New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-03-23
" AGITATION In WESTERN VIRGINIA
I The N. Y. Tribune.

esu,ssrsss~,ee Of The N y Tribune
WHEELING, Va, March 10, 1854.
There have been Of lac some rather peculiar develop
rents In this city which would think ineres. OF
your readers few months since The psop'e here voted
BY considerable majority. to gran. licences to sell
hsuor within the city. This subject coming up IN some
hrn before the Virgins Legislature they raedthe hue and
CIV Of AIotioaisp Mo,se lar and Nor&>'" Faaat'e'"
and passed law, taxing array from ne psse y n" e!y
e rs 10 Refused grast roens thus letting loose again
I'm euY m;d,, the monster Of inknpersnee The Temper
.nes sr here were very naturally ncensed at THIS son
AZ Al. uause az Delegates One OF The daily papers Tie
to-. and Gosee INDUCED in very severe structures
an hi, he norsbe body and denounced their cou'se OF &C
for a, ,yrannica tbs same paper hos also boldly op
posed The Nebraska bill and the exten'ion OF Slave ter
yoyy and de- ared IT, belief that The Institution OF Slavery
s1erts baneful Influence upon The white race in Virgins
at viii be from she foregoing that we are op
~esed 10 any more slGrc try.OrE We are opposed to
sertbern stses interfering with Slavery IN the States
where il now H. bat believe it 10 DC esr duty 10
stosd up morrHy and firmly aga,nn ne exten''on Of ~
While We consider those who yield the question for The
sshe Of southern favor are corruf politicians and an
worthy OF public confidence
I'VE have disposition to interfere with il so long az
Y does not inteyjsTe ViM as We are opposed to the
abolition Of Slavery setting the negroes free among the
people but In favor Of essure Ike that proposed
by Gov Mcdowell in 1881 for gradual exilrpaon OF IT,
or we should be ia favor Of the State purchlsing up ell
the slaves from the Treasury and sending them or to
Liberia and then prohibiting any more IN the STATE
The quotations above have drawn down wholesale denun
Citations from the press Of Virginia The three ohsr dsiyps
per Wheeling have consequence Of tho appearance Of
these sentiment the editor Of The TINES and Ga
,sfie az an AJoa,s as traitor 10 lie SACRED instr
~Isfors Of opr for,faers and bis articles rs "hH VT
~gnion outrage upon tho seo.msnts Of our whole
population, &c They have slso taken this occasion to
abuse blael guard and raduce northern and north
ern principles generally Particularly severe have they
been upon. as they term them. the ID fankees'
quote the following from an article headed Massscbu
~sets Cergymen The course Of The Clergy OF hasss
ebuse. has ever been more poitco than regoso in its
character and from such sc, Of men VIC ezpe and re-
"qs,re nothing Tut fAceadarism and tanat'cism The
ssms paper closes an article headed Free Soilism and
"Abotionism" as follows;
I'VE with il distinctly understood that we viii not dis
the question Of Slavery It's discussion IN Vrg'na
Is an nsah 10 Virginia and have penned the forego
ing for the purpose merely OF calling public attention EN-
phatcsy 10 the fact that we have an Abolition Free Sou
Journal IN Virginia"
T2e discussion Of sapery IN Virginia an insult 10 vy-
g,nia Such sentiment is worthy Of the darkest ages In
Virginia ia this The nineteenth century, class of men are
there 10 dictate 10 freemen what subjects they my think
upon and discuss.
Verify this cursed institution of Slavery has buaied aud
narrow ed the minds Of beyond belief The press Of
this whole State are 70 controlled and directed by the sup
porers Of "her peculiar institution that you could scarce
believe Mr. Editor ii soournng here, that you were
m one Of the free and enlightened States OF America
One Of the best comments Slavery that we know of is to
sail down the Ohio River and gaze your right hand
the rich and cultivated farms and fields OF the fourishng
young State OF Ohio and contrast The with the
cleared uncuvaed lands OF Virginia your left And yet
the face Of these facts here found with moral and
mental faculties obtuse that they uDbushDgiy defend
the institution Of Slavery positive blessing to mankind
But ana wande-iDg from my subject have said that
The Times and Gazette with its editor has been abused and
denounced by the press Of this city and State because has
preiumed declare its conviction thu. SUery eca
The people have been startled by this editors independ
tDce aud pre- umption lie has shaken off his shackes
Of allegiance to the slave power Of the State and spoken
his own sentiments He must be muzzed or s,rangled as
the following call for public meeting circulated through
the city by the other papers
pubic MTETISG.-The citizens OF Wheeling, with.
out respect party arc requested TO meet On ase az
NJ express their sentiments with regard TO the abo
Ltion and anti Virgnan articles which have recently been
published in this city number OF speakers have con-
fented TO address the meeting. MANY CITIZENS"
This meeting took place last evening. The room was
crowded and the excitement inteDse. A Mr.. Hubbard
was called to the Chair and another gentleman late Dele
gate to the Legislature explained the object of the meet
ing lie introduced long series OF resolutions denouncng
the articles which had lately appeared in the offending pa
Der a. Abolition articles and anti Virginan and dan
geIous to the welfare OF the peculiar institution The
resolutions declared also the attachment Of the City Of
Wheeling to Virginia and its submissive confidence in her
we and benefcen. legislation ct cetera The passage Of
these resolutions he urged upon the meeting in long and
able speech Mr. Wharton, the offending editor then asked
permission defend his character and that Of his ps
per- which these resolutions attacked II was granted
and bis speech that followed most powerful lie de-
MED that he was Abolonst lie wished TO interfere
with no properly He considered however Slavery
10 be cure to the white in the South He had ~r'
what he thought upon that subject 10 the painest En-
gsh those opinions had been published in his paper and
he held to them still He hoped be sustained in them by
he citizens Of Wheeling
II soon became evident from the applause Of the meet!
ing that the resolutions would be lost by overwhelming
majority. After several speeches he genema. @ho pro
POSED them was obliged 10 rldrar hem and IN tier stead
tie etisens Of Wkcelng Fa rOtcd tia. "they woun hare
"end srssa,H 'adendent nssGcr. rhh did not fear
"so toy ,sak The truth Also that hey Denounced the
"recent action Of the Legislature Of Virginia regard to
~ the License question as ah5eral and angenemanly
The meeting then adjourned amid the mos, enthusiastic
cheers for Wharton. the independent editor
Such defeat a. Many Citizens who called the meet
ing sustained indeed humliatng The course which the
citizens Of Wheeling have adopted may perhaps be ~
gardsd ami VrginiaM, and who would not be AMI Var
Y'sss to be ybgpian s to deny the liberty Of speech
ind the rights Of discussion Ny