Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-08-26


constant applications for information upon
points discussed in the premises, General
Rosecrans has issued the following procla-
nation, viz:
HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION,
WESTERN VIRGINIA,
CLARKsBURG, August 20, 1861.
To the Loyal Inhabitants of Western Viryfr-
ia:
You nre the vast majority of the people.
If the principle of selfgOvernment is to be
respected, you have right to stand in the
position YOU have assumed. faithful to the
constitution and laws of Virginl" rs they
were before the ordinance OF secession.
The Confederates have determined Mt all
hazards TO destroy the Government which,
for eighty years, has defended our rights
and given US a name among the nations.
Contrary to your interests andyour wishes,
they have brought war upon your SOIL
Their tools and dupcs told you you must
vote for secession as the only means to en-
sure peace that unless you did so, hordes
of Abolitionists would overrun you, plum
der your property, steal your slaves, abuse
your wives and daughters, seize upon your
lands, and hang all those who opposed
them.
By these and other atrocious falsehoods
they alarmed you, and led many honest
and unsnspecting citizens to vote for Sc
cession. Neither threats, nor fabricNtions,
nor in1imidations, sufiiced to carry West
ern Virginia, against the interests and
wishes of its people, into the arms OF Sc
cession.
Enraged that you dared to disobey their
behests, Eastern Virginians, who had been
accustomed 20 rule you and count your
votes, and ambitious recreants from among
yourselves, disappointed that you would
not make good their promises, have con-
spired to tie you to the desperate fortunes
of the Contederacv or drive you from your
homes.
Between submission to them and subju-
CATION or expulsion, they leave you no al
tentative. You say you do not wish to
destroy the old government under which
YOU have lived so long aud peacefully; they
saw YOU shall break it up. You say you
wish 10 remain citizens of the United
States; they reply, you shall join the
Southern Confcderacy, to which the Rich
mond iunta has transferred you, and to
carry their will, their jenkins, Wise, Jack
son, and other conspirators, proclaim upon
your soil relentless and ncighborhood
war; their misguided or unprincipled fol-
lowers re-echo their cry, threatening fire
and sword, hanging and expulsion to all
who oppose their arbitrary designs. They
have set neighborhood against neighbOr-
hood and friend against friend; they have
introduced among you warfare only known
among savages. In violation OF the laws
of nations and humanity, they have pro
claimed that private citizens may and
ought to make war.
Under this bloody code, peaceful cltI-
zens ,unnrmed travellers, and single soldiers,
| 1, oh Il and the wOnuN-
ed and defenseleSs have been killed; seal
ping their victims is all that is wanting
| to make their warfare like that which sew
enty or eighty years ago WAS w"ged by tue
Indians against the white race on this very
ground You have nOaltcrnativcs leftu 80
but to unite as one man in the defense OF
your homes, for the restoration of law and
order, or be subjugated or expelled from the
soil.
| | therefore earnestly exhort you to take
the most prompt and vigorous measures to
put n stop to neIghborhOod and private wars
you must remember that the LawS IS suspend
cd in Eastern Virginia, ,chich has TRANSFERRED
itself to The Southern COafederdcy. The old
Constitution and laws of Virginia are on
| ly in force in Western Virginia. These
! laws you must maintain.
Let every citizen, without reference to
past political opinions, unite with his
ncighbors, to keep these laws in operation,
and thus prevent the country from being
desolated By plumber aud violence, wheth-
err committed in the name of Secessionism
| or UnioniSm.
coniure all those who have hitherto ad-
vocatcd the doctrine Of SeceSsionism rs
political opinion, to consider that now ats
airocacy means tcar against the peace and IN
terests Of Western Virginia: it is an invita-
ton to the Southern Contederates to come
in and subdue you, and proglalms that
there can be no law nor right until this IS
done.
Ny mission among you is that of II fell
low citizen, charged by the Government to
expel the arbitrary force which dOmineered
over you, to restore that law and order, of
which you have been robbed, and to main
tain your right to govern yourselves under
the Constitution and Laws of the United
States.
To put an end to the savage war waged
by individuals who without warrant OF
military authority, Turk in the bushes and
waylay messengers, shoot sentries,
shall be obliged to hold the neighborhood
in which these outrages are committed rs
responsible, and unless they raise the hue
and cry and pursue the offenders, deal
with them as accessories to the crime.
Unarmed and peaceful citizens shall be
protected the rights of private property
respected, and only those who are found
enemies of tue government Of the United
Suites and the peace of Western Virginia
will he disturbed. Of these shall requir e
absolute certainty that they will do no
mischief.
Puta stop to needless arrests and the
spread of malicious reports. Let each
town and district choose five of the most
reliable and energetic of their citizens rs a
committee of Public Safety, to act in con-
cert with the civil and military authorities
and be responsible for the preservation of
good order.