The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1878-01-05
Colonel Wilson and the CLARK sbprg
Telegram.

II
Telegram.
Colonel Wilson, the representative OF
this Distric. ia tho United States Con.
gress, seems 10 bare incurred the dis
pleasure of the editor cfthe 0larksbIrg
Telegram; and it scans singular that
be should be assailed. even by q Re.
publican, for introducing and support
Jog measures which arc for the inter-
est, mol only Of this District, bu, ofthe
entire State. The minor fact tha. tue
President Of the United States and
other high diguitaries III the Republi.
eau party, concur With and endorse
Colonel Wilson's ideas. is Of COURSE not
to be considered in any way as what
the lawyers Gu ! "a set Off to thei Tel.
cgrapl's condemnation; but we are
glad to learn that our Representative i:
not entirely crushed by tho attack O.
the editor Of the Telegram. and that he
proposes, now as heretOfore,,o work 70.
the good fhis constituents and tho vel
fare Of all the States OF this Union
The head and front Of Colonel Wilson's
offending, as appears from tue Tsle'
grams attack is, that he recently IN.
troduOcd in the House two bilIs-onc
defining the words "lOyolty,' "disloy.
atty" loyal citizens aud 'dislOyal cis'
izeus.' The necessity for this bill will
fully appear when it is considered that
hundreds Of loyal ci,i;cns-layal 10 The
fullest sense Of the term 10 Lewis anG
other counties of the Stale, Furnished
provisions and material for the Union
forces duriug their occupancy Of tli.
State, and have never received tho pay
therefor 10 which they we're entitled BY
every principle Of law and justice, Il
was found that these claims we're accg
,pula,Ing; that over $4,000 were pend
lug before tue Quartermaster. G eneral
that from the words quoted every De-
parinent ufthe Government was liatl.
to place a different construction thai
that such variable views had herc,Ofort
caused great injustice to many Of The
best Union men in tho State aud t,
put 40 end to these questions. COlOpe
Wilson Introduced the following bill
A Bill to define tue meaning Of certain
legal arms.
Be il enactei by The Stnute ana
House Of Representatives. cfhs United
States Of Awsriea in Coa9res,a sssn,'
lied, That the term loyalty, or lOya
citizen, wherever used in any law OIL
the United States, phall DO construct
TO include any and all persons who vol
unfairly committed no act in aid Of the
late rebellion against the United States
and the term disloyalty, or disloya
citizen, wherever used in any statute
0hall be construed TO include and meat
only those persons who Yoluataril,
bore arms agaius. the United Stat s.
voluntarily contributed money or sup
plies, OF did some positive act 10 did OIL
the late rcbullion, or held office under
the iusurgeus government !; aud thai
tue loyalty Of zach citizen shall b.
presumed until his or her disloyaltJ
shall be afiitmatiEely proven.
SIC .. Tint Ill ao.s and parts o.
acts inconsistent With this act are
hereby repealed,
Now we submit il any candid or fair,
minded man can offer any objection t.
this bill. That citizen shall DO helG
innocent Of crime until the contrary b.
proven. il principle 10 law so common
that even tho LumbIcst citizen Of tht
land is aware Of il; and it is ono. too
thu, no man desires to DO disregardcd
The proposition is not in any seAsc pO'
iitisul; and in introducing the bill,
Colonel Wilson is not Illuminating any
new proposition, but is simply recur'
ring to the principles Of that coustitu.
tioual liberty for which the Fathers oil
our Couptry fought and which We all
reverence and cherish.
The trouble seems 10 be with our
ncighbor OF the Telegram lhu, he fears
some dreadful fellow who had sou OR
brother in the Confederate army might
got pay for what he honestly 4ud in
COOL faith furnished to the Govern
meu,. at the request Of IN authorized