Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-06-18

cut Oh; il could not go to the East, nor
70 10 the South, without encOuntering
enstom-hOuse at our doors with our
men liable to be seized and placed in a
foreign army to fight against agovernment
they had always loved and honOred and to
Whleh their prosperity was indebted, and
on which the pcrpetuity of their happiness
depended. What was Western Virginia to
dof They saw their leading politicians
engaged in this nefarious attempts break
mp the Government; they saw free ex-
preston Of Opinion in the case suppressed;
they saw treason ranking all over the
state, with the Governor, Lieut.-Governor
and all the State officials, and four out of
i've of the Judges Of the Court of Appeals,
all tue judges ofthe Circuit Court except
one, pnd, as far as am advised, nearly all
the FRO 'ecnting attorneys and Sheriffs en-
gagged in this REASONABLE work with one
of the Judges of the Court Of Appeals act
ing us counsel to the Governor. But in
Western Virginia, in spite Of all this ter
rorism and powerful influence against
them, we found remarkable unanimity
among the people, exhibited at the late
election, III favor of the Union, and against
the ortliipance of secession.
What, agnin ask, are we to do2 an
swer-precisely what we are doing. Form
a government for the State of Virginia.
The exigenrics of the times demand it. 1t
is tue only alternative left us. Two-thirds
of the people of the STATE lave been forced
into rebellion against the government of
the United States. They are also in re-
belltOn against The State of Virginia; be-
cause the laws Of Virginia recognize the
Constitution of the United States, as the
supreme law of Che land. Are we then
to lie still, and let our citizens, who are
loyal to tile government of the q. s., be
pressed into the Confederate army TO fight
against their own government, and their
property seized and carried off, to support
the Confederate troops, who are being used
by the usuFpers to break up the govern
meut? The oppression which exists in
other parts of tile State, would have reach
ed the city of Wheeling, had it not been
resisted by our action. 1t would have
reached other points on the Ohio river, and
our men, instead of now being at home,
attending to their business, would have
been marsballed to-day:upon the plains Mt
Manassas Junction, under the piratical flag
of the Sonthsrn Confederacy, to fight
against the Loyal army of the United States.
Two plans have been proposed for the
purpose of meeting the present emergency.
One is, by q division of the State. The
other is, by forming government for the
whole State. If the first were practicable,
under tue Constitution of the United
States, do not think it would meet
the present exigency. Our great, or first
object is TO put down rebellion and restore
peace to the country; and wherever the
Southern boundary of the new State might
be estat lished, when peace was restored
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by pursuing the latter course, forming II
government for the whole State, as fast as
rebellion shall be put down in any section
of the State, county elections can be held,
men loyal to the Government can be
placed in power, who will, by the exercise
of their Office, restore law and order to the
and thus, when the rebels are
driven out, the whole State will be restor-
ed to its former loyalty TO the Union. The
proper course, l maintain, for US TO pursue
IS, 10 Institute government for the whole
State OF Virginia. We are the loyal peo-
pie of YiIginin, entitled by law to the
coutrul of its military and civic power,
ms soon as we can get it. We can get
1t in large portion of the State at
once And, then, my firm opinion is.
that the Federal Government must sue
coed in putting down the rebellion in the
eastern part of the State, and Just as fast
as tue rebels are driven from that part of
the State. law there will be inaugurated
under this Government, the Offices will be
declared vacant, new elections, rs / have
said, will take place for as soon as the
rebels are driven ont the Union element in
that section Of the State will rise right up
and fill the Offices. We will have Judges,
Sheritfs and Prosecuting Attorneys to en-
force the laws. That Il the way this thing
must work, or not work at all. As to de-
viding the State-which, have no donbt,
will ultimately be done, and which will
favor at the proper itime-I would re-
mark that the putting down of rebel
lion, the lending Of a helping hand to
aid the Government, the maintenance
of constitutional liberty in this land of
ours, from tie St. Lawrence to the Rio
Grande, is Of vastly more importance to
us, and to THO world, than the formation
of new Stat9 out of Western Virginia, at
this time. Permit me to say, Sir, that |
look upon thii movement as the brightest
scheme and mPst feasible for putting down
the rebellion and restoring peace to the
country that hHs yet been proposed. If
we can inauguFate this movement success
fully am codfident the same step will be
taken In East Tennessee, West Arkansas,
North Alabanh, and North Mississippi. Ii
has already been commenced in South
Florida. twill finally be carried out in
all the seeded States. Then can see no
retreat for secession short of tue Gulf of
Mexico.
The objection has been urged that it is
contrary to our institutions to hold any
State in the Union against its own will.
We have held New Mexico and California
by conquest, and they soon became willing
subjects; and my word for it, as soon as
rebellion Is put down in Eastern Virginia,
and other seeding States, and the Union
element permitted to rise up, they will
freely give their allegiance to the United
States.
1t has been suggested by intelligent men
that We SHOULD pass this declaration and
adjourn, md wait till we see whether the
Federal Government is able to sustain it,
self, aud put down or drive out rebellion
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