Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-12-03

selfish ends. They would sacrifice virgin
ia again, as they have already done, in or
der 70 protectthC cotton fields ofthe South.
Your farms and your homes are exposed to
the havoc and desolalion of war, 10 order
that another people "may go on Win their
planting and business as usual
The United States of America IS name
which should be sacred to us. 1t is con
secrated by Washington, and the statesmen
and patriots of the purer days OF the ke-
public. Rally, then, again under the Star
Spangled banner. 1t is the emblem Of our
liberty, Of our greatness aud prosperity
When that flag falls, we can no longer be
a great, free or prosperous people. What
have you gained By the civil war into
which these men have led you? Your
rights2 Are they more secure than they
were2 The security of slave property
Is it safer now, amidst the tempest of war,
than 1t was under the Constitution OF the
United States? If you succeed in this re-
bellion, yen will only succeed TO find your
country ruined by contending armies, your
own prosperity forever crushed beneath an
overwhelming load of debt and taxation,
aud yourselves the slaves, perhaps, OF
some ambitious military despot. We seek
no subjngation. We ask you to live again
as our ellow-citizens and equals, under
the Constitution and Union OF our fathers,
which have hitherto protected and secured
our unexampled prosperity.
If we turn our attention TO that portion
of the State which is yet under the control
of the rebel government, we will Ind its
condition lamentable indeed. have em-
braced all the sources of information 10
my power to ascertain the truth respecting
il. There seems no reason to doubt that
IN a., L. t,..fSaI the
ages of sixteen and sixty, have been
forced into the Confederate army, in
Guiding thousands who are at heart
true to the Constitution aud the Union.
need not mention that our public im-
provements, railroads, canals, bridges aud
public buildings, have been destroyed
wherever the Secession forces have had
control OF the country. Rapine and plan
der have marked their path and men ar
rogating to themselves superior ciTiliEa'
ton, derived, rs they say, from the exis-
fence of negro slavery among them, have
abandoned the rules of civilized warfare,
and made war, like savages, scene OF tn-
discriminate aud useless destruction.
A large proportion of the slaves have
been sent further South for security. All
the live stock within the rebel lines have
been seized for the use of their army.
Farms have been stripped of horses, wag-
ous. feucipg and timber, and tue houses of
the people Of blankets, aud even clothing
whatever, in short, that could be made
useful to the soldiers. The property of
men known or supposed to be true to the
Union has been taken without Compensa-
ton, and they regard themselves fortunate
If their lives are spared. The property
which is pretended to be paid for, is paid
for in treasury notes Of the Confederate
States; or in bank notes issued on the de-
post of such treasury notes. This cur
rency, even at Richmond, is already at a
discount of not less than thirty per cent,
and the papers there are seeking to main
tain its credit by denouncing the penalties
of death or cOnfscstion against merchants
aud bankers who make any distinction be-
tween such notes and coin. Yet this cir
culation is really vAlueless. If the rebel
lion fails TO sustain itself. the notes mnst
go down with it. If it succeed, from tue
Immense amount issued, and the character
of the leaders, we may safely assume the
Reputation of the debt to be inevitable.
The president of the Confederate States, il
will not be forgotten, was for many years
the leader Of the Reputation party in Mis-
sissippi.
stated in my message to you Gtthe ex-
ira session In July last, that "the fact is
no longer disguised, that there has been
in the South for many years a secret or
ganization laboring with steady perseyer-
ance to overthrow the Federal Government
and destroy constitutional liberty in this
couutry.3' Tint the latter branch of this
assertion is correct, as well as the former,
is rendered apparent by the courseof thing
at Richmond.
we have seen the Richmond papers ut
times urging the appointment of military
dictator; and without the title, it evident
that the President of the Confederate States
exercises, with very little restriction, the
mower of, that office. The principle is
avoWed and noted on, that high executive
Offices should be held during lite or good
behavior. A CONSUMPTION worse than that
of France has been established, and men
and property are seized upon for the rebel
service at the pleasure Of the Executive
It is proclaimed with the general concur
renee of the leaders, that free society has
proved failure-that laboring men have
not time to devote to reading, and there
fore cannot cast their votes intelligently
and that the security. OF property demands
that the right of suffrage should be taken
from them. Yet Free Schools are de-
uounced, in order that they may not learn
TO read. 1t is declared that labor is de-
grading-that the normal condition of la
Dor is slavery; and the great principle is
announced, rs the corner stone of thepo-
litical ediics, that capital should be the
owner of labor. The rebel convention ut
Richmond is now engaged in the work of
revising the State Constitution; and there
is every reason TO suppose that "these con-
sentative aud rational principles" flor so
they are called), will govern and control
their deliberations.
y If this rebellion is to succeed. we may
tfien coneede the principle that free society
has proved failure and that exclusive
privileges, ard life or hereditary senuses of
office, are necessary to secure life, proper
ty and good order. But its failure or sue
cess is yet to be tested, Republican gov
eminent is on its trial before the world j