Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-03-14

by regiment of cavalry, they skedaddled,
leaving behind them about thirty killed
and wounded-Our loss, four killed and
fifteen wounded. The stars aud stripes
now float over the place. to the great de-
light of the inhabitants, the despatch says
Nhs PresIdent's Message and the New
The friends OF new State in West vir-
ginia see much to encourage them in the
almost universal favor with which the
Presidents late Recommendation in regard
TO cooperation by the government
with the border slave States, for the eman-
ciPatiOn of slavery in their borders, has
been received.
The first States that will propose to be
thus aided will probably be West Virginia
and MArYIand-POsstbly Missouri before
Maryland. Little Delaware will hug the
skeleton longer than either of them, and
it will be a good while before Kentucky
will be educated up to the point of seek
ing prosperity through the channels of
free white labor and enterprise.
But to Western Virginia particularly this
generous proposal will be real boon.
Here We are. people of energy, aud un-
limited resources if We do but invoke the
aid of capital to develOpe them long since
convinced that all our interests are in a
free State; with a slave population in
some sections almost totally extinct and
in the whole of our boundary numerically
small, but which, small as it is, yet sus-
tains a political element that effectually
rules, even in these stormy times when all
the old aud beaten paths of thinking and
acting are abandoned, majority of the
leaders of our people. Within one month
We have had the most indubitable evidence
Of this last assertion. in the action of the
Convention of West Virginia, which not
only refused to incorporate in that instru-
msut a provision to rid its people of what
they have so long sought to be rid of, but
even refused to permit those people an
opportunity Of saying what they desired
in the mRtler-thus ignoring their people
altogether and arrOgating to themselves
all the sovereignty of the new State.
We all know that such Constitution
making, aud such refusal to let vote be
taken independently of the Consultation,
is simply the result of that Difference to
an arrogant political sentiment created
aud upheld by the presence amongst US Of
the forlorn remnant of this political FATHER
than domestic) institution, the same as that
which has inspired the legislation at Rich
mOnd throughout the whole history OF this
Statei and not the result of any Difference
to the principles and wishes of the mud :
stills" the white laboriug men, the farmers,
and mechanics and merchants of West
Virginia, who constitute three.fOurths OF its
voting population.
1t was for self-perpetuatiou that the rep
resentatives Of this element labored in the
Convention. 1t is for the same that they
are now striving to mould public senti-
meut amongst US by reViving the old and
StereotyPed cry OF ''Abolition." 1t is not
that they have any heart in the matter,
much less any direct interest; but it is a
political stock in trade which they cannot
afford to lose, for when it is gone their oc-
eupadOn is gone. 1t is the use of this in
stitution among us as a political engine
that makes It such curse: and il Is for
that reason the citizens of West Virginia
want TO be freed of it; for then they win be
freed from that class OF politicians who
hang to its faccid limbs like leeches. and
who, 70 effect their purposes, raise the
howl of ''abolitiou" over the heads Of all
who differ from them about political. meas
ures. It's from the unequal aud uuius,
legislation essential to keep these men in
power, from the wrongs inflicted by such
legislation, and the poverty and ruin grow
ing out Of it, that they ask to be delivered.
For people who have been thwarted
in an earnest desire TO secure action that
would better their condition beyond any
contingency, the best thing to be done is
to do the best they can under the circnm-
stances. Until recently it did not appear
that much could be done, for it seemed to
be universally conceded that Congress
would refuse admission to the new State,
without q positive enactment in the Con-
stitutiOu of proposed emancipation. The
great favor with which President Lineoln,s
recent suggestion has been received in aud
ont Of Congress, raises the hope that Con-
gresS may consent 70 receive rs with our
Constitution as it is, If any general ex-
pressiOn Of the PoOple to be admitted, can
assure them that the Legislature Of the new
State would promptly do what the Con-
ysntion did not do.
II they are len TO suppose that the ac-
don OF the Convention on the question. OF
emancipation IN the new State reflected