Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-05-08

An Important Statement.
We publish on our first page an impor-
taut dispatch to the New York Times, con-
corning the objects of the French Minis
ter's visit to Richmond. We are led to be-
Iieve, from tue importance that the Times
editorially attaches to the statement, that
there is something in it.
john Lstcher's Past and Present Re
cord.
Some friend has sent us copy of the
Richmond Examiner, captured by our
troops in the Valley, containing copy of
Letcher's guerrilla proclamation, in which
he calls upon the people of this county aud
the adjoining counties above and below, TO
form themselves into guerrilla squads, at
ter the style of old Fighters crowd, aud
from ambush and ambuscade assassiuate
and way-lny Union troops. In this proc
lamntiOn he also takes occasion to advert
to our West Virginia movement out here,
and to stigrnatize those engaged in it as
traitors and miscreants. In order that
Letcher's proclamation may have its full
weight with secessionists, ami appear to
all possible advantage in the eyes of those
to whom it is addressed, We shall call up
fact or two of interest connected with
his record not many years back.
In ls47, in the town of Lexington, in
Rockingham county, in the Valley, DR..
Henry Ruffuer, an. eminent native citizen
of this State, issued his famous pamphlet
tue same being au address ''to the people
OF West Virginia, . advising them to do just
what they are doing now, viz: take steps
for gradual emancipation. The pamphlet
was first delivered to the public in the
form of an address, and among the auditors
were John Leteher, Samuel Mcdowell
Moore, aud nine other very prominent cit
liens OF the Valley. These gentlemen were
So struck with the address that immediate
~ after its delivery they wrote letter
to De. Ruffner. calling on him To issue it in
pamphlet form, for the reason that they be-
lieved that the arguments were "not only
able but unanswerable" and calculated to
bring "lLs public mind to correct con-
ciusion" concerning the slave question
This address, as We stated, was issued
in Is47, aud along with i. is appended the
endorsement of John Letcher, recommend
ing it to the study and adoption of the
people of West Virginia At that time
Leirher was over forty years of age, and of
course no apOlogist of his will say that he
was not of matured mind This being
conceded, we want to call public attention
to au extract or two from the Ruffaer
pamphlet. For further substautiatiOn of
this record we may say that we write with
one of the original pamphlets before us. 1t
is perhaps the only one in this vicinity, and
ii WAS sent to Us by Dr. Ruffner himself, a
few weeks before his death, together with
letter concerning the facts SO elAborAtely
argued in the pamphlet.
The pamphlet contains forty pages of
solid facts aud arguments. 1t is replete
with interest for the people of West vir-
GINA, from the preface to the conelusiOni-
but the following statement has local in
terest, at this time, in addition to the i'm
portznce which it derives from the fact
that we are now acting upon the advice
which John Letcher gave US in ls47, and
from the additional fact that because of
our so acting, Letcher stigmatizes US in his
proclamation, and calls upon his miuious
to hunt and sssassinate our soldiers.
West Virginia had, in 1870, as good
natural resources, in every respect, for
making iron, as West Pennsylvania. Yet,
according to the census of 1910, (When no
stOne-coaI was used in iron furnaces
West Virginia made only $500 tons Of
cast aud bar iron per year when Pennsyl-
vania made ZIG, $50 tons. The value of
the West Virginia iron was $5l5, 900, that
of West Pennsylvania iron was 81, 763, 900.
The West Virginia iron masters made 40 per
cent on their capital, and $3.50 worth to the
hand, chiefly slaves. The West Pennsyl-
vania iron masters made log cent on their
capital, and $40 worth the hand, all free
laboreTs.
There is no sign of material error in the
census returns, from which we derive these
results and NO error can be supposed,
which would materially change them
The iron business has since increased in
West Virginia; it has increased vastly
more in West Pennsylvania.
If to the value of the cast and bar iron
of each county, We add the value of the
manufactures of iron and steel, of wool,
cotton aud leather, We get total of $780,
600 in West Virginia, and abOut So, 900, 600
in West Pennsylvania. The cost Of con-
structing new buildings amounted, in
West Virginia, to about one fourth Of what
it did in West PennsylYania; Indicating
an increase in wealth aud population at the
same comparative rate.
Manufactures make towns, and towns