Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-02-02

NOtieeS for Political Meetings tObo charged In Al
StaeS 1S q inli RATES. = - t--i-'t-'
ssrm6ns, 90 cents zach. ET7T novIII'6e
WIIERE' sHALLz THE BORDER
0gFe STATES GOis
The State OF SvirEinIa--TVhat- she
m9ignt 9ig nave been but for Slavery
~ aeE 81 fseouEcesi ESQ., compared with those
ern 'OonfederaeyN would effect her.
BY general consent the Border States
hold in their hands the secession move.
ment. Should they refuse to join it, it
falls OF its own weakness. Should they
heartily and permanently make common
cause with 1t, the destruction of the Con-
tederacy could hardly be averted,
There can'be no doubt that hese States
have higher stakes than any others in the
issne; nor that, their, interests lead them
lNorM instend OF, South, in case Of disso-
llutioni Togo with tue Gulf States. would
be for Virginia an uumixed evil, destroy
ing the value of the great property Of the
State, Gripping her resources, paralyzing.
her Industries, and adding immensely to
the heavy burdens of an already over.
taxed people. The Cotton States do not
really want Virginia, as Appointment mem-
Der, however much they may wish to have
ietipresent couniSnansc, as she must be
potent element of discOrd, should she join
them.
Experience has fully proved that Virgin
IL has no more room for slaves. Their
number in the State has increased from
1880 to 1860, from 469, 900 to f495 900, or
at the rate of about five percent. for thirty
gears. Slave labor in this State by no
means increases In ratio to the amount of
new land brOpgiit iut0 cultivation, The
m0rOR0k fhia fnllNs
will Immediately. begintO decrease. Viz
Einia, therefore, has no more room for
slaves. Ifthe slave trade should be open
ed it would not add one to her present
number, except SO ftr us it would check
the expectation to other States. This is
the sEery thing thEt .Nirgi htai has most 10
fenr. The opening OF tliis trade would
strike a fatal blow at the value of property
wtiirh she consid ders worth at least $780,
O0O,000i and the yearly exportation of
which producPssqt least $4,000, 900. To
retain thesnumber OF slaves annually ex-
ported, would oyerstork her own market,
and largely reduces the aggregate value Of
the slaves in the State, notwithstanding
their greatly increased numbers. Virginia
considers ii Indispensable TO retain tile
monopoly of supplying the new States
with negroes. The cryion the other hand,
from those States is cheap labor, which
they fancy they can get only by opening
the slave trade.
If, therefore, it he the interest of vir-
ginia to maintain Slavery, this is only
possible in the Union. Out of it, the price
of slaves would fall to degree that would
renderthe whole institution nanincnmbrance
not worth maintaining. IncRse Of dissolu-
all out Ofthe State in cOmparatiyeIysh short
time. Should Virginia join the, Southern
ContederAcy, a conflict of interest would
leave her without position or influence,
even while she retained her slaves, aud an
object of. aversion and distrust, MS. she
would lose them to degree TO show she
must eventually become a FREQ State
The alternative consequently presented is,
whether she shall change her position as
the most central and Influential State in
the present Confcderacy, or become an
uuwelcOmc and inspected member in one
to which all her interests are hostile, aud
which must be without strength, dignity
or power stH4
Bnt, while Virginia has mo more room
for slaves, she has stttl b5undIess room for
freedom, AS man EisSEhe most valuable
produet of society, the excellence of its
institutions and industries arc to be meas.
ured; in exact ito of their tendency TO
promote increase of numbers, assuming, of
course, corresponding increase in the
mems for their support. This is stand-
ard universally acknowledged. andaaby.
none moreXcmPhHttcqlly than Nirgtnin.-
AS. a means of increasing erfpopnlatiani
and wealth, she has Incurred debt of
nearly $40, ,OoO, ,O0O, which She proposes
greatly to Increase before the completion
of her system. By means Of these works
she hopes % develop the bonnhl less wealth
that lies hid IN her. soul, to turn to use heEi
vast water pow Ver; and 20 build up depots of,