Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-06-27

her idOls-for he wAs once an advocate o
a division Of the State-6ut his image vii
be broken in the minds of our people, an
and in the future when they shall hav
been delivered from the perils that nos
surround tlAemr he will be aforementioned a
the followers Of Lord George Gordon re
membered him, brilliant in melting !
rebellion but TOO selfish 70 be hero
g; tRrorn the BufAIo (N. ~ Isxpres..I
Westorn virginia.
We find in recent number of the n. Y
Tfmes an apology or defence for the actor
of the Wheeling Convention, in endorsing
as the Times mistakenly asserts, the doc
trine of secession, by taking steps toward
u division OF the State of Virginia. A full
statement Of the facts renders apology use
less, by bringing the action otthot remark
able Convention strictly within the limits
of constitutional law The government OF
Virginia had been nbrOgated by its own
actsj kThsre were neither executive or leg
islative departments. Society WIS reSolV.
ed into its original elements, and though
1.-THE relations of Virginia to the Federal
Government had undergone NO legal
change, those of the people to the State
were abolished. The power, SO far rs the
internal affairs of Virginia were concern
| ed, had gone back to the hands of the peo-
pie: but in Difference to the still existing
authority of the Federal government, on
ly-the oyalpeople, Those owing allegiance
to the Constitution of the Unitrd States,
had the rights of citizenship. As it hap
Ipened, these loyal citizens were mostly
residents of Western Virginia. Their diff
icuItY was one of magnitude. Destitute
.of local government and civil authority,
they must either become parties to treason
by lying idle, or maintain their loyalty by
taking up the sceptre laid down at Rich
mond.
To this end they called the Wheeling
Convention in such a way that it derived
its authority directly from the fouptain of
all pOwer-the loyal people; and the Con-
Vention when it came together fairly rep
resented the majesty of the people. In
that capacity it has framed a Constitution,
organized Government. elected Cow
| ernOr, made provisions for the immediate
execution of the laws, and ordered the
election of Legislature, which will exer-
else the ordinary functions of such bodies.
No secession from the East, or division of
the State, has been accomplished or at
tempted by the Convention. On the 9TH
er hand, resolution declaring division
of the State one of the duties of the Con-
vention was tabled by 81 ayes and II
nays, on Tuesday last. So that the Times
wastes good deal Of questionable logic
in aPologising for acts never enacted by
the Convention.
1t is true, however, that the division of
the State is a cherished object with the peo-
pie Of Western Virginia. The two sections,
east and vest, are divided not only by
mountains but by widely separate interests.
The east is in rebellion; the west is loyal
The east has contracted State debt of
fifty millions OF dollars for its exclusive
benefit in the construction of public works.
The west is compelled to endure IN exor-
hitant taxation to pay the interest and
principal of this debt. Local imposts are
levied upon its trades and manufactures,
while the vast capital of the east invested
in negroes escapes entirely. In all matters
of State legislation, the slave representa-
ton has shNmelessly and outrageously ty-
raunized over the free labor of the region
west of the mountains. To escape from
this vast debt, to acquire the right to gov
ern themselves, to get from under the iron
hand of the slave oligarchy, has long been
a darling object with the men who made
the Wheeling Convention. Aud when the
proper timo arrives, when 1t can be done
legally and rightfully, they will achieve
their Independence. The present crisis is
their opportunity, and they intend to i'm
prove it, in this wise:
In a few weeks their Legislature will be
called together. 1t will be the only right
full law-making power in the State, and
will undoubtedly proceed to the election
of United States Senators. When these
are admitted to seats in the Senate, as
they logically must be, the government Just
organized at Wheeling will he, by that adj
mission, formally recognized as the State
of Virginia. After that, it demonstrations
ally within the power of the Legislature
to divide the State and ask the approval of
Congress to that act.
| But, in the meantime, the same saga
ciOus craftsmanship that has governed
each successive step of the Western Yir-
ginihn movement ia calmly calculating it's
to bring the Valley of Virginia, lying be-
tween the Alleghanies audthe Blue Ridge,
and also the Southwestern Knnawha ri FER
region into the new State. In those sec
tiOns the popular sentiment is still doubt
full, though there is every reason to hope
that it will ultimately join the West, inas-
much as it has a similar social life aud
identical wrongs and interests. There is
everything in the noble conduct of West.
ern Virginia to lead US to suppose that It's
statesmen comprehend their epoch, aud
will, 10 due season, work out the magnifi-
cent problem before them to n glorious
success. And then-poor Old VirginiaI-4
Disgrased and humiliated, It win drink th,
dregs of the waters of shame.
Gen. MOClsIIan's Appreciation OF Col
Kelly.
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