Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-12-24

of the canvass and since, they begin with
one accord to think that We shall fail as
united people And now the question is
for us, do they, looking over our heads, with
a clearer vision-certainly see our inevita-
bic dissolution? With the anguish of
heart in which. Esau lifted up his voice
and wept over the realization that his
birthrighthad gone. hopelessly aud forever
gone, the patriot should consider thisques-
ton.
1t is a question awful and sacred as the
rescue of the Ark of the Covenant, and
we confess that it is with d dependency
akin to despair that we dwell upon the
chances of success. And our reason is
this: What has happened has taken place
under the forms of the Constitution. That
Constitution prescrfbes in explicit terms
the mode of Presidential election, who
is eligible to a candidacy, and what his
duties and powers are if successful. I'm.
der that Constitution-under its several
speci6cations-the people of every State
in this Union of States went into an cleo
ton. AS matter of course, all the par
ties to the canvass could not be success
full. Que candidate had to be chosen,
either by the people or their representa-
tives, and three candidates had to be
beaten. This necessary result was just as
apparent at the commencement as at the
end of the canvass. The party that was
successful, had the same candidate, the
same platform, the same record, the same
everything at the starting in that they had at
the coming out. The other parties knew
all this-saw it all just as plain and fully
and satisfactorily at the FIRST rs at the last,
and seeing and knowing and understand
ing it all, they entered the lists, and took
their chances of success. They tried
hard to succeed, made every possible com
bination, used every strategy of war, used
money, used government patronage, nsed
everything available, but to no Effect
They were beaten-@irly, honorably, con-
stitutiOnally, overwhelmingly beaten
What is the sequel? They submit, of
course7 No; they lido not. Two parties,
for the most part, do. The third does not.
1t was not their intention to submit
from the first. From the very begin
ming they played foul. 1t was arranged
that if they were beaten they would
repudiate. And they have repudiated.-
They have raised foreign Aag-the flag
of treason-and have secuted and hooted
from their housetops and shipping the flag
of their country, the glorious Stars and
Stripes. This is our position before the
eyes of the English people and before the
world. Seeing this position, is it wonder
full that they distrust the issue of popular
government? They can say with perfect
legitimacy, your position has proved our
conclusions. 1t makes no odds for the
Legitimacy of those conclusions, who of
you is right or wrong. The fact that you
each accepted the issue rendered by the
other, and. upon it went to the country,
and portion of yon were beaten, and
afterwards repudiated the popular voice
constitutionnlly expressed, proves all we
say. Suppose you compromise this time.
Next four years some similar complication
will likely bcfnllYou. Some other party will
have some sim lar grievances Jas was the case
in 1882, and they in their turn will repudiate
the verdict of the country. 1t remains
with you now to make the grand test, and
show that your government IS proof
against the anarchical element. Failure
now is Generalization forever. Will we
1
be able to pass through the ordeal? Will
we, in the face and against the hopes of
anxious millions in the old world, turn the
hands back on the dial plate of progress,
and prove that popular institutions are
impossible in practice. Will we, of West
ern Virginia, seek to induce or avert this
result? Do we intend to stand by the
Union of these States ITO preserve our
heritage-to rescue the greatest and noblest
trust ever committed to people-or will
we fall down and let the insidious treason
now working in our midst, flourish over
US. Fellow citizens, discarding all party,
clinging only to the hope of home and a
country, we warn you of this treason
We do not ask you to embrace our views
OF politics, or any body clse's. God for
bid that we should do such thing in an
hour like this. But VIC only ask of you,
as you value the magnitude of the interest
that is common to us all, to take your
stand firmly and uucOmpromisingly on the
side of the Union.
TRE Russian census, just completed,
gives 10000, 900 as the total population,