an abiding confidence in the good sense
OF the people, and in the success Of free
government. Sad, indeed, would our
condition be if anything should occur
to destroy that confidence for our eter-
nal destiny is fixed, and popular gov
eminent, in its broadest and most uu-
limited character, is. and forever must
be, our condition. We have embarked
freely and deliberately upon the broad
and tempestuous ocean OF popular soy
ereigntv.
Dark, heaving, boundless, endless and
sublime"
With no magnet to direct our course,
no shelter from adverse storms and cur.
rents, but in the virtue and intelligence
of the people. If these fail us, then
indeed shall We be shipwrecked, and the
engulfing waters OF anarchy aud des.
potism will forever bury our proud
hopes as people under its surface.
Mr.. F. said that he could not see
what there was in his amendment which
any gentleman upon that floor could
disapprove. 1t was literal transcript
from the existing Constitution of the
State. He took up that Constitution
upon this particular point, just where
the people Of this State left 1t by their
vote cast on the fourth Thursday in
April, 1871. Then and there, BY the
most overwhelming vote ever cast in
this State, they fixed the political status
Of those persons whose rights are now
the subject OF our consideration. He
adopted it just as the people impressed
their supreme and sovereign seal upon
it, on that day. He added nothing, he
detracted nothing from their imperial
decree. II, under that decree, these
people had acquired constitutional
rights, his amendment reatfirms them
ii under it they have acquired doubt
full and uncertain right, or no rights at
all, his amendment does not extend it
He stood upon the voice OF the people
as there proclaimed and announced, and
bis amendment simply demanded that
voice, so solemnly and authoritatively
proclaimed, shall be respected and