Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-05-18

mountains, adjoining Ohio and Kentucky.
The population of Virginia, by the census
of 1860, is divided among these sections,
80 Western. 355,493 5000
% Middle. 243,l 55 1900
20 Eastern. 44s,9a2 48s, 4I6
,i4a i,047,57s 49i,455
The gain in white population, from 1850
TO 1860, was l52.fT9, of which 70,sl2-
more than one-hnlt-was in the fifty Yes-
tern counties. The slave population in the
same period was diminished, in which,
however, the whole Stite shared. 1t viii
be perceived that while the proportion OF
slaves in the middle counties-some of
which are among the most populOus in the
State-is greater than in the western, it Is
much less thnnin tue eastern, where they
are nearly equal in number with the whites.
The population being thus divided,
crisis has arrived which was wholly nn-
foreseen by the trainers OF the Federal
Consultation, and is not provided for in
that instrument The western counties of
Virginia, fifty in number, of which about
thirty are now represented in convention,
are discussing the question of forming u
new state. Their circumstances, peculiar
and painful, need not be repeated The
Constitution of the Quilted States tArticle
w, Section 81 expressly provides that "no
new state shall be formed or erected with
in tho jurisdiction of any other stnte, &c.,
&c, without the consent of the LegisIa-
tuaes of the states concerned, as well as of
the Congress-" The state Legislature,
having affirmed the right of secession
might, indeed. be consistent enough TO al
low the western counties to cut loose. But
the admission in the Constitution of right
to divide Stale, or the exercise by the
western counties of the privilege of seces-
sion to the North-if conceded to them
would be an admission of the principle of
secession, II principle against which the
letter and spirit of the Constitution are set
like granite. For the government TO admit
it now would be to admit both tue princi-
pie and its ridiculous but legitimate conse-
quencesi for if u state may secede. why not
part OF state? If part of II state, why Not
Il county, city, or village?
We do not suppose that n new State
government will actually be erected in
Western Virginia and if not, the question
of Its recognition by Congress is of no
practical Importance. We learn from u
credible source that the secession feeling
is more prevalent and powerful ia Western
Virginia than the representatives of so
many counties in the Wheeling Convention
would lead us to suppose There are
probably in the convention itself actual
secessiontsts, who would, nevertheless, be
willing to take advantage of the present
troubles to eXtort from the eastern part of
the State n redress of old grievances, and
who are willing to wear temporary Union
mask for the further purpose of protecting
their part of the State from the troons
which could he so easily poured into 1t
from Ohio. There are, of course, sincere
Union men,iL the convention; but there is
also sufficient infusion of sympathizcrs
with secession to prevent any action which
will materially strengthen the Union SEN
timent of that part of the State. From
the tenor of the proceedings, thus far, we
do not expect action, but only procrasti-
nation.
The course Of proceeding proper to he
adopted by the Federal Government, in
case Western Virginia shauld attempt to
organize State government, does not in-
vOlve the question of erecting a new State
within the territorial limits of unothcr
State. During the tendency Of the con-
test we should hold it by tue laws of war
as conquest from the enemy, aud either
govern it or=permit it to govern itself, as n
territory or inclIoate State, without allow
ing 1t to send Senators and Representa-
tives to Congress. If the war terminates,
as We Hll believe it will, in the mainten-
ance of the Union, the State of Virginil
will retain her territorial limits uuimnair-
cd, and the question of division Of the
State be remiited 10 her whole people. Ii,
on the other nand, the rebellion should
prevail, and the South establish its indie
pendencs, we might hold Western Virginia
MS conquest made during the war; aud.
in the discretion of Congress, admit it, MS
we would any other conquered and in-
habited torritnry, into the Union as IL
State. We discover no indication that an
application to Congress to recognise it as
a State is likely to be made very soon. and
everything depends SO much on tue devel-
opment OF events that the question may
as well be nnS,nnneh