Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-03-26
Ws,. Virginia High Ground.

Editor Of the Register.
am we'll aware that it is against the
rules of your paper, as it is against the
rules Of every well regulated journal, to
publish any communication without the
disclosure Of the name Of the author
But trust, sir, that you may he con-
strained to make an exception in my
case. For certain reasons | do not wish
to be known to the public, not because
| am ashamed of what | write, or shrink
from the consequences Oi my utterances,
but because | wish To indulge IN severe
criticism Of the imperial tendencies OF
the government. the establishment OF
which as free republic cost SO much
blood and treason, and in criticism also
of the SD called patriots Of to-day, who
boast that they have saved the Re
public" vet whose daily thoughts aud
deeds are so many vile worms, gnawing
AZ the very vitals OF free government;
and wishing to make these crltl-
cisms | think what | write will
have a better effect iitho writer is un-
known. do not wish the public to re-
card the writer, but only what shall be
written. My great grandfather IN Eng
land, more than century ago, Just De
fore the American colonies threw oil the
tyranical yoke of Great Britian, to en-
deavOr To carrect many Of the govern
mental abuses Oi hIs time, wrote mum
Der of ScaIhing letters, in which high
governmental officials, including the
Lord Chief Justice Of the Realm, were
most sOundly cudgeled Tor their faith
Iessness TO public trust In his dedica-
lion of those letters "To the English Ma
ton" he said, "Iet me exhort and con-
juro you never 10 suher an invasion OF
YOUR political constitution, however
minute the instance may appear, To pass
by without determined, pcrsevering
resistance. Ono precedent creates an
other. They soon accumulate and con-
stitute law. What yesterday was Tact,
to-day is doctrine. Examples are sup
posed To Justify the most dangerous
measures, and where they do not
suit exactly the defect Is
supplied by analogy. BE assured
that the laws, which protect us in our
civil rights, grow out OF the Constitu'
ton. and they must fall or flourish
with it," Imbued with the principles
oi human liberty, agreat lover OF Magma
Chdrta, his sun, my grandfather, IN
herited the same bold, free and fearless
spirit; and chatting under the restric-
tions which he everywhere behcid IN
Great Britain, came to America, and as
a private soldier carried rebel musket
i'm the war for independence. Shortly
after that war closed. he settled In Nir-
GINA because he liked her coat OF arms,
which represents the foot OF the Tree
man on the PROSTATE tyran. neck, ana
because, too, he loved the chlvalrous
spirit OF her people. There he married
one Of Nirginia's fair daughters, anu
there Mas NV iather born. In the war
of 1872. while the old tyrant, George
III. MAS still on the throne, my father
with hatred to tyranny IN his breast
with his heart swelling with love to the
young republic, bore arms as private
fhronuh the whole Oi that war, aud
had the glorious satisfaction oi seeing
the old tyrant ioiled again. In 1880 my
father came To Western Virginia, aud
there he found among the daughters OF
West Augusta one who pleased hun well
AMI he married her. In 1881 | was
hCrn and was reared aud educated
among the mountains of my native
State The very air that l inhaled INTO
INV Inngs was full of freedom. wss
,sn,bt M nv fathers knee to love my
Stale no less than the Union; that oOih
shnuld live forever, or as long AS iIoeriy
had a home amosig men. And when a
vouth at school my heart swelied with
Sride At the thought thai some day
might. on the stump, tell the people how
Glorious and how free country we had.
| And when grown to manhood, how my
bssrt ached when the mutterings oil CIV
Il VAR we're heard in the distance, COM
;ny nearer. aud still nearer, untl
| II hurst with all its fury upon the threat
sneJ republic. The warnings OF Clay,
Wsbsier. Calhoun and many Others OF
opr greatest and best statesmen had
baen di,regarlied. State after state Sc
ce,led- claiming that they had the right,
| unJsr the constitution, to peaceaoiy
withdraw. That right was stoutiy de-
ni,sI ON the Que side, and as earnestly
| insisted upon on the other. The seced-
;ng party at the start was in hopeless
| minority in A number OF the Southern
states. but the United States govern
ment, having determined to coeree tne
neonle Of the secediag States into sub
mission, il solidi6ed the people OF those
States in s eommon cause, and tney re-
solved to live or die together, l was a
Union man in that struggle, and opposed
DE seeessiop, aad bought Ia the ranks
dor lie Union Tor four yeaIs. Ia ny
next / vii teil you Why Ibid %. - 4
was a southernsr by birth, and then, a.
nov, loved the southsrn people dearly.
March "a, 1850. sSSiSs'