Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-04-29
The Fresmell OF virginia.


lProm the n. Y. POat.l
OF the one hundred aud tforty-tbree
counties of Virginia, seventy. two are west
OF the Blue Ridge, and sbeventy-one east.
The Western poEttOnofthe State outnum-
bers the eastern in white population, nv Mt
least one hundred thousand, and has less
tnau one nth of the slaves In the conn
ties west of the Allcghanies-more tbnn
thrPe.quarters of-thOse west Of the Bine
Rtdge-the census shows n decrease in
the number OF slaves. The nature of this
portion of the State makes slavery unpro.
htablo, and offers such Inducements 10 free
labor that in the last ten:years many thou
sands of freemen have made their homes
and are gradually but surely pushing slu-
very out. tits region rich in minerals.
Vast fields of coal and iron here wait the
advent OF free lnbOr to develop their rich-
es. It's soliis not suited to slMve labor.
us splendid pastures are only profitable to
Ireemen. who have already possession of
them. rue people of this region pay the,
much greater part of the taxes of the
State. They possess the virgin so;Is and
the vast mineral riches their repion il
prosPering, while the east year 6y wear
declines; and every year sees these free
men OF Western Virginia bearing more
aud more of the burden Of taxation, while
tho Shareholders of tie east bear less. II
is easy to say what will be their fate If
they are dragged ont of the Union II
will be a deailly blow Mt everything which
ms mide them prosperous, fntelligent
and wealthy people.
Every interest binds these six hundred
Thousand Western Yirginians to tho Union.
and the Consultation. Those who know
them sny they are loyal to a man; They
cannot afford to be trnit0rs-but neither
can they aitnrs to be oyerridden by mi
nority of traitorOus shareholders. who will.
lin the end make them, the free Ia
borers and free farmers of the west, bear
the burden of heavy taxation to defrny the
expenses of the traitors.
It's time for them TO let stheir loynIity
10 seen. They. lave suffered themselyeS
70 be bullied by ox-Presilsnt rTylcr. ex-.
Governor Wise, ex.Secretary Fioyd. and
the handful of determined tfnitoTs wbo,
backed thcmkin the Convention ana ont NJ.
OF IT, Let them now show themselves
men. The time for talk lIas gone by.-
Rebels are pushing treason at The poi6t of
the sword, mud loyalmen must not hesitate
to meet them in arms.
Virginia. By the iEfatuations Of her own
sons, Is about toEbecome the unhanpv5
battle field Of this war; and our troons
mn5t know who are friends aud who foes.
It's their battle We are fighting, zas well
as our oWni their liberties are menaced
even more than ourB. What we gain by.
constitutional government thoy willtraiI.;
II does not beiit the Uniouslovinp men Of,
the Old Dominion to stand idIy whiting.
or ignoblyito shirk tho issue which traitors
haze forced upon them and us alike.
Let them declare themselrss, and take.
mea snFss -for their own defence. They
must not longer waste words. They must
organize for united effort, and when they
meet It mnst be arms in hand. Their.
Governor has proGed recreant 70 his trust.
y y Is the psrt Of loyal men to gather to
the defence of the laws aud TO conquer the
handful Of traitors in their midst. We
hear already from Norfolk and other towns
Of Union societies. Let the good work 20
opi and let them not rest content with
stopping treason In their villages The
traitora hold Richmond, which Is, ON ac-,
count OF its founderirs, at present one of
the most important points ofthe State
Richmond must be held by loyal men; that.
not another gun or shot may 20 thence to
arm the rebels.
II the loyal men of Virginia need arms,
the government will supply them. II they
need help. a hundred tbousapd patriots
are Fastening to their bordcr They must
! &hfA RnuFn6a nd me- - - ~