Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-10-09
THURSDAY MORNING. oCroBER b 1865.
To. ouR FRIENps ANp REAI,.

THURSDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 3, 1865.
no oJIR FRIENDS AND READ
ERS
There Is something sad in the thought that
ne arc taking final lsasc Of any thing or habit
even. much less Of friends ana readers with
whom ne have for more than four long years,
been holding daily converse, and We almost
shrink from the duty which now colnpeis US TO
say Esrewell' to the readers Of the Wheeling
Iatelligeneer
Il was our province to be called a. principal
editor to the issue Of the first nn,nber Of the
Intelligence. and from that day 70 the present
our connection with II as such has continued,
and our interest IN the great objects It was de-
signed 70 promote has been undated. II has
often been a source OF regret to as that the ar
duous and me-consplning labors Of 4 profes-
sion have declared u NJ times from bsstoying
uporour department that constant thought and
labor which is ever neeessary 70 eminent sue
cess but ne have ever eiitlrarorod 70 diseharge
our DIZZY and have the most flattering assurance
from our readers that we have not labored in 3
vain. The increasing demands Of our profes.
sion, which recently we have borne alone, have
for year past admonished us that It was time
to elect between the department editorial and
the law, and We have yielded alike 10 dnty and
inclination in. determining to adhere to our first
choice. though It is not without sharp pang of
regret tlatw lake our leave of our Pen, that
mighty Instrument of little men, and turn for
the future TO the musty tones which cucumber
and 50 often chill the abode of the law student.
We need say but little 10 our readers save to
express our heartfelt appreciation Of the kind
ness which they have ever manifested towards
us, and Of the many acts of encouragement
which they have extended towards US. The
Intelligcneer was an experiment It had to
work its way up, and it is, we trust, with par
donable feeling OF pride, that We and those who
have from time TO time been associated with US
IN its conduct can point to its present position
before the country.
If there be any cause which more than ano-
ther has contributed 10 produce this result, 1t
is we think, found IN the fact That the Intei-
gencer has at all times advocated nnhesitating-
u what 1t believed TO be right, and never hest
tated to condemn what it thought deserving Of
condemnation
II has ever been our effort 10 labor for the adj
vancement of those among whom our lot was
cast, and we have ever been the advocates Of
progression-not the Wild centrifugal progress
sion of some-bnt that progression which is
based upon the wants and capacity Of the coun-
try and society, and which cannot be attained
without the aid of rational and consistent con-
seryatism.
The tendencies Of our ago have in many re.
spects been toofapid. 1t has lacked reflection;
and too often have the American people been
called upon to deplore hasty action, when too
late to recall II.
: 1t is too often forgotten that the true course
lies between the two extremes, and more Jcspe-
cially has this been demonstrated in the late po-
litical history Of our Union. Itshould ever be
the effort Of the patriot to avoid such errors and
stand mid way between all extremes.
The longer that our editorial experience grew,
the more didswe feel the ssity of intoxicating
and practicing the great sentiments of conser-
vatisrn which were incnleated by the fathers of
the eonstitution, and which should, next TO the
constitution, be the texts of every political actor
in the land.
Never did our country stand in greater need
of SUCH than in the present crisis never did the
spirit of torgettulness Of the past and reckless
mess as 70 the future seem so fully TO infuse the
minds of large portion of our countgymen.
They are forgetful Of our common descent OF
our common Union. and seem determined, if
they can effect il, that shall not have COM
mon destiny.
Is this the true spirit Of American freedoms
Is this the spirit which viii preserve our fathers
liberties and hand them down 70 pcsteritys Let
the people answer, and may it be that their an.
swer will be for the continuance OF the true
spirit OF that Union the preservation OF those
institutions which have made the American
people great and the American Union the admit
ration Of the world.
We eommenccd our editorial careers firm sup
Porterof those great principles Of conservative
American progress of which Henry Clay was
the great impersonation, and we have consis-
tently advocated those principles while there re-
niained party which bore the proud old nag
Of Clay and until it was swept out Of existence
IS a party Of the Union Then we found new
array Of parties IN the land. party calling
itself American had sprung up in the land, hay-
ing lsn as cardinal princip Pies the ineiscrini
nate prescription Of Catholics wherever born,
and Of Al foreigners, even after naturalization.
These were its leading principles. They
Were not the principles of whigs, not the
principles Of Clay, and they were principles IN
violation Of tile spirit Of the Constitution we
couldnot sanction them. This party. secret
one, swept like = whirlwind over the North. but
vas hurled back to It's birthplace when ii met
the conservatism Of the Old Dominion. IL split
into fragments at its second annual meeting.
and then from lis Northern segment arose the
dangerous party Of tho day Republication.