Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-01-12


o. the first page of this days paper, we
print the first message of Gov. John
Letcher to his fellow citizens of the Legis-
lature. We should have printed it yes
terday morning, hut for the press of cor
rcspondence upon our columns. There is
no harm done, however, in q days delay,
for such a red hot coal of a frebrand as
this message is, needs all the cooling it
can get 1t will be seen that the message
is wholly devoted to the negro question.
Not another thing is touched upon at all.
This is extraordinary, and is unaccOunta-
BILE, except on the hypothesis that Gov.
Letcher has been rcstive under n lurking
suspicion among his friends Of his un-
soundncss on the slavery question. AS
usual with reformed hereticS, he cvinces
mighty zeal against the adherents of his
forsakcn faith Like Saul of Tarsus, he
now "breathes out Strengthening" and has
not even word OF cxtenuation for those
who, unlike him, have not experienced ~
change of heart.
We hope those who are at leisure will
read the Governors buncombc harnngue
to the Legislature. and when they have read
it, and if they have further leisure and
opportunity, we hope they will take down
a copy of the celebrated Rutfncr pamPh-
let, put forth under the signature of JOHN
LErcuER, in l847, and read it also, and see
how it is possible, even in these days, for
a Damascus vision to overtake a politi-
clan. AS specimen extract of Letclcr's
opinions some ten years ago, and by way
of leading the public mind back to his
reeeREEdn rsste tli,I met our eye, on turning to
the pamphlet.
Said DIR. Ruffncr and John Letcher:
We esteem it sad and humiliating fact,
which should penetrate the heart of. every
Yirginian, that from the year 1870 to this
time, Virginia has lost more people by
emigration than all the old Free States to-
gethcr. Up to 1910, when the last census
was taken (this was said, rccOllect, in
1910 she had lost more by nearly two
hundred thousand. She has sent, or rath-
er we should say, she has driven from her
soil, at least onc-third of all the cmigrants
who have gone from the old States to the
new. More than another third have gone
these multitudes who have left the slave
States have Stunned the regions of slo-
very, and settled III the free countries Of
the West. They were generally imdustri-
Gus and enterprisingw men, who found
by sad experience, that country of
slaves was not the country for them. 1t
is truth, IL certain truth, that slavery
drives free laborers, farmers, mechanics,
and all, and some of the best of them too,
out of the country, and fills their places
with negroes. What is it but slavery that
makes Marylanders, Cnrolinians, and espe-
cially old and new Virginians, fly their
country at such rates. Some go because
they dislike slavery and desire to get away
from it; others because they have gloomy
1orebodings of what is to 6ciat the stare
States, and seek to have their families III "
country of happier prospects; others be-
cause they cannot get profitable employ
ment among SHAREHOLDERS; others, industri-
Gus and high spirited working men, will
not stay in a country where slavery de-
grades the working man.
Somuch for one extract. 1t will serve
to show what Mr. Letcher's opinions were
in the prime of his life and strength
Compare this with his message.