Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-10-29

| Thursday. They say that III quesuonls
considered of no more Importance than to
call out about one-fourth of the vote, we
certainly should look upon the result as
an abortion"
! We are quite willing to admit to the
I Press that the vote was relatively small in
comparison with what has been cast in
times past. 1t is not, however, dispro-
portioned US the Press states it, so far as
we have had returns That the vote should
be small is very natural under the ctrcnm-
stances. Our people are involved in all
the iisquiet, all the anxiety, all the dis
turbance and disorganization of civil war
That civil war is and has been for months
! in our own territory Many of our people
| have left their homes and gone to other
counties and States. Thousands of them
have gone into the army. Some six or
eight hundred have gone from this
county. The interest and anxiety in
the result of the struggle, both in
Western Virginia and elsewhere has swal-
lowed up all other issues or considerations
of whatever kind The public mind is
turned morbidly away from all civil affairs.
Asitwas in Ohio and in other States where
elections have recently been held, so it
was here. Two exciting issues could not
engage the minds of the people at the
same time, any more than in physics two
bodies can occupy the the same space at
the same time. The less exciting one
must 90 to the wall. And so It did in our
election. We stated before the election
our belief that such would be the case.
1t was reasonable that it should be so.
Take all the circumstances of the election
together, however, weigh them and analyse
them, and the vote is fuller in comparison
than at ordinary elections.
One would suppose from the remarks of
the Press that a large public sentiment
opposed to division-was held in reserve,
and did not go near the polls. We cannot
understand the force of this argument. If
there was public sentiment of that kind,
why did it not express itself? Does the
Press mean to be understood that people
who were opposed to division did not think
it worth while to vote? Silence, the world
over, is rather interpreted to be assent than
dissent. So that the argument, SO far as
it is one, makes for us, and not for the
Press.
We are willing enough, however, tic
concede that there was sentiment held
back, that was mostly, if not entirely
hostile to State division. The seces-
sion sentiment, acting in understood
concert, and not recognizing either the
Government of the State or the United
States, never came near the polls
We knew and alluded to its hos
tility to division before the election
We predicted that if it did vote, it would
vote dead against division: And so far a!
it was among the reserved sentiment VT
frankly concede its opposition. But the
point is to establish, not whether pre-
ponderance of the whole people are Oh
were for division, but whether a majority
Of the people who recognize the State ant
Federal authority over US, are? This i:
the point. 1t is not to be expected tina
people who want to be in the Southern
Confederacy-whod declare that these coun'
ties are now part and parcel of that Con
federacy-would vote themselves loos'
from their allies. And, therefore we are
we'll persuaded that the Secessionists, as G
body, were intensely hostile to the move.
ment. How many quasi Union men, who
never vote until danger and doubt are
past, agreed with them in their hostility We
do not know. Of course there were some
But any of them nor all of them together
do not effect the result. That result is
that majority of the people who are true
and loyal, are for divirion of the State
And if the election of Thursday could
have been held under circumstances oil
Ouict and peace, the vote would have been
fuller than it was, and would have been in
the same proportion, overwhelmingly for
division.
The Press dwelIs npon the vote of the
Panhandle in support of its view of the
election. Why it should do SO we are at a
loss to determine. Take this county, for
Instance The vote is about 1900, or
something less than one-half that usually
cast. The Volunteer Aid Association has
been for some time past providing help fer
the families of some eight hundred men
who have gone to the war. The votes of
these men must be included and added
So must the secession absentees.-some
$50 or 200 in number. And to the sum OF
these must be added tie mixed and
unmized secessionists of the county-at
low estimate some four or FIVE hun
dred in number, This would nearly
or quite bring the vote up to the
average, and will very easily account for