Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-12-01

TUESDAY MORNING, DEC. 1, 1851.
PraIIc DocU4Exrs.-We owe DIR. ,Kidwell an
analogy for our neglect in not acknowledging
the receipt of several very valuable documents.
He has during his term of Office shown unusual
regard for the wants and conveniences of all his
constituents,
DECISION IN TIE UNDERWOOD TRrAL.-Wepub'
fish this morning. well written and manly ar
ticle from the Wetls5urg Herald, on this sub
iect The suggestions thrown out by our con-
temporary ought, in our humble judgment, to
fasten themselves on the minds of every reader
nossessing well disposed heart, and a head
even moderately clear. The case, in brief,
stands thus: Mr.. Underwood, citizen and
property holder in Clark county, Va, IN TINS
State. under what circumstances we know not,
ayows it as his opinion that "a master has no
RIGHT Of property in his slave" For this, Mr..
Underwood was arrested and fined $So0-being
5000 less than the maximum fine prescribed by
law for such an offence. Now, while we are not
prepared to defend Mr.. Underwood's belief, nor
To irdorse his dictum on the subject, we are
prepared to say, that the fine, or any inc Tor
such an offence is gross outrage upon tue
rights of Virginia citizen. We have nothing
to do with the particular case in question: any
more than it has directed attention to the statute
providing for the punishment. Our exceptions
o-,. IN the statute itself The Constitution OF
the limited States was first formed and passed
upon by several of the States, without several
explanatory and restrictive clauses which it now
contains: and it is not little remarkable,
that the same convention of Virginia which
ratified it, also appointed committee 10
amend it. and to submit the amendments to
Congress- and the other States. The very first
of these supplementary articles provides that no
law shall ever be passed by Congress, restricting
the freedom of speech. So then, we have here
a clearly expressed proposition, ratified by the
Deople Of the United States-by the State oil
Vircinia-which is ut total variance with
statute now in our code. But this is not ALL
When Virginia came to frame State Constltu-
ton for herself she with jealous regard Tor
the liberties of her citizens, adopted as supple
nentary, n piece of composition known us the
s'Bill of Rights, which she had had in the old
colonial times. In this famous "Bill OF Rights
is likewise Jealous provision forbldlng the re-
striction of freedom of opinion. Here then, we
have two great Organic Provisions-two magma
ehartqs, dcprccating and forbiding an abridge-
ment of the liberty of opinion The "Biii oil
Rights" follows up its provisions by incorporat-
ing Jefferson's aphorism--that freedom Of
opinion even to RIGHTEOUSNESS, is better than re-
striction.
Now. either the Constitution ofthe United
States. the Constitution of Virginia, Bill oil
Rights, &C., all do not mean what they say, or
else the despotic statue to which we except IS
unconstitutional and void. We cannot imagine
how one can be reconciled with the other. The
question which Mr.. Underwood has passed upon
Is one which has Leen in the mouths OF
the wisest and best men this State or this nation
ever produced. All our statesmen almost, have
nut on record their opinions, both as regards It's
expediency and morality. How has 1t come,
then, that u provision so repugnant to demo
CRITIC principles, has crePt into our Codes How
does Il como that Western Virginia ever acce-
dcd to such statute-ever acquiesced in it SO
long? and will she continue to acqu'esce IN sucn
a despotic provisiOng
Men should look at both sides of this ques-
ton, for it has botha to-day and tomorrow as
meet. This principle, under which the liberties
Of virginian are to-day struck down, may turn
and rerd its supporters Tomorrow. What is
orthodoxy now, may be, and wiIlbe heterodoxy
by and by. Fit be lawful for 10000 niger
owners in the State to dictate such provision
to over 500, 900 people who do not own niggers,
telling them to say a word if they dare, it is and
will be jsut as Law full for those 100000 persons
or any part of them, to dictate a prohibition of
speech upon any other subject; and after
while we shall have code rivalling the Bloody
Assizes" of the Infamous Jeffrey.
Aside, thcn from the merits or dement's of
the niger question, this statute has both an alb
straet aud real interest for each and all of us,
NEw Yonk MAYOnALTr.-wOnder if We will
get steam up to the figger indicated in the
f,Ilowing from. New York Saturday evening
paper. The bet looks like Mayor Wood was
poncy':
Z ,rvk MAYoRALrr.-Tw will bet $4,000 against
$4,000, or the same ratio to the amount OF 500,