Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-01-19
tFor the wellsburg nerald.l
WESTERN VIRGINIA-THE CON
VENTION.

1Ir. EditOr.-We see by late papers that
our Legislature, not to be whit behind
South Carolina in her "precipitating" pol
icy, has recommended the holding of a
State Convention, the members of which
are to be elected within the short space Of
a few weeks. The object of the Conven-
tion is evident when we consider that it
was first advocated by the Richmond En-
rMtrer, and the cue taken by every little
disunion sheet in the State, down to the
Wheeling Union. The Convention deter.
mined upon, the next item on their pro-
Eramme will be to pack it with men who
tavcr their designs. 1t is true, Western
Virginia, which is supposed to be strong
ly for the Union, in sentiment, will have
the majority to control its action; but
Western Virginia is not without her trail
tors, and those who will not succumb to
the persuasive power of gold, will he
brought to by SCOTS, jeers and intimida-
ton. Thus, having everything their own
way, thcir next move will be to draw up
an Indictment against the North; recount
ing all their grievances, real and imagin-
airy, from the foundation of the govern
ment-ending with the prolific theme Of
the John Brown raid; and either declare
Virginia out of the Union ,or present nm
ultmatum which can never be accepted by,
the North without dishOnOr. This is the
programme laid dow be the precipitators.
The question which now presents itself to
our mind is, will Western Virginia consent
to go into q Convention of this kind? We
have no interest in Convention whose
object, and sole object, so far as we can
see, is to make us rebels and traitors
to our counlry-tO take US from under.
the stars and stripes and place US un-
der tue unpfOteetfng folds of the Shiny
serpent of South Carolina. Touch not the
ncleanthing. Let Western Yirginiastnn
alOof and Indignantly frown it down,-let
ius4give the East to understand that, II 1t
is determined to leave the Union, we, Of
the West, will cut the feeble cords, Mt the
Blue Ridge, that bind us together, and re-
main in the Union and, in tue language
of a Western Maryland paper, "sell them
all our negroes, take up wheat culture,
dairying aud mining; join tue North in
commercial enterprise, build more rail-
roads, and never say der This is the
only way to stay the hand of these parri-
cides.. The avidity with which tue people
have taken hold of the idea broached by
the Herald, n few weeks since, of dividing
the State, in case of secession, shows that
they. fully understand in which direction
their interests lie, and TO whom they owe
their allegiance. They are not willing to
uS ttASu iOE tue support OIL an army ngnt-
ing against their country. They love the
good old Commonwealth, but they love
tho Union more. They appreciate the
protecting care and the priceless value of
the Union, and are ready, If necessary, to
lay down their lives to transmit it to pos
terity. They still have faith tint the old
ship of State will outride all storms that
may heset her; and are ready, in the Ian
guage of the poet, to exclaim:
"Thou, too, sail on, o, ship OF State!
Sail on, o, Union, strong and great
Humanity with all its feArS, -EE
With nll the ope Of future years,
Is hanging breatlilcss on thy fate,
We know what master laid thy keel,
What WOrEInen wro't thy ribs of STEEL
Who made each mast and sail and rope t-5.
What anTils ring, what hammers beat,
In what forge and what heat,
Were shaped the anchors of thy hope"
But, woe to these disunionists. They
will be held acCursed when the bloody
mandates of Herod and Nero shall be for
given, and shall be regarded rs monsters
in this world; and, in the next:
'"rhe common damned will shun their society,
Aud look upon themselves as hends iess foul"
DEMocRAT.