Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-04-02


against secession. They see clearly enough
that slavery is not their normal state
Fhey are tull ofresources for free labor
undeveloped resources for immeasnrablc
opulence and enterprise. No Virginian
who knows anything abont the natural re-
sources of his State, can doubt that, with n
proper encouragement OF free labor. She
must soon take her stand among the fore.
most States of the Continent. She has
Teen rapidly tending to this The only
impeachment, for years, has been her slu-
very, aud this has been not so much ma
terial as n moral obstruction. There has
been room enough in her immense terrific
~, but the fact Of her classification as a
slave State has turned the hosts of emisra-
ton away from her to regions much more
distant-7nnch less inviting. So may we
remark OF Missouri, which is capable of
becoming the mightiest State of tlie West.
II not indeed, of the whole new world.
bopndless in her rrsouoces OF iron, lead,
agriculture, navigation, and central for tile
emPire of lie country. With her dimin-
ishipg slavery, what cOnSummate folly II
woald be for her to ally herself with a
Southern Cpnfederacy. based upon slavery,
and founded only for the promotion OF
slvaery. Her slavery has hitherto been
me only obstruction to tue greatness thar
is legitimate to her geographical position
and m1terial energies. II has turned the
currents of enfgrniion all around her. ex
cept toward the South; but the prospect of
her redemption, has, of late years tempted
thousands to settle within her limits WHO
Otherwise would never have crossed them.
Her day of greatness is at band il this
sperity IS unimpaired, but should She
JOIN the Southern Confederacy il is lost
lier Union with the secessionsts fixes her
character, character, and the westward march of emi-
grafton viii wheel away and pass her by,
to the North, and to the farther west.
In fnct, every material interest OF the
question is on one side, as rcspccts the
border States. To 60 southward is simnIy
suicidal for them. But IL more serious
eonsidcration remains-more certain of
the suicidal result of such a policy. By
secession tile border States necessarily cS
pose themselves TO two Consequences, one
of which will be inevitable. the other
highly probable, aud either fatal to the
very design of snch n policy. By leaving
the whole Union without further RESPONSE
bility for slavery, what will become of the
might've Slave law2 II will 20 by the
board; and not only this. hut all further
conservatism on the question will go with
It. An Intensified, an English abolition
ism will spread over all these States, rem
dered the more bitter ny recent rccollec-
ttons. John Brown raids may not then be
necessary, even to fanaticism itself. Slave
stamp2des will lie the amusenenls of the
day. 1T will not be long before the border
States will fiud themselves emancipatet.
but without Compensation, and ia the
anomalous position OF free States in a
slHveocratic goyerument-free States. and
yet, for their relation TO the South, avoided
by tue emigrant hosts which Otherwise
might people and enrich them.
This, we Believe, would be or inevitable
.resnH of their Secession. The other liza
biitty would be their exposure, in case of
war, as the probable battle-ground between
the North and the South. This they
would be liable to, without adhering 10
tue North or tue South, but not with equal
disadvantage. Adhcring to the North,
they are with the stronger power; strong
or IN all respects, but especially in uopula-
t!on-q oPHLdtion I1hich, inrths ne.t decade.
lriA. tslRalir az gits Ioss, " tgeR all he Stare
iStGfes @eeeae. VAndI-then, If, the border
States adhere to tue North, they would
not, in case of war. be liable to the loss of
their slaves byiinvasion from the Soutll
bnt that would be certain result of inyt-
sion from the North.
Any way, therefore, that this subject
can be contemplated, it presents bnt one
aspect to the sober observer. 1t wonld
not only be recreance To its noblest antecc-
dents not only an acCeptnuceof of men and
sentiments which the border has alwnvs
contemptuously,nnd justly denounced /; bur
It would be self:ruin for 1t to H6nndon the
flag OF the old Union.-N. !. Rorld.