Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-08-19

0t1tt0zzS1t against LetcheT.-Nt Q nave before US
a copy of that celebrated Rdffner-Ietchcr adj
dress, on Slavery in Western Virginia, delivered
by the former and endorsed 10y the latter gem
tleman Just now ono or two of the Eastern
Virginia papers are publishing 1t, in the hopes
more e1ectuaiiy to kin off John Letchersfro
the Governorship. We go in for killing OF
John Letcher, ourselves-not on account of this
Ruffner address, however, but because he isn't
man enough to stand up aud back his own SEN
timcnts-meet himself face to face. Weabom-
inato a toady of any kind.
There are some natural born fools in this
world of ours, who style any man who differs
from them atraitor-a conspirator, &c. The1e
are a great many of these sort of iacorrigible
fools nowadays, who style such men as DR..
Rufner, abolitionists. Every man who is OPP
posed to the extension of slavery; or every man
who, like DR.. RufFner, believes that it would be
best for his own State to pass a post natl eman-
cipation act, to, take effect in some 80, 40 OF so
years, just as some IA or 10 States of this Union
already have been, is styled an aboltionist by
these same vulgar partisans and fools, who seem
to talk like the chief end of man. was not to
glorify God, as Holy, Writ says it was, but TO
throw up his cap for higgerism. Here is what
DIR. Ruffner says about abolitionism in this very.
address:
We do not censure our Eastern brethren for
opposing this measure so far as their part of the
State is concerned. But still, we of West Vir-
| GINA must deem ourselves not only unfortunate
but aggrleyedi when an Eastern majority in the
Legislature debars us from obtaining measures
conducive to our welfare, because these same
measures may not suit the policy of East Yir-
| GINA. l.1.'s-i-
Though defeated for the time the friends of
gradual emancipation were not in despair.-
There was a general Acknowledgements of the
tevils of slavery, and strong hopes were enter
tained that, in a few years, a decided majority
OF the Legislature would be for Kidding the
country of this deleterious institution. But
these hopes were sadly disappointed East Vir!
glnla became more and more adverse, not only
to emanCipatiOnl-in. anylmode or form, but ito
any discussion of the subject. Even in our
| West Virginia, though we believe no material
change of sentiment has taken place, little
has since been said, and nothing done to effect
an object SO important to the welfare of the
country. ~ /
This long5silence.an apparent apathy on our
part, is also in some degree owing to our con-
seious inability to do any thing requiring Legis.
tive action, unless East Virginia be, pleased to
aid us, and this we have felt certain she would
| not do, ut any time since the debate of 1892.
/ Vi sentiment
Virginia, is due chiefly to the fanaticaI VIC!
ence of those Northern anti-slavery men, who
have been usually called ABoLITIoNIsTs. %
The excitement in Great Britain on tho sub
IJect of West Indian slavery, was caught by
\ some enthusiasts in the country, and from, that
day to this, some thousands of these people
have been smitten with sort of moral insanity.
| a malignant rage against slave-holders-deno-
ted by bitter denunciations and unprincipled
calumnies-has characterized their proceedings.
Greet zeal, but actuated by purer motives, CON
tTi5nted to swell the torrent Of denuneiatiop,
@ NJ ,.v soe
to drive them into. an Immediate aboIition Of
slavery. Southern men of all parties were in.
dgna9b at tins nnl4Stitiable intertercnee, with
the ~ domestic coneernsa they knew also that
as me principles okthe Sb9!ltionists were erro-
So tIe measures winch they insisted on
tu sT'll were as tsSa' ana dangerous.
9s o. gradual saw
t5las u ll inat would blow upon
worst lhey had tospostpone all their efforts to
c cgSs s Ims Gnul ms senpesEol tanatl
alarming It has .raset einTnp ii, yesT[ and
now the aholitonists may boast, If they will,
mat they nave done more in this time to rivet