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

LFrola Tie \. y. Courier and Enquirer.


IFron the n. Y. Courier and EnqpireT.l a
Senators Mason and Wigfall seemed de-
termincd TO leave their names 10 posteFity
! branded with shame. Both have sworn 10
support tile Constitution of the United
z States, but both take every Opportunity to
Violate their oath. Both daily talk the
1 rankest treason, bnt both are very sure to
draw from the Government to which they
are trHitorous, the very Hast cent that. Is
due them. If they can claim that their
action is justified by the code of the BOAST
! ed ehivairS OF The South, then we at the
North have good reason for being thankful
that our notions OF what is honorable
I widely differ from those held south of
Mason and Dixon's line. There has been
much said Of Southern ehivalry, bat a
| great deaf Of what his been claimed EoF'it
is merely brHggutloCiO. II is well known
that there is u class of men at tie South
which can indeed claim to have, in every
respect, no superiors. But this class is
not so large us has been asserted and
many who claim TO belong to it are really
limpOsters. True Southern CliiVa1ry is tue
same rs that which is found among gem
tleuien in every community. IL is nothing
better, nothing worse. Theteal gentleman
makes no vain ptetensiOns, aud while he
may he as brave rs lion, he does not tell
yNA. laN#tS oSs-- ~ VIII NuAcEhL6 IN.
suit, he never Wilfully insults another
What is generally known us Southern chs
lTairyls indeed avery poor commodity. Il
| makes one Overlooking and tyranical 1t
seems TO be oneiot the bad results of the
t'Peculidr institution aud while it de-
stroys nice sense of honor, it eliminates
IN such acts as that of Bfookss The Dist6ll
and the bowie-knife it renders at ali times
lawful weapons, and sanctions brute force
as 6ue method for replyingtto nnpala table
argument The scenes which have been,
too often enacted In our National LegislR-
ture, prove how little a sense of real honor
is frequently entertained by those Claiming
to be tile descendants of '.CaValiers.',-t5
Some allowance is claimed for tho iiifll-
ence of the temperature Of the climate
upon those who dwell where the SUMS RAYS
are more vertical than they are here, The
true gentleman, however, is the gentleman
under all circumstances, aud il Ia the-heat
of the moment he does what his Judgment
condemns, he does not hesitate 10 retracl
or apologize when his blood has cooled. y
Judging from n Northern point of view.
there can be no apology for the 'eonduct Of
Alessts. Mason and Wigfnll. How they
can reconcile their constantly EXPRESSED
opinions with what their 6Aths oblige
them to do, seems somewhat puzzIing.-
they both appear to be infatuated with
that fatal doctrine so peculiarly Southern
which teaches that the duty to ones StS1S
Is paramount to that of ones pconntr:yl
But an onth!is an oath, and having sworn
to support the Constitutions aud laws of
tue United States; they should either do
this or else give up their Offices. The no.
sttions they hold involve duties which they
seem not to appreciate. a Senator of the
United States, it is generally supposed; has
a very plain course to pursue So far AS his
relations towards the Federal Government
aud the country are concerned. Fromiths
obligations which he assumes wien he en-
tiers upon his Office he cannot be released so
long as hehOldsit. Heis not wuFrautetliin
putting his own constructions upon what
these obligations may be-; and therefore.
when Dir. Wigfall said that in case he was
notified OF the accession of Texas he would
answer, to his name when called if;. sii;ts
ca his convenience, and would regardsthe
Semitic as AVERY respectable public meet.
ing, he certainly proved himself limited
torihts Office. If he and Mr.. Mason look
upon our government ms broken up, they
should at once have returned 10 their
homes. They. have no right,to remait lin
their seats inthe Senate, draw their nav
and yet daily assert TINT the government
they h9yei sworn to maintain ought to de-
clare itself no longer, in existence, and
slould at once acknowledge that those
who have rsbelled against It Rte perfectly
Unsuitable. The course they have chosen
70 pursue is one which deserves the Sc.
yerest dennneiation. Doubtless they both
would unhesitatingly condemn the man
who In private life had been guilty, not
merely m of.a breach sof good faith, but of
the violation of an oath. They have mo-
right to assume that they can, as public
servants DO that which, being in direct
continuation to the moral. law, wonldi
dishonor them as private individuals. sai