Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-09-09
WESTERN VIRGINIA.

It's an interesting fact that the portion Of Vr
gnia lying west of the Allcghany Mountains i,
almost free from the institution of Slavery. In
1890, 1t contained a population Of 2j0,79S inhabi-
tants, OF whom only 1877 were slaves Only
two counties, Knnnwha and TazewcN, had so many
as one thousand slaves; while no less than one
hundred each These fifteen counties, with a pop
ulation of about $4,000 have only $50 slavcs!' If
the principle of "Popular Sovereignty" shall ever
be practically adopted in the Old Dominion we
have strong prcscntimCnt that these counties will
rid themselves of the stigma of Slavery. In fact
the whole western district of Virginia would un.
doubedly abolished Slavery if it had the egisla.
tive power over the subject which is frequently ex.
tended TO counties in the case Of liquor licenses
I We are gratihed to observe that the ratio of the
Increase OF free population in the whole of Western
Virginia is double that of the slaves whilo on III
northern counties, bordering ON PENNSYLVANIA and
ONO, there has been diminut9n of the number o.
slaves within the Ten years preceding 1850 In the
iHlr counties which constitute what is called the
Panhandle,' there were only 247 slaves the most
northern OF which, Hancock, having only three.
There are probably not more than twelve hun.
dred Shareholders in all of Western Virginia: and
yet to crafty the caprice and the prejudice of thi,
handful OF mon, district of country as large ms
Mime with some 10000 free white men upon it,
is cursed with the institution Of Slavery, and its
prosperity and tho happiness Of It's people essen
TALLY Injured. They have it in their power to
!
Middle Virginia, or the valley, which is embra-
ced between the Blue Ridgeand the Alcghany, con-
tanned, in 1880 a population Of 30S, 79S, Of which
ol,6oc were slaves. The interests of this section
are identical with those Of the western district and
Slavery has, IN many counties, mere nominal
existence. The two sections combined have con-
slderably more than half tho free population of
Virginia though they in possession Of not more
than two-ttths OF the political power.
There is reason to believe that the white popula-
ton Of Western and Middle Virginia have greatly
increased since the census was taken and that Sla-
very is on the Dccline.-NGt Era.
Mr.. NJ E. Lewis, EIitorof The North Missippi-
an, has been visiting his birthplace in IIerkimcr
County, n. Y, and writes home to his paper from
Little Falls fearful account of the state Of things
there. Here is Il specimen;
I'm this village see some fifty Daily Tribuncs
sold daily, while we have not seen single paper
friendly t. the SOUTH such as The Herald, Nation
al Democrat and Washington Union, since we have
been here. There is In town q runaway slave OF
ox-President Tyler's who his servant and left
him at the Springs. 1t would take Il company OF
soldiers to take him. Thomas H. Benton aud "
II. Seward are the popular men for the Presidency
while repeal of the Fugative Slave Law, abolition
of Slavery in tho District of Columbia, and no more
Slave Territory is the platform. We have been an
enthusiastic Union man. We have til Il 5ht that
"a second sober thought" the advice Of the patr
! ots of the past interest and love for the Unior
would restrain the spirit of ianaticism at thc
North. We hope so yet. Sincerely trust Yet
must say in our opinion the future looks dark
Il cloud has gathered, dark and portentcus, that
may raise a storm that even the strong buiwGrks o!
the Union cannot stand. We always expect to be
Il Union man, yet when that Union cannot be had
on terms Of equality with the North we arc for an
Union CT the South. We stand on the Union
| platform Of lS5O-pledged that when the Fugitive
Slave Law is repealed the Union party OF the South
to lead the van. clere to, it needs prophet to
tell. We do not wish to be considered croaker
of an excitcable temperament, frightened at the
shadow of danger 1--WE hope we may be mistaken,
yet we have been for The last three weeks in Ohio,
Pennsylvania, New-Jersey, New-York Conncct
cut and Massachusetts,, duringwhich time we have
taken particular pains to ascertain public sentiment
have conyersed with many gentlemen we'll posted
| in Northern feeling and examined the country
press, and must say that half dozen years on
terms of equality, unless great change takes place
in public sentiment in the North, of which at pres
ent there are no signs"