Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-09-14

The reorganization of the Government
has proceeded on the ground that all pre-
viouS officers Hdheriug TO the so-cailed
Confederate States, have violated their
oatbs both to the Federal and State Gov
eruments committed treason against ootn,
and forfeited their power, which they held
, only in trsst for. and which Immediately
reverted to the people, and their seats be-
came vacated, agreeably to Sec. I'd Nlr-
ginia Bill of Rights. viz: "That all power
is vested in and consequently derived from
tn People; that magistrates are their hHs-
tees and SERVANTS, and at all times amenaoie
to them The diSioyal portion of their
constituents being pGrticfPS crimiHiS, ana
often equally guilty, cannot take advan-
tage of such forfeiture, as it would be
taking advantage of their own wrong
which is iuadmiSSahle in the forum OF con-
science and law. The ioy0l portion only
can take advantage of the forfeiture and
reorganize the Government: and 10 these
alone does the legitimate Government be-
long.
The call tor the Convention at Wheeling
was addressed to all loyal citizens through
out the State, and it must he accounted
their own fault or misfortune, if they were
not reprcsented The election of State
officers was equally open and general, and
it was the like fault or misfortune if all
loyal citizens were not represented in the
Legislature II the qualified voters OF any
county or Senatorial District, neglect or
refuse to send delegates to the Legislature,
there is no power TO compel them. ma
ioritv of those duly elected constitutes {"
quorum for doing business, and the FEEDER
nj Constitution requires no increased ma
iority Ia give the consent for erecting
new State.
The Legislature at Wheeling then was
the constitutional Legislature of Virginia.
and rs such was fully competent to pass
hws legally binding on the whote Stat;
a. competent to consent to the erection OF
a new State, within the meaning of the
Federal Constitution as TO elect Senators
t. the United States Senate or accept the
States quota of the surplus revenue, or
OTHER acts which the Federal Government
has recognized and acted upon in the most
solemn and uncquivOcal manner. And. in
fact. the Federal Government would be
stopped in Il court of law or equity to i'm
peach the legislative transaction, which
rs highest law officer in the letter before
mentioned. states to be violation Of both
State and Federal Constitution.
The distinction taken by Mr.. Polsley in
his opposition to the measure, was that al
though tho Government at Wheeling was
the governme. t and de jHrc, it could not
he considered so de fret" throughout the
State as the eastern portion was not rep
resented. There can be no ground for this
distinction For if it is the government
de- jurc. as Mr. p. admits it to be. then it
is all the Federal Constitution requires to
give the necessary consent. And, II not
the government he .tacto, we should like to
have Mr. Polslcy fix the number of countic,
in the East or other portions of the States
short of the whole lac would require 10 be
represented in order to raise it to that dig
nifty. If the reply be majority of IL"
loyai voters Of VirSinin, we answer that
majority we already have.
Above all, when we consider the deep
gulf of revolution and ruin the rebels have
plunged the State into, regardless OF our
warnings and cntreatics as well ms consti-
tntiouS and laws, both human and Divine.
the great law of representation would, OF
itself, Justify almost any measure TO rescue
and save true Union mcH
Whoever would. in these times, inter
pose exceptions to the manner the seats OF
the rebel officers are declared vacant, or
others of Il like technical character, would
ndict and punish the loyal passengers of Il
ship for cu,finy instead of W";icin9 the LASH
n"s of the Iifc-boat. whilst the officers
and crew, having turned piTltcs, and in
mad rcvclry were steering the shiptO the
certain destruction ofa,l on board.
We shall speak of the crPedjcm"Y of the
measure in our next p.
Cabcll Co, Va, Sept. ., 1851.