Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-05-15
THE WESTERN VIRGINIA oONvEN-
TEONs
rEdltofinl CerrespsndsnseI
WnrrL1Na, va. Nay l8, 1861


Whesilng is alive aud flullerips with Tags
and Union badges. The streets are full Of
delegates and spectators, and delegations Of
0ni0n men nom various quarters are arriving
every hour. some of these come ey poaa
some by ran and some do not hesitate 70
march a dozen miles on foot. The oruven-
ton Is one Of the utmost impo. tanoe to Viz
oinia .ed one thas. VII have no mean in
fuspce upon the whole grand question Of
de disrosi ion 81 secession and rebellion.
About tweusy,fTe counties are represent
ed by delegates, These arc from the North
and West portions Of the State. There are
abou, forty coanties west Of the Blue Ridge,
but in many Of these the Union men are in
minority, and being unprovided with arms,
they dare make no stand against the Seees-
sionists. As general thing these delegates
come uninstTue,ed except upon the vital
question OF State separation. This is insist
ed upon by almost all the counties that are
represented. In all probability, the vote in
favor Of secession of the Western part OF the
State, viii be unanimous. .,s.
The people here are unconquerableiR their
love for the Union, and their adherence to
the laws and the Constitution.
The Convention vas called at , o'clock
this afternoon, but now at 10 A. M.-cir-
culars are out calling it together in an hour
must put this into the mail before it as
sombles.
EGigies of Gov. Letcher and Henry A
Wise are hanging from the market house
and are being hooisd at and pslted viii
stones &s.IIHy
Bands of music are abundant and play
national airs. The town is full.
In this county their are about twenty-five
slaves, less than dozen of whom are in thi
city. These are exceptional cases. One Ol'
maid who has money enough huS iTe-iou
Z" girls" and one "boy" In this case th'
ordinary rules are reversed, and she is really
the slave of her slave. She humors anC
pets them, and gets them whatever theI
| think " fashionable " and nice. Anothe
old slave is the property of a chashier Of
bank, and he, too, has almost unlimited con
troll Of his own actions. A few similar casei
constitute the balance Of slavery in Wheeling
Twenty-Five years ago there were about on
hundred slaves in the county.
4 Al this moment Hon. William G Brown
Of Preston Co., is addressing the crowd il
the streets. Mr.. Brown was amember Of u
Baltimore Convention last year, and was tn
only member of the Virginia delegation VIII
would not secede from that Convention. H
is the Union candidate for Congress for thi
district.
The Seathern Co1federacy have not ys
discarded Yankee manufactures. At the dt
pot of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad thi
morning, saw eight street railroad cars frOI
the Philadslphia manuiactory, for the Ne
Orleans street railroad. They were bein
shipped by beat from here.
Vegetation down here is a fortnigl
ahead of Cleveland. Trees are full Of toliag
and fruit trees are in blossom or past that. q
Representatives OF the prominent Easter
press are here in attendance upon the CUr
vention.
) II Is stated as possible that the Conv~ntin
will meet and adjourn until after the Stai
and Congressional elections upon the %
inst, but this is not probable.
Goy5Letcher issued a proclamation a fe'
days ago that this election should not be ol
served, but the people hereabout do nj
T swear by Letcher-only at him. a-t'd
5 The excited Union men unwisely egged Il
! house OF the editor of the " Daily Union -
2 rabid secession sheet--a night or two ago.
| write in great haste to catch this mOrI
! ing's mail. s. DIP.