New-York daily tribune., 1861-09-09
THE PROPOSED DIVISION OF VIRGINIA.
AN INTERESTING LETTER.

AN INTERESTING LETTER.
WAsBISGroS, Sept 2, 1861.
THOMAS HoRsBRooK esQ.-Deay Ssr: 1 thank
you for your repeated favors giving me history OF
the action of the late Wheeling State Convention OF
which Won were an active and efficient officer, but
am spprebensiye that the final act Of that Convention
will tend to check the current Of sympathy which was
40 generously flowing in from all quarters for our 10y
atty 70 the Union and the Constitution.
The attempt to divide the STATE, especially during
the present distracted condition Of the county Is To-
curdsd by sll with whom have ~convesed rs neon
ssteut with Al earnest and hearty support of the Ad
miustration, whose views are wellk ana wnoSo
friendship il Ia important to secure and 1t is consld
cred not only against the spirit Of our State ana M
tional Contributions but q small imitation OF tie very
bad example of Secession set by the Rebel Confedt y
II seems to me also 10 say the least, highly gheen
on the part OF our ieiiow-cl,iLehs VI - ,hs
Virginia thus 10 desert their loyal brethren Ia 'he
East under their present appalling eifeuhs sn,oe
Nor can the act of attempted division be oeenoeu oh
general principles Of public policy. Railroads have 20
annihisted distances, and the telegraph has ofough.
all reyions into such contguty Of time and place. ht
large iarritories can now be much conveniently
snbiec,ed TO a single Government than when tue
boundaries Of Virginia were established ihese Ov.'
alterations have doubess Influenced Congress III he
fomaiion of Territories preparatory TO their becoming
S,es WITHIN the last few years. Hence we hhd the
States recently admitted aud the Territories he'eief
10 be admitted are of much greater extent thsn any O
the original thirteen TIE Inference from thete con-
sideralOns legiiimaely follows that Congress "ouiu
rather favor the policy of consolidating and uniting
severa of the smaller States Of the Revolution thhn
that of increasing the number by division. indeeo,
know the feeling against division Is almost universal
in Congress and among the statesmen OF tne country
outside tho limits Of Western Virginia, and that the
effort 10 carry the through Congress must
therefore result in an utter abortion
freely acknowledge your weighty reasons for COM
planning of us esst Of the mountains. IL would be d'
cut 10 exaggerate the wrongs and expressions which
Western Virginia has suffered at the hands of East
O. n majority in the State Legislature. grant that
the money raised by general taxation has been mainly
expended imprudently in the East. But i beg our
Western brethren TO remember that the neil VINO have
been their yrans aud oppressor in the East are now
rebels iu arms against the General Government, md
are very likely TO meet the usual fate Of syrants
and reiels In mOst righteous and overwhelming re-
tribution. - -
pregnant with mighty results producing great changes
in be eastern portion OF our state Oppression and
injustice about TO be overthrown, and new and
better order of things will be established The
men who are hereafter to bear rule with US will be
tboe who have suffered from the injustice of tie old
tyranny wrongs and hardshps fully equal TO aly it,
cted upon you of the West and there men, FROM the
strong sympathy created by the sgge esslon- Of com
mon enemv will naturally be disposed TO redress sll
your gIieyances Bot the consequences OF tie present
rebellion will enable tie Western section 10 take
Of ito interests in spite Of all hostile Influences
for the Eat by the ravages Of the and loss Of
population will be reduced IN Legislative Importance 70
greatly that its former preIOndefSnce will he de-
str yed and when, ii ever it shall recover from tire
shock tue population will DO 20 changed in character
a. to have become homogeneous with your own
people.
How are the mighty fallen Poor old Virginia
fighting the battles Of Tebelous aud hOt-headed Snth
Carolins Oh, pity Of pties and sorrow OF Sorrows,
IL. A.at.fw sha I'D
tnton Of producing Presidents and rulers the great
est Republic on EARTH should have sunk 10 the degr
daton of rushing into fratreidal aud wicked war,
ffou fear Of some future and contingent danger ~
her great commercial business Of breeding aud selling
slaves Sorrow Of sorrows that the nations shoald
thus be permitted to point the finger of At and
sav, "How like a crop Of potatoes giDoe all that is
really valuable is under ground"
And since reasOn and revelation alike declsro that
without the shedding Of blood there be no rems-
son OF great national SINS il be expected that
great inquity, the great cancer on our body polite,
will ever be eradi sated without pain, aud perhaps
peril to the very life Of the patient And can we
hope without baptism Of fire and blood, tla our sia
stricken State can be regenerated and be allowed 10
enter into the Joy and glory which God and nature
have so bountiiully provided for us
IL our Wises and Msgrnders, by their mad and
suicidal course shall continue to destroy our towns
aud cities and drive away present population il
il coasoing 10 know that the crowded people Of Eu-
r0pe and the North with their industry arts, educa
and enteri rise, VIII boOu III
tke po,ss,son Of the country deeolated by tyranny.
and Hon. and the places which 10 their cost have
hitherto known the ancient efiete and emasculated
siistocracy shall know it no more forever.
We are but passing through changes very similar 10
those which the nations Of Europe COM elled
ur dergo in their escape from Fe1dasm 10 Freedom,
aid we may hope they will prove with US benehcent
H. with our ancestors.
Let us then address ourselves 10 the task Of redeem
i,u not part but the whole of Yrnia-the old plan-
tsjions OF the east and the wild forests Of the wes
and when under the coming order Of things labor shall
Do paid and respected deserves and the education
OF the poor mans children shall be encouraged there
will 20 no reason for divisi0n but magnificent
sources in every portion Of the State shall begin 10 be
do Seoped and the motto Of every section shall be
eayh for ali and all for each.
hen shall the deserted seats Of ancient hospitality
er llyened by arts manufactures home markets and
The payment Of willing work by adequate wages,
bsoin Ia more than their original beauty.
Then shall the noise of our hitherto neglected aud
wholly uneqalled waterfalls be drowned in the music
OF he wheel the shuttle, the hammer, aud the anvil
9hen shall silent and spacious, deep and uunya
leg harbors, In connection with our railroads and
ni4rous navigebe river, secure than our
~ licnt peaceful and prosperous commerce.
Then shall toe hidden oil and coal bs brought out
from the bOwels of our mountains TO set in motion
Thousands Of ralcars and workshops ard steamboats,,
70 warm and enligiiten millions Of our
Then shall our neglected hilsides DO converted into
yineclad gardens like those of France aud ItsIy aud
our forest-crowned hltops covered with green pas
tuges Of cheating bocks and lowing herds.
Then shall country be dotted all at is
roads with the happy home, Of acknowledged equsIiy
with schoohou and temples of worship whence an
thens Of freedom shall ascend to heaven, bringing
down blessings innumersble upon an independent and
happy because a labor-honoring and Goi.fesTng
people. Yours truly, JoaS @. UsDERwooD.
FURTHER FROM VIRGINIA
From a gentleman recently from London County,
Y tie is confirmed that there il fiie ehtful
amount Of sickness among the troops tie vicinity of