Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-10-19
Indictment Against NJ. NJ. Dent.
HIS vINDIcATIoN.
[coxrlNuEp rRoM YEsrgRpAY. ]

[coSrNuED FROM YESTERDAY.
FELLow CITIZENS III have furnished you
fall and fair statement of the charge
against me upon which the Bill was found,
and believe that ! could safely submit the
case TO you, a jury OF my neighbors and ac-
quaintauces, for verdict, on this alone !;
but for fear there may be those who are
still disposed TO make insiuuations against
my loyalty, j will refresh your memories
by recapitulating the part which have
taken in this contest on the side of the
Government and for its preservation j
After the nomination of Douglas 4 john
/ son at Baltimore, in June, 1860, 1 advoca-
ted their election with all the ability and
earnestness of which was capable, and
| fought the Breckinridge party with great
Virnlence, because believed its leaders in
tended disunion, though l always exem2-
ted the rank and file of this section from
any intention of disunion. The sequel has
proved that ! was correct in both posi-
tions. And soon after the result of the
election it was considered by all Union
men that | had rendered SOME service to
the cause, particularly rs our county and
one other county in the State were the on
ly counties in which the Douglas ticket
lied the balance. After the result of the
election was ascertained, / contended that
Mr.. Lincoln was elected Constitutionally
and there was no sufficient cause for break
ing up the Government-thnt the South
should exhaust all legal means of redress
before she attempted disnnion. saw with
deep regret the course pursued by South
Carolina and the cotton States, and felt
that the Union, which was once our pride,
was IN imminent danger. In January last,
/ was called uIIon to announce myself as
u candidate for the Convention at Rich
mond In answer to the request of my
friends, wrote an article in my paper of
the 18th of january, consenting to be a
candidate, in which article made the fol-
lowing remarks, Which seem HoW almost
Iprophetic. Alter stating that it would in
terfere with both my family affairs and bu-
siness arrangements to accept a seat in the
convention this winter, added; "And
then, too, it is not a very pleasand pros
pect to become q member of a convention in
which you feel confident that you will be
eventually, in minority, and that youwill
be compelled to witness the secession ol
j your own native State from this glorious
Union, and a policy adopted, which will
bankrupt your whole section without be-
ing able to raise ahelpiug hand against such
folly and wickedness:"
Ialso said to the same paper that "Not-
withstanding the bold and patriotic stand
of the Governor of Virginia rs a break
water TO the Southern Disuuion rashness
we verify believe that secession will pre-
vail in Virginia"
What followed indicated that / had read
the Southern papers and the Southern
heart with some understanding. -f-l.
Atthe election held early in February
{ I, with Hon. W. T. Wiley was elected
without opposition, to the State Conyen-
ton REPAIRED to STliohmond, and there
acted with those Of the Delegates from the
North West, who stood firm for the Union
One of the most distinguished of the seees'
sion leaders portrayed to me the beautie!
of a Southern Gonfederacy; that it woulC
be the richest Government in the world
that the able, enterprising and energetic
men wouId have the whole management o
the Goyernment-that England and France
would form an alliance with them, and ex.
change their rmannfactures for the staples
of the South. told him thRt-suyins
nothing of our allegiance to the Fedora
4 Virginia west OF the ALE.
ghenies could not afford to go into a South
crn Confederacy-that all her material in.
terests were with Pennsy Ivania, Maryland
Ohio and the Ohio Valley-that we would
regret much to separate from our brethren
of the East, bnt that We of the West, could
not destroy all of our interests by going in
to a Southern Confederacy. He replied
that the leaders Of the Southern move;
ment decried Yankees to all intents and
purposes, and then insulted us by telling
us that we would become their Yankees
and that could not see how we could be-
4 II .
Government which affords tree trade tC
France and Eugland-that We could never
compIeteI with their pauper labor upor
equal terms-that, il there must be sep
Separation Of the two sections, however
much many of us regretted it, Westerr
Virginia would go with the North-and il
that case. we would be the chivalry of the
North, which the people would prefer tc
being the Yankees of the South. have
never changed nor modified these views in
the least
voted against the Ordinance Of Seces-
E lsion, which passed on the 18th of April
and returned home and published a card
to the voters of Monongalia county, in
forming them of the passage of the or6i,
nance, and -resigning my position in the
Convention in these words: HIf seat 10
Convention were military post, shoHld
expect 70 eudAuger my life in fulfilling my
duty; but asitis only civil position. OF
at least would be only that in eiriiized
times, / beg the people to excuse me fromfur-
ther services therein"i The Convention al
Richmond subsequently, expelled me
which believe they had no tight 10 do, as
Ihad resigned the power conferred upon
me to the people who conferred It. Civil
war. / deemed Inevitable, and however
much deprecated it, ! sincerely bslieye