Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-01-11
aailg gnteIlioe0trf.
WHAT IS TONE DONE,

N4A4A4SAS TO BE DONE
E tneE .CSmmHHicRtiOn from Bell.
SsseESSSr- SS9Ssssion and Counter
ulSa' ana the West Eor this Union
EditoTs KHtelli1encsy:-It IL nre,tv vol,
understood thAt the present movement in
virginia for the call of Convention ORIG.
mates With those who are hostile to The
Union. Its object would seem 10 be to
utaW virginia into the whirlpool of Sc
session How far this wicked scheme
shall be allowed to prosper. Col onIv
knows. But cannot refrain from cE.
pressing fear that it may succeed. even
Deyond our most serious approximations
NY reason for indulging this fear ia. that
Western Virginia-chieHy to be relied ON
TO cbeckmaie or defeat this dangerous and
GelnslVc cXperiment-does not appear to
be fully aroused to sense of her perilous
conGltion, or awake to the magnitude OF
the interests she has at stake.
There can he no Doubt that as soon,
rs me Legislature convenes, the ques-
ton OF a Convention will be precipitt-
ted upon that body Immediately. II will
be passed with earnestness, and ifpossibIe,
buried through the forms of legislation.
without giving sufficient time 10 consider
the question ia all its bearings, or to allow
the West TO be fully heard upon the basis o
representation From the great anxiety
winch the secessiOnists manifest to keep
THIS question ont of sight, / doubt not that
their effort viii be to impress Western
members Witli=the idea that it ia only n
: matter of secondary Importance, and one
which may safely be held in abeynnce for
the present They will be told To reiy
upon the honor of Eastern Virginia to
lnake everything right in tie future
This, fear, will be the syren song which
will lu!lisome of our Western members to
sleep.
Itis hardly necessary for me to shy that
the West will not, and onght not, to be
satisfied with anything short of Just and
equal representation in the proposed Con-
HeIUOu--a representation based exclusive.
y upon the white population Of the Stntc.
But am not without my fenrs that some
OF Onr Western members will Yield this
vital point To the East. If this shunll he
the case to amy considerable extent, lhrn
we are sold 10 KING COTT0H-and what
next?
Why, sir, if we are to 90 into conven-
tiOn upon any other than the white basis,
then our Eastern Virginia friends should
be given TO understand that, il Virginia
ScccdcS from the Union, Western Virginia,
or such part thereof as may he disposed,
claims the right Of seeding from the
State, and defining her future relations as
best she may. And why not7 II Cocr-
ciOn cannot he tolerated as against South
Carolina, or any other seeding State. Of
course it will not be tolerated rs against
Western Virginia This conclusion is
Irresistible. But think understand the
temper and libcTnliIy of our good old
step-mOihCr well enough, to know that
shG will not admit this logical sequence.
She will not allow the rule tn work both
ways. She will coercc, when she finds
that she cannot cajUle ns. Democratic in
theory, she has ever been more or less
AutOcrntic in practice.
Ii Virginia seCSleS from the Union, thr
secession of Western Virginia from her is
only question Of Time. If our delegates
in Convention should not in That event
provide for division of the State. ns they
ought to do, am sure that ntler no idle
threat when say that it will he provided
for Notwithstanding, peAceNbly it it can,
forciblp if it must
Western Virginia is true to the Union,
and it will tie her policy, therefore 10 keep
the peace with the Federal Govcrnment-
no matter by whom administered, If con.
StiIutiOunlly elecIed-lruSting that that
Government will see her safely ont of her
unnatural step.mUther, when the ,lny shall
come that that step mUther shall baSCly
attempt to prostitute her TO the wicked dc.
signs of the monster DisuniOn we will
say to the E'st, stay in tile Union, and We
will stay with you. Go out of the Union
and we will not gu with you. We will say
To her, IT you are mWdly bent upon your
own destruction, yon must allow us to
save ourselves from II | Ike fate if we can;
aud this we ARE resolved tO do, AS far us
we may, Ivy the help of Almighty God.
Ii u Convention should he called, l may
be allowed to suggest, that tho people of
the West should see that they arc repre-
scented in TINT body only by men who are
known to be sound on the Union question;
men who, without any IFS or ands. or
equiv0aati0ss of doubtful import, would
steH,lftstly and pcrseveriugly oppose dis
union in any and every event In the
hands of snch men. and such only, would
our cause be safe. We SHOULD bs visilAnt,
especially when the very atmosphere is
foul with the stencil of treason. Eternal
vigilance is the price of liberty.
BELL. EvERETr.