Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-05-07


houses yesterday afternoon. Ii is almost
entirely devoted to the new State question,
aud. as will be seen, takes as strong aud
decided ground as the most ardent new
State man could desire.
$3.50
The Great Question Before the LesIs-
lHture.
Our Legislature is assembled to do Il
very plain work, aud ii is necessity OF
finance. as we'll as of principle. that they
should do their work with all possible dis
patch Western Virginia-Vhe new State
counties, which, for all practical purposes
are the whole State to-day)-is in no con-
dition to encourage long session, even
snpposing there was necessity for it
We have had during the year past, an I'M
natural number of public assemblages,
aud this, TOO, while our resources for meet
ing the expense of them have been most
uunaturaIly Frustrated. The recognized
Government has simply been, with very
minute exception, the Government of the
loyal counties of Western Virginia, and
they have had to foot the bills. This sort
OF thing can not last forever, and it must
soon have AN end in times like the present
and those to come. As our armies adj
vance. new counties are opened up to the
jurisdiction of the restored Government,
and it looks very well on paper to read the
fact, hut it looks very bad in figures to an
iutelligen, tax payer OF Western Virginia.
These new counties coming in, aud will
4 II,
the public treasury of our already deeply
blea people of West Virginia. Most of
thern ARE im the condition of the prOdigal,
who, after he had exhausted his means in
riotO0s living. was glad To come back TO
his faiher's house again. These counties
that are being restored, are meosurably
financial ciPhers, aud yet in all them the
machinery of Government has got to be
set in motion, aud to set that machinery in
motion and keep it in motion, is going to
take large sums of money at our expense.
BY the time We get the Valley, far up
as Stnunton, under the wings of our pro-
lection, we will fluid that we have got
considerable of an elephant in our keep
ing. The question is, what are we to do
aboutit it?
Several months ago West Virginia set
out to be new State. BY all justice she
should now have been State. She has
gone through enough voting, and excite
ment aud expense to have become State
But she is not State yet. The cup, like
the cup of Tantalus, passes to and fro right
under her lips, but not drop of water to
satisfy her longing desire has she tasted
yet. She has been in sight of the green
spot for months. but it is still beyond her
like retreating mirage, viii she ever
taste the cup or reach The green spot !?
That is the question.
Her last step looking to that result is
now to be taken. The present LegislN-
ture is called together to complete her part
of the necessary routine Already she has
voted three times upon the question OF
separate State, aud every time emphasize
ed her desire. She elected Convention
favorable to it, in the first instance. That
Convention submitted the question formal
Iy. aud the vote was overwhelmingly for a
new State. a second Convention, elected
incidentally with that vote, prepared and
submitted new State Constitution, and
that Constitution was, in its turn likewise
Overwhelmingly ratified.
And now comes the last act in the drama
the consent, and not only the consent,
but the cooperation Of the Legislature
Shall we have that consent and co-opera-
ton in hearty good faith? tits necessity
of the programme that we should. Under
ordinary circumstances a supple consent of
the Legislature TO the formation of the new
State would be all that was required, for
simple consent is all that the Constitution
OF tie United States calls for. The situa-
ton, however, demands more, aud for this
reason: Congress will look narrowly at the
manner aud style of the consent. Had We
had such Constitution as the people de-
manded, the work of admission would have
been easily accomplished. As it is, it will
be exceedingly difficult. We have asked
Congress to do something in the last de-
gree distastetul to their constituents.
We have asked them to divide slave State
aud make two out oft, aud double its rep
reservation in the United States SEN
ate. And this, too, when the world
understands that it is the past political
power aud the present unhOly political am
bitiou of slavery for more power, that is at
the bottom of the gigantic conspiracy to
overturn the republic. And this, too
when the people Of the free States, through
their papers, warned US of what We might
expect if We came to them with our present
Constitution. Verify, We have difficult
task before us.
.BTIiTBqasTaa aI8y