The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-01-13
THE RADICAL BLOW AT THE CEN
TENNIAL APPROPRIATION

THE RADICAL BLOW AT THE CEN
TENNIAL APPROPRIATION.
\ great deal has been said and written |
regarding the effect which the defeat the !,
Radicals in Congress have inflicted upon |
real union between the North and South |
in this the Centennial year will have
upon the proposed appropriation for the
coming Centennial celebration in Phila-
delphia. 1t is greatly feared that the
Democratic members of the House-see- |
ing that all the Radical protestations of
love for the Union are, and have ever |
been, pure shams and base hypocrisies;
seeing that even their boasted war
for the Union was simply |
brought on and solely animated by
hatred for the Southern people; aid
seeing too that now, when there is an
opportunity to establish fraternal feeling
and build up the country on the only solid |
foundation upon which it can be built'
they (the Radsl are upon the record a
secessionists at heart and openly avowed
isorganizers-would be Induced to vote
against such appropriation.
Although Democratic members have
every reason not alone TO believe, but alb |
solutely to know that such heretofore
suspicious are now actual truths, still |
we trust that for that reason alone. they |
will not be Influenced in defeating the |
Centennial appropriation.
There have been advanced certain OBJ
jcctions to its constitztionality. If, upon
examination, these shall be found well |
taken, then OF course on that ground they
will not vote for 1t. We ourselves are
very suspicious of all appropriations by
the General Government, and would OPP
pese any which are not palpably HARM
less and clearly constitutional. This one |
certainly appears to be of this nature.
General WAsHINGToS himself, in his
first message abiding to the Constitu-
tional powers of Congress, said: "The
advancement of agriculture, commerce
and manufactures, by all proper means,
will not, trust, need recommendation;
but cannot forbear intimating to you
the expediency of giving ehectusl en-.
couragement as well to the introduction
of new and useful inventions from abroad
as to the exertions of skill and genius in
pro iucing them at home."
Similar sentiments have also been ut.
tered by MADISON and other statesmen
and thinkers Of renown whose opinions
regarding the powers delegated to Con-
gress, are worthy of being regarded as of
authority Therefore since this appro.
pration is for the purpose of contributing
to the introduction of new and useful
inventions from abroad" and for the
general welfare OF all the States, there
Seems to an ordinary thinker that it is
clearly within the province of the Con-
stitution. However, this is subject to
be determined by the members them
selves according to dictates of their own
judgment and conscientiousness.
But, outside of this single point, We
sincerely hope that the Democratic Rep
resentatives in the House, and specially
those from West Virginia will not oppose
the measure under consideration. Should
they do so they will not only make ca
pital against, but will also lose an oppor-
tunity for making great capital for their
party.
In the first place, they will make ca
pital against the party inasmuch as it
will at once be said that for no reason
than revenge, Democratic House
refused to aid the nation
in its qualification over
the one hundredth holiday of its free
dom. There will be many who will be-
lieve that this is true, and the consequence
will be that some who feel indignant at
the course the Radicals have taken, will
feel equally indignant against The Demo-
cracv. and will not accord to them the
support they are now inclined to give.
In the next place, they will lose the op-
portunity for making great capital ior
their party, Inasmuch as they will fail to
fasten upon their enemies the odium of
being the disunionists, disorgsnizers
and lovers of internal discord,
which they really are. Let the country
see that Democrats are able to rise above
a petty feeling of revenge; that they feel
q true pride and interest in their country;
that they want this Centennial e1posi
ton to be a success and means of re-
storing peace to land hitherto divided
by sectional hate and fansticism; and let
them thus clinch this fanaticism and hate
firmly whore 1t belongs-upon the Radi-
cal party-and there can be no doubt
as to which party the people
will favor, and which they will condemn
N,.BLAiSE and his fellows have waved
the bloody shirt once too often, and the
Democracy have on this occasion, an OPP
portunity to let the people know and sp-
,rac;ata the fact. II Is greatly to be