Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-02-13
stfFrOm The utIca Hstnld.1



The'story of tire viper which stung its
bsnefactor is familiar to every school boy.
Every life stony has one such incident;
every man has taken at least one viper to
bis ah9som-has eaten the bitter fruit OF
confidence betrayed. It is n hard expert
ehce-one which shakes our faith in tiu-
man goodness, and makes us sadder, ms
well rs wiser men. To sec some poor
creature whom We have rescued from des7
pair-7T;whose uakedness we have covered,
and whose hunger we have nppeOsed-to
when we have cOnfided the care of our
household gods-in whose fidelity we have
reposed unbounded coufidence-turning
upon US in our trouble, abusing our huspi-
tslity, betrayiug our friendship, stabbing
us, in our honor, aud robhing us of all we
love best77-is spectacle ofingratitudc over
which angels may we'll weep.
Yet such spectacle we have before us
at the present moment. The Federal Gov
ernment is menaced with destruction, and
by those 1t has most generously befriend-
cd, and most steadfastly upheld. To The
South it has been a munificcnt patron. 1t
has dispensed fhvors to it with a prodigal
hand. 1t has espoused its interests and
protected its rights with thnyaryfng devo-
ton. sltbns filled. the army and navy With
its sons gi'eu 1t the cream of official pa
tronage; deferred to its request; yielded
to Its demUndsi succumed to its eKactions
on all occasions, and humOred it ms If il
were spoiled child. And yet this pet of
the Government complains that its suffer-
ings are intOlerablc, aud proposes to nut
its nlmoner to death. L. p
But while the South at large has been
muniicently treated by the Government,
some otsits States have peculiar cause for
gratitude. Take the case of Florida
SheiWns asmere uozy neck of land; with
ont wealth, without character, without po-
sition, without name in cotempornneous
history. She was the abode of sayages,
and lurking place for pirates. We took
hereunder the protecting shield of our
Government. We paid six millions for
her !; we expelled the saTages from her
borders at n cost of fifty millions more !;
we built tharSors and lighhousesaforl her !;
We established post1noads throughout her
length and breadth I've made her an hon
ored member of one oflthe first powers on
earth. All that she is she owes to u.s.
She has cost us more than she would
bring II sold under the hammer 10. NOR
row. And yet abe shakes her puny. fist in
the thce Of her hsnefactor, and insists on
going out Of the Union n
Louisiana has been an almost equally
dear investment. WeEnund her nm isola-
ted and obscure dependency Of a distant
power. We took her in; paid sixteen mill
lions foE her garrisohed her foits; dredged
her rivers built splendid custom honse
IN her chief city protected her leading
staple by a'rcstrietfve duty of 25 per cent :
and dispensed the public patronage 70 her
with instituted hand. She.returas the ia.
.yor by slaPPfng her almoner in the face,
and5 committing highway robbery upon
the Government 6xt1resI Having been
maintained In the Government household
as an houOred guest, she shows her grati-
tnde by stealing the spoons and decaGnpi1g
with her pIunder. ssss-l saogibess
The case OF Texas is still more flagraut
Her ingratitude sneuuts 70 the sublime
For twenty years she bdd been knocking at
the door of the Union. She INSIDE the
most piteous appeals. She begged to he
taken in from tue cold she Jlogged Uuclc
Sam nntil all patience Eas gone o,n Of
him; she exhibited her sores; she Aaunt-
ed her rags before our pityiug gaze. We
did not want her. Her morals were bad