The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-12-27
Tho Results Of tho War as AZ
iected ny Possible Democratic
Ascendency. ''

Ascendency. ''
Rlitsrs IntellIsarsE, a7a .gL aag27
While recognizing The fact that, ia The
present disturbed, unhappy state OF the
country over the open question Of Presir
Dental succession, the tone Of all public
discussion should be moderate and un-
partisan, 1t is, nevertheless, OF para
mount importance that the real, true Issue
involved shoald not be lost sight Of, but
should be placed and kcptsquarely before
the people. It has passed into history,
from which it can by no means be ex.
plunged, that the late civil war primarily
arose from the purpose on tho one hand
to extend tho Institution OF slavery over
new territory opened 10 settlement, and
the determination on the other hand TO
restEict aud coniine that institution in
territory in which It already existed.
Thowell known chief result Of that con.
dict between the two sections Of the coun-
try was the entire abolition Of slavery
and the consequent amendment OF the ma
lional constitution ascontained in the thir
teenth, fourteenth aud fifteenth amend
ments, for the enforcement OF which all
thep power and faith Of tho national gov.
ernment are pledged. TheSe several
amendments found their place in tho Orr
ganic law Of the nation by virtue Of a
plain and comprehensive series Of logical
deductions. II the negro was 10 be free
that condition muat be guaranteed by con-
stitutional provision; hence the thir-
teenth amendment. And il FREQ that
freedom must be protected by authority
equally cogent; hence the fourteenth
amendment. But self projection being an
inalienable right OF every freeman 1t was
equally needful that the right OF suffrage
should DO constitutionally conferred upon
the liberated slave; hence the fifteenth
amendment.
Now, il the negro cannot 10 protected
in the free exercise Of tho right OF sui.
irage conferred by this last amendment,
how is he to be protected in the rights
conferred upon him by the fourteenth
amendment and the statutes based there
upon-the "civil rights bill" and ameHd.
mcnts? And II these rights are not pro.
served to him then his condition il that
OF uncompensated servitude, which will
be almost infinitely worse than his form
or condition OF "iapolUEtary terTitude.'
In the very nature OF the case, the color
I'd people Of the South must depend, for
their livelihood, upon the compensation
for their services rendered by them 10
their former owners, and by what power
oflaw can such compensation be exacted
il tho civil rights enactmcnts in pur.
suance Of the fourteenth amendment to
the Constitution cannot be enforced! But
II one amendment, with the enactments
under It, cannot be enforced neither can
the others, and the negro must relapse
into slavery and the "lOst cause" be re.
gained.
issue before tho country to-day? It's
not 80 much whether Gov, TillCn or
Gov. Hayes, considered us individuals,
shall be the next President Of the United
States, Us whether tho results secured by
the suppression Of tho rebellion shall be
forever lost to the country which obtain.
ed them at such fearful cost. The brave
men who staked their livea in the con-
flict that secured these results, and the no
less brave men and women who sacrificed
lives nearer 10 them than their own, have
Justly been proud Of the part they bore