The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-27
LAW AND ORDER.
Reply TO "a Law Abiding Citizen"
WHggLlNd, January 2O..

Editors Intelligeneer.
There Is little in the reply Of "a Law
Abiding Citizen" to my communication oi
last week $50 kindly republished by him
in to.day's issue), that calls for a reply
He seems almost willing to concede to us
the right to put our names 10 petition
but Is deferred from giving his full con,
sent to our exercise Of this right, secured
to all American citizens by the first
amendment to the Constitution OF the
United States, from fear that we may
"meddle too much" with public affairs.
He adds his opinion that when they do &C
against the sentiments OF the people they
ought TO be restricted to their own busi-
ness and bidden TO abstain from everlast-
ing agitations." What does this mean i?
How are we I'd be " restricted" and bid
denW BY law? By au amendment to
the Constitution excepting ministers from
the protection OF the first amendment? i?
Surely no citizen OF free America can en-
terrain such an opinion. Possibly he
means simply to defend the attempt made
in the petition he advocates TO put us un-
der the ban Of public opinion, aud to pre-
judice the minds OF Councimeu against US
as class, and so prejudice them against
the petition to which dozen ministers
have had the audacity to put their
names.
Gentlemen OF Council, do not grant
this petition. Among It's hundreds Of
signers are fifteen or twenty minis
Uth
the pulpit to advocate 1t. It's an out,
rage tnat ought not TO be tolerated,
and you should refuse this petition so
promptly and decidedly that these med.
dlesome' preachers may feel rebuked and
contine themselves henceforth to the dis.
cussion OF themes that have no relation to
the affairs Of this life This seems to be
the spirit Of the counter petition. and It's
special advocate. Is ita spirit OF fairness?
Does it accord with the spirit OF our free
institutions? Is man u "law-abiding citi.
zen" whose opinions are SO much at var.
lance with the letter and spirit OF our
laws? There Is not citizen so low, so
mean, SO wicked in oil our city to which
the ministers will not cheerfnlly accord
the right 20 petition Council on any sub.
ject; and it is doubtful II even "a law abil-
ing citizen" would feel II incumbent on
him to rebuke the said low and mean citi-
zen for his meddling too much in city
affairs.
Why can he not grant as much to few
ministers? Is fair play "played out"
virtue? Heneed not come to hear such
ministers as we are preach, Though he
evidently needs to hear sermon on the
golden rule), nor call on us, to "meddle"
with his wedding, or his funeral, nor in
anyway recognize US as ministers, but un-
til by crime we forfeit our rights as citizens,
let him accord to US the same privileges in
public affairs he claims for himself with
out incurring any charge OF meddlesom-
ness. 10
A word may be added to this reply, al.
ready longer perhaps than the matter war
rants, to correct another false inference
as to the law we wish passed. It will not
stop Sunday excursions, nor the opera.
tions OF blast furnaces and glass houses.
State law allows passengers and their bag.
gage 10 be carried on Sunday,,and hence
trains, street cars and steamboats, cannot
be stopped by city ordinance. Itallows
also all works Of necessity, under which
head no one doubts blast furnace and
glass house operations come. Therefore,
there is no occasion to appeal to working.
men to oppose the law II they would still
be able to'buy bread.
A MINISTER IN His PLACE.