Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-05-20
The Western VirglnIa Convention,
Tho Result and tho Prospect.

w AGAoG ~ SUlNA BY SNAo GAaAt4GARkAUus
The Western VirglnIa Conventions.
The Result and tho Prospect.
[FIos1 the Cipeiaaati Commercially
The secession of Virginia, although not
yet couEnmmated, has given = fresh itnpulse
10 design long entertained by many of
Ibe most Intelligent citizens Of Western
Virginia, to separate that section from the
State. Aside from the manifest equality
of commencing to the lips Of the Seces-
tioutsts the ingredients of their own chnl-
ice. this measure is capable of being sup
posed onits own merits. BY the most CO.
gent reasons. In the 6Fst place, Western
Virginia Is, if not almost unanimously for
tue Union, at least so firmly attached to
It's authorities and perpetnity rs to render
its loyalty cettaiu-whAtever the State
may do.
In the second place the geographical
position Of large share Of Western Vir.
ginia attaches it naturally to the North,
while its commercial intercourse is almost
wholly cou6ued to regions outside of Yir-
ginih.
In the third place, the Inhabitants of
Western Virginia have little sympathy,
either of hluo,l, of institution, or of ocrn-
patton, with the Eastern and Southern por-
tiOns. They are bard working, miuing,
manufacturing and agricultural people
almost without slaves. They have little or
none of tue senscless pride of family Of
the etfete race of r. F. VS., but arc vig-
OrOuSr apd Industrious race, proud of la
Dor, and hating the aTistoorG;s who despiss
them in return.
Ia tue fourth place, the people of West
srn Virginia have been always nude the
victims of the legislative favoritisnl in that
State, taxes them enormously aud dispr0-
portioRutely to build up local interests Ia
E"stern Virginia, and ncglerting wholly
those OF Western.
In the fifth place, the State is saddle,l
with an enormous debt of almost nm mil
Hons, and its credit is baukrupt-,llI owing
| to the mismanAgement and down hill pO!itie
ciansUf Eastern YirginiAns in Office while
thPyoung and vigorous WcstisleGtwith the
Incubus uponit Of having to foot the bills
which Il never contracted.
Inthelast place, comes the crowRingin.
justice and iOfnmy lorg submitted tm,
OF suffering SLAVE owning nnboos TO escape
taxation on The larger portion Of their
property, while the freemen ofIhe West
pay onSroas taxes on every dollar they
own. - -
On all these gro6uds. the people of the
Northwestern purtiOu of Virginia, Just in
| proportion TO their intelligence, desire a
peacehbie separation from the rest OF the
.Smte, md to work out the problemoF pub
| lie welfare in their own way. The late
Wheeling Convention was the first impor-
tAnt public demonstration designed TO
| give expression to this feeling. Added to
all the chronic. causes of dissatisfaction,
came now the pressure OF Immediate fear
of invasion aud subjugAtion- by the sol.
diers of the Confederdte nSilrpatiOn.
Inthis situation Of affairs, it is NOT sur
/ Prising that the failure OF the Convention
to give its sanction TO any positive or inn
medinte plan Of separation should disap-
point many Of the earnest friends of that
measure. There appears to hare hnen a
very dtspuportionNte amount of el00uehce
expended in the Convention upon the dam
gerwbich lheyVonld incurfrom committing
treason. The number and variety OF alIu.
stons in the speeches to hanging, halter
and hemp, as the probable reward Of ex
ercising the bold resolvezof recurring to
their original rights, and throwing off
all allegiance to the perjured and uncon-
stttuttonHi Government NJ Richmond, is
Il certainly surprising. That gentlemen
should be SO afraid Of revolution, who have
just been plunged by an utter usuFpntion
into revolution the most StupendOus and
dangerous to their liberties, indicates a
degree of tenler-footedhess which is not
Indicative of tbs highest qualities of cour-
age. II The doinGsof that which aii pro-
Sialm their wish to do, is treason and rev
olutton, Is not the mischief rlrcady done,
aud the gailt already incurredR 1t strikes
US that tho separatiOnists OF. Western Vir-
gInta, hy the very fact that their Conyen-
ton, are in so far, that TO return Is no more
easy than 10 go Ger.
i me either fears his f.t. tOo ulueh,
VI his ieseFts are email,
Il VINO tears 70 nut it to the touch,
TO win Or lose 1t ALL
Dnt We are we'll assured ;hat tho Tnion
men Of Western Virginia will soon be. II
they are not now, fully up 10 the mark of
the, action which their interests in the
Union imperutively demand. We are AS.
sureS= that the mass of the Convention were
ia reality far ahesd of most Of the leaders.
In the desire for prompt and decisive &c
'ion. But they yielded Difference to the
politicians and lawyers Of the body, which
ie common with men who dfstrust their
own knowledge, and are new ia taking the
Eesponsi6ility Of dealing with affairs OF
L would appear to De plain case, re.
qulrtuE No special logical acumeu to per.
serve, or political sagaeity to apply, that
sSts.Sy " tas HoEernmcut OF the United
states Ia the present posture Of affairs, Is
reason 70 the Go eminent of Virginia
ana otee eersd. All that tue men of Western
Virginia hase to determine Is, whether tbey
( viii prove faithful to the Union. or tbrog
themselves into the arms OF Jef.. Davis
Gan there be the slightest doubt as TO The
deter'nluatipnso OF the question: Aud why
Esnaald II be 5efpgged with Iechnicalities
about treasoa allegiance and the Consti.
tuition. when they are already plunged into
tng Jaws OF reFolulton-and when no revri.
lation ever. VAS or is expected 70 be con.
stitnsionai. ~