Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-01-16
Ohio Editorial Convention.

Ohio Editorial Convention.
This Con enton, which assembled in Cincin-
natl last week, brought together large number of
the principal editors of Ohio, and their delibera-
tons have doubtless resulted to the advantage of
this nun erous aud talented body OF the Buckeye
State.
The adjournment of the Convention fol-
lowed by a Spencer festival at the Spencer House,
where wit, eloqueuce and good cheer nbounded.
We make a few extracts from some OF the
speeches:
Tue LITERATURE THE WEsT.-To a toast on
this subject, the Hon. JAMES HALL responded as
follows:
al feel hono;ed in being called upon 10 repre-
sent the Literature of the Vest for the subject is
one that has been long Gear 10 my heart. But l
fear you have HSSigned me q district, which,
however honorable in name and in aSSocia-
tiOnS, is of narrow limits, aud slender productive
ness. Literature is plant of slow growth. II is
not flower OF the wIdeTneSS-t comes not even
with the first advance of civilization, but follows
in the tram Of industry, enterprise and refinement.
We have therefore i'll the West, no distinctive lit
erature. All that the prodIgal hand Of nature
could OeStOw, we have around us in itch luxuTi-
anCe, and all hat the energy Of man may produce,
we creating and poSSeSSng-but We have not
yet Western literature.
The field is an inviting one, and there have been
generous and patriotic men who have labOTed no.
lily i'll it-but none have earned i'll 1t subsistence
nor have any gathered from it yet the bright
rewGTdS OF literary success. In Cincinnati we
have devoted men, whose nImes deserve to
he remembered, such as Louis K. Noble. Morgan
Neville, Timothy Flint, Charles Hammond, James
II. Perkins. Damel DTnke, Thomas IL. Shreve-al
Of when have pissed away from among us, but
all of whose names deserve 20 be freshly remem-
beTed on occasions like the present when as
Semble to call up the genial and generous asso-
Citations connected with the press and its pTOduc
lions.
But gentlemen, we shall have n Western liter
1ture. We have the elements and the materials
of literature, and loom and verge enough for its
growth. We cannot look abroad over our wide
land, and behold It's magnificent dimensions, its
productive plains, its long rivers, its energy lis
progress, its wealth, without conviction that we
shall soon he nlSo blessed with all the refnementS
and uxuries of life. The West is fast ceasing 10
be bOrdeT, and is becoming the centre of great
natiOn--and will it be the centre of all that is
symbolic of national pride and power.
TO see around US the vestgeS OF people who
have passed away, those mysterious mounds and
Qualifications which indicate the form=r existence
of a race, of whom 10 trace, no name, no record
remains. Ant see roaming over the pIoins be-
You'd our border, savage people. OF singular hab
its, who were expelled by us from the- homes and
hunting grounds, and whose LEGENDS full OF
| curious history. And we have among US the ira
dltlcnS Of ouI brave pioneers, who sought out the
dian and the Least OF prey; generous and hOSplta-
Bile men, of simple habits, and rough natures,
whose lives were full of incident and adventure
All these subjects will afford rich materials for the
poet, the novelist, and the historian; and We snail
have literature.
Yes, gentlemen, when look around me- upon
the company assembled about this board, feel as
smred shall have literature; for here are the
representatives OF the Press-its great organ. We
have numerous and intelligent press, which if
f,r
manhood and intellect, could turn out brgadeS,
aye, divisions Of men, capable OF making an i'm
preSSCn-men who make good impressions every
day. We see the result of their lubLrS in the nu-
mcrouS newspapers and periodicals, IN the vast
quantity OF school books, bibles, and other useful
publications which manufactured in our Wes-
tern towns and cities, aud scattered all the
land, disseminating everywhere instruction and
gooi principles. And then we have our Common
Schools insiilIng the ruJimentS of education
teaching our whole pc. pie 10 read and write-nnd
preparing them 10 cfeate aud to enjoy the tera-
Iure of The country.
Yes-we shalt have literature-and noble
structure it will be. We,have people who will
demand, and can appreciate it-a people who can
read, and who have The right 10 read what they
please, to betieue what they please, and who will
know for themselves the reasons of hat they be-
lieve. Such n people deserve n literature, and
will not fail to have Tit will be worthy of them
because it will reflect the principles, while it will
freedom
Mr. Hall then offered the following toast:
The Composing Stick-The best stick 10 crack
the crowns of tyrantS with.
OUR LIBRARIES, LITERARY AND HISTORICAL.
Charles Cist, known as pioneer in Western
history and literature, responded to this sentiment.
He spoke Of the character and formation OF the Ii
brareS of Europe, and gave statistics of The num-
Der of volumes different Libraries contradictions
pared them with the Libraries of America, especial
iy those of the West, and said of ours we hadIea-
son to be proud. He said the first public library
of the West was inside the walls of Fort Wash
ington. Tie countries of Europe might boast of
their old and yoluminous public Libraries, but he
felt justified in declaring that there were more vc-
umes i'll the private libraries of Cincinnati than of
any public library in the world. (Applause.)
THE WOMEN OF THE WEST.
S. S. Cox, of the Ohio Statesman responded:
II is hard, Mr.. President, for political editor,
unused to the tender mood, to talk right home TO
the heart OF such a theme. My friend, the Chair
man Of the Committee, having seen something in
paper with which am associated, relative 10 the
'Glories of Sunset,'' informed me that was ex-
pected to do up the poetics on the woman queS-
ton. He evidently took me for the writer of that