Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-07-24
fnnrra.pond.nce d the 1rtelIIgencer
cHEEsEpOn, July 18th, 1858.

Nessrs. Editors:-I happen to be sojourning,
for time, in "benighted Ashtnbula,"
county two-thirds forest, and with $50 saw mills
daily ripping up its magnificent ash and tulip
trees Here, in such primitive region, I'M
sophisticated souls would be likely to look for
primitive dwellings, log shanties, and the like.
Put all such nonsense out of the "nuzepapers;"
the people here know thing or two in archi-
lecture They emphatically eschew the plain,
hard style of the backwoods, and believe decid-
.cdly.in nginger bread fixinS" and white paint.
Please to inagine an elaborately dressed, imi:
tatiUn Partisan belle in potato patch, and
Won can conceive something of the stunning
effect on ''green 'un."
One other feature, too, Messrs Editors, strikes
me with disrnay AZ peregrinate. this region OF
grass. On every farm there is barn. to every
barn there is a shed, to every shed there is a
row-of port holes, to speak after the manner
of "marines," to accommodate the incipient
Hercules, whose Augean labor it is to pitch,
shovel and cart. Well, perhaps ought to shut
my eyes and hold my tongue, but tto think
that hospitality to strangers, if not obedience,
might prompt them TO turn their artillery to
the rear.
This is great county-the greatest in the
State. In extent, 1t covers nearly 700 square
miles, while its neighbour, Lake, aspiring Lake.
is the smallest in the State, embracing only 22B
miles. The surface is level, IN most parts OPP
pres>ivey SO, making it fine field for plank
roads, and equally excellent for muddy ones
In this county is to he found the highest eleva-
tinns above the level of the sea, in the State,
aud on the ridge separating the Lake Erie and
Obi" river systems, the greatest amount of
nlarShy land
have said that this list great county. 1t is
also distinguished one:-diStinguiShed for IL
laundering Republican minority, and for heing
the home of two prophets of liberty, Hon.
Joshua Reed Giddings, and Senator Wade. MI
Gidiings has served in Congress more than
twenty years, and with that self-denying spirit,
which characteriLeS so many of our public men,
have no doubt that he will permit himself
this fall again to be exiled from hOme a martyr
for the peoples good may add, parentheti
cally, tn the utter confusion of sIndry kind. but
aspiring friends at Warren and elsewhere who
commiserate his feeble condition and think him
tO-ill to go to Congress.
AShtabnla has been, and to some extent is
cursed with the whole gipsey tribe of itimerantS
free love- anti religion, anti legislation, anti
good order Of every kind. Anti Slavery is the
poor, patient beast that has had to carry this
load of negationiSts, but they are nearly all
switched off. To make il an omnibus for alt
the "iSuiS" Of the day, is little too hard So,
for the leading uIen of the party on political
grounds to swallow the whole catal0gue-land
reform, woman's-rightS, Progressive Friends,
cum mnttis HLtis, Is too much of boluS. Thus
j. Il. g, sends sympathizing letter to the last
yearly meeting, which opened its sttings by
reading, as of equal Importance, extracts from
the Koran. the sacred hooks of the Hindoos, the
Bible, and for aught l know from the book OF
Mormon. New Lyme, in this county, has for
long time held a notorious pre-eminence, second
only tn Salem, i'll the fanaticiSm aud bigltry of
its ''iSInStS." SpirittIaliSn has made sad havoc
among them, and those who are not self-destroy-
ed or in the mad house, are balancing on the
verge ofinsanity. Seriously, what greater curse
can happen to community than the prosperity.
Short-ived though it be, of n self-Suficient phi
loSophy, looking only within for guide and
no responsibility to any power on earth or in
heaven.
AS there is little variety in the surface or
soil, so is there little in the habits and appear
ance of the people. They seem struck in the
same monld-sharp in features, in accent and
III the why's Of the world. They are not slow
to appreciate any laborsaving contrivancc, and,
when necessary, to invent for themselves. In
fact, invention with them amounts almost to
passion, stimulated us they are by the ample
remuneration of late years rewarding the in
ventOrE ofagricultural implements. As showing
machines nre extensively used, so the inventive
genius runs chiefly in that direction, aud there
is scarcely township five miles square on the
Reserve but has its patented, unpatented, or
embryo machine. As an item OF curiosity to
your readers may mention that recently in
Oeertield Mr.. hoffman has obtained six differ
ent patents upon machine for cutting, raking
and binding wheat, an invention long wished
for by the grain growers of the Great West
In common with other quarters of the State
this region has suffered greatly, as well by the
extraordinary rains of the season as by the
utter fixture of fruit.
Wheat, tor, though not a staple, is but
quarter of the usual crop. When add that
cheese and butter are now dull in the market,
you can well Imagine that times are considered
hard.
But, certes, have chatted long enough. with
so little purpose, tn yourselves aud readers and
though Imay mt aspire to the easy dogmatiSm
and familiarity of "Our Own Correspondent,
aud speak not ''nf moving accidents by river
aud rail" that didn't occur, yet may find in
my summer wanderings something to perhaps
interest, for the moment, if not to edify your
numerous readers MuREx
LONDON According to the Lon
don Times, considerable portions Of the city are
in state of dilapidation already beyond the
power of renovation, except by reconstruction.
The Times proposes large expenditures for this
purpose. 1t says:
"If things go on in the present way we shall
soon have TO leave uf boaSting of English COM
fort. The word will he as inapplicable 10 the
country Ms the euithet snierrvf in the old h,l.