Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-02-22
Mr.. Bdgington's Letter

We have been for some days in receipt of this
extraordinary production, and though there are
many statements in i. manifeStly incorrect, yet we
had determined not to call public attention there
TO, satisfied that in many of them Mr.. Edgington
had been led astray by the Misrepresentation of
Others and that the bias of extreme age and ankle
ty for the success of this project, sthe child OF
his age" had made him make representations,
much stronger than he would otherwise have DONE
We do not believe Mr.. Edgington capable of in
territorial wrong. His character is unreproached
and unreproachabe and no one entertains higher
respect, founded alike upon personal Acquaintance
and the Judgment of those who have long known
him, than we do, and do not hesitate to de-
clare that he has, in the statements to which we
shall ailude, followed the misrepresentation OF
others, rather than his own udgme Mt, and has per-
united the prejudice of another, to control and
warp his letter. We are the certain of this be-
cause in his letter he has done injustice to one of
his warmeSt personal friends. As to the manner
IN which his scheme was originated we have moth
ing to say, nor shall We aude to the pathetic APP
peal made to the Legislature, as it for him to
decide how he would make his appeal to that
body. We call particular attention to his state
ment about the meeting called in Wellsbu:g, Just
'Another fact. Immediately before the open
ing of the present session of your Legislature in
formation was received that meeting had been
called at Wellsburg, the seat of our county, at the
instance of an interest in Wheeling, for the pur-
pose OF eniistng, if possible, the Wellsburg peo-
pie into the adoption of measures more efectually
10 prevent the construction of our railroad, At
that meeting there appeared Wheeling deputa-
tlon, two presidents from the Wheeling banks, who
to save your Legislature all trouble of legislation
submitted a law, drawn up in form, for which they
asked the approval of the meeting, visiting with
fine and Imprisonment any person who should at
tempt to make railroad in our part of the coun-
try, within three miles OF the Pennsylvania line
thus not only cutting off all possibility of finish
ing the road we have originated, land in w hch we
embarked our fortunes, but.destining us and those
engaged with us, to a forfeiture of our property
and the gnominy of the prison, if we dare proceed
with our enterprize; if, i'll word, influenced by
an enlightened public spirit, we dare to use our
own property, or apply ii TO public purpose"
Now this is simply manifest error. Nomeeting
was called at Wellsburg as set forth and nothing
contained in the above paragraph is correct. !Ir
Edgngton has been misled by his informant or he
would never have made the above statement.-
The iacts OF the case are simply these,
knOro them to exist. Our Senator, whishing to
know the real state of feeling, upon the two rail-
roadquestons under the of his Brooke
county constituents (there being diversity of opn-
ion on the subiec, determined to go to Wellsburg,
not to call or hold public meeting, but to con.
verse with some OF the men OF that place and learn
their real sentiments. twas proposed that anoth-
er gentleman, formerly and for long time resi-
zen of Welsburg, should accompany him as his
acquaintance was much more general than that of
our Senator These two gentlemen went up in
the morning boat and returned in the evening, and
so far from their havng drawn up the bill of pains
and penalties to which Mr.. Edgington so patheti-
cally alludes, one of those gentlemen has never
YET seen the bill referred to. Nomeetlng was held
or attempted to be held, and these gentlemen hav-
ing conversed freely with many of the citizens of
Wellsburg, returned home, and thus ended the
mighty Bank officer effort to which Mr.. Edeington
alludeS.
The bill proposed was one gotten up at Wells
burg by meeting composed of delegates from
this city, Brooke and 1--WE believe,) Hancock, in
the Spring of 1852, and not just before the meet
lngof the Legislature stated. Who voted for that
bill in that meeting, what was the exact under
standing as to its effects cannot say, though it
received the sanction of the Wheeling delega-
ton. This was a meeting held in pursuance to
repeated invitations from Brooke to meet, and af-
Ter delegation had visited this city from Wells
bulg, and failed to get any action on our part.
Mr.. Edgington is mistaken in many of his,
other points, but wished merely to come at
his statement to the gentlemen referred to. Wei
are not aware that Wheeling has maze any effort
to connect with Pittsburgh via Washingt ton. We
have always said that Pittsburgh may connect
with us that way if she wishes to do so. The
Richmond Examiner publishes Mr.. Edgington's
letter, with characteristic remarks calculated to
weaken the effect of the letter, while aiming TO
support 1t. 1t gives melancholy account of MI
Edgington's premature birth, &C., from the ia
tlgues consequent upon retreat from the Indi-
ans, ckaracterizes the two gentlemen above re
fened to as foreigners speaking broken English"
&c. Not believing that Mr.. Edgington himself
would sanction the editorial of that paper, we do
not deem it necessary to say morethan thai the effort
to depreciate such men, because they happened to
come across the Atlantic, will hardly add to the
popularity of bad cause, but must drag down
alike the cause and its advocates. Those gentle
men are too well known at Richmond 10 need any
remarks as to the high position which they de-
servedly occupy in the community of which they
are members.
Loss OF THE MEMPH.s-We learn frm the Gin
cinnati Commercial that the Memphis that sunk
just below Madison is likely 10 prove total loss
The cabin furniture, and freight on her boiler