Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-04-15

F.; [For the Intelligeucerl
! MEssRs. EDrroRs III have read in the Wells
burg Herald, of the 10th inst, with mingled
| pleasure and regret, the address of Mr.. j. II
Atkinson, to the voters of Hancock County
Pleasure at the manly and Independent sent
ments expressed, and regret that their author
should deny to his fellow-citizcns the opportu-
nifty to avail themselves of his services in the
Legislature of Virginia
If you can spare room for it, please give the
citizens of Western Virginia the benefit of your
extensive circulation. G.
MEssRs. EDiToRs:-I desire to convey through
the medium of your truly independent pa-
per, my thanks to those friends whose partial
ity have placed my name in your journal as n
candidate to represent the county of Hancock,
IN the next Legislature of Virginia
Should indeed account it an honor to repre-
sent n thousand frcemen among whom are so
many Liberal and intelligent minds and having
been solicited by many of the several political
parties tOpermit my name TO go before the peo-
pie, 1t is with regret feel constrained to de.
cline so doing. But believing that / can be
more useful in different sphere, andsknowing
that there are others who can serve YOU MS acct
ably without Suhjecting themselves 10 so great
Pecnniary loss ms must necessarily do ut this
time, were to be elected feel that patriotism
does not require me to make the sacrifice.
In declining your intended Kindness permit
me to say that ! sincerely hope your attention
may bedirected to some one whose heart is as
inIiy enlisted rs my own, in the cause of free
dom and equal representation not only to Vir-
glnians west Of the Blue Ridge, but TO all the
white population of the entire State and to one
who can bring more time, energy and ability to
your service. We need those to represent u.s.
who' looking forward to that time when we shall
have to rcaFpOrtiOn our state legislature, will
make mere party preferment give way to the no.
bier object of concentrating all our strength and
arouslng public opinion, upon the great ques.
ton OF equal representation on the basis of the
white population, and never should we rest Sa-
tlSiicd until we are recognized as the equals of
our brethren in the eastern part of the State
The great principle of universal cqaity is the
lever that has removed the thrones and heredi-
tary governments which OpprcSSers have here.
tOiorc erected as barriers to human freedom II
was this principle deeply rooted in the Anglo
Saxon race that caused our fathers to declare
themselves independent of the mother country
inter renewed petitions had iailed TO give them
representation in the law making power 1t
was because England assumed to govern us with
out our consent that the bands of colonial
government were burst aSSunder and we declar-
ed ourselves free and independent And well
may the finger of dcrisOn be pointed ut US, the
descendants Of VirGina's patriots, if we are
satisfied to rccede from the high position our
fathers maintained and quietly acQuieSe in any
proposition involving the idea that we are infc-
riOr to the Inhabitants of any other section Of
our state.
| The cause Of human freedom is one Of pro-
gross ,andjust so rs the truths orthe christian
religion are destined to cnlighten and elevate
the human race, so sure is the time coming when
we shall be forced to admit that we are all equals
Not equal in intelligence, in wealth, or physical
~,
creator has endowed us and which our fathers
have so happily expressed in our declaration of
Independence
Where is the justice in giving eastern Virginia
| 80 members in Onr Senate while the West with
| 100000 more of a white population have but
20. Does not the mere nskingOf such an arbi-
/ traTy basis by our eastern friends amount to
this, that they consider us their interiors, and
our submission, or suffering ourselves to be di.
vidcd on this question, but proves that we are
not prepared to take higher position.
! Let us respect ourselves, and in union we will
compel others to do the same. Let our repre-
Sentatives go to Richmond untramnelcd by Dar.
| ty questions, and labor for the attainment of
! this great object, and when the session of 1863
shall come will be united ut home, have the
| assistance and sympathy of thousands OF true
/ hearted men of the East, aud secure to Virgin.
ians perfect equality, notwithstanding all the
traps which have been set in our present cOnsti-
Z
| Why is it that Virginia once the brightest
star in the constellation Of the original thirteen
States, has lost her rank and has been forced to
/ take her position behind States which at that
/ time were unnamed.
| Why is it that with climate and soil so well
adapted to agricultural pursuits, with our hills
and mountains filled with mineral wealth, that
our most cntcrpriSng men are yearly leaving
/ the home Oftheir fathers and seeking new ones
I in the west? Is it not because our government
| is illibcral? Our Legislators have contented
themselves in carrying out the peculiar meas.
ures of this or that party. We have like many
foolish families before us endcavorcd to live up
on the glory and high standing of our ancestors,
until our wardrobe has become thrcadharc
/ But we have lived on the glory and great names
/ of our fathers long enough, let us henccforth,
/ leaving behind mere distractions for which we
/ have become SO famed, labor to bring about n
more liberal government, that shall keep at home
our sons and their wealth by causing our citi-
zrns to love and admire our institutions.
! Let our watch-wOrd be equality of rights to
! all the Anglo Saxon race
The adjustment of all laws abridging the
! freedom Of speech and the press The ousting
i from office those who use their position in fur
thering the prosperity of their fayorite party.
by bowling down with scrvile humility to those
who only tlatter us to deceive and who only
seek to keep their party in the ascendancy that
4 they may the more readily divide and defeat us
I The feeling of equality is one Inherent in our
nature. and surely it should be our highest aim
to obtain it for ourselves and transmit it as a
rich legacy To generations yet to come
Very respectfully yonr FRIEND
And fellow-ciuzcn,
j. II. ATKINSON
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