Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-03-15
The Present Duty TIA regard TO the
New C0natlGuIl0n.

ton.
The Present Duty in regard 10 the
New COnstlIutI0n.
Editors Iatsljgeaesr:
Time is flying, and with it our opportu.
mites for lAbOrinE 10 behalf of our New
State. have not the vanity to suppose
that IL bear up the pillars of it," vet as
have an humble citizenship within its bor-
! ders, and common interest with others
concerned, l may, perhaps, be pardOned for
giving mine opinion also" The Cousti-
tuition that our Convention has presented
to US, it may safely be presumed will Sc
cure the suffrage of tUeTy frieRd Of a Ne1p
STATE, whatever may be his prOcliVities in
regard to the colored race. IL he be AN ad.
vOcate of slavery. he has 10 the New Con-
sIiIuIiOu, all the protection that is now to be
found in the Code of Virginia-aud sureIy
none could desire mOrs-if he be in favor of
| gradual emancipation there is ample pro-
| vision made in the instrument itself, With
out resOrting to the !drIy HlGehiReTy of =
Convention for its amendment, not only in
regard to slavery but in any and every 9TH
er particular that may be desired: SO that
slavery and every other subject of law,
stand in the same position thar they have
always occupied under our representative
goTernment-'hs creatures Of hs popular
| triH
l therefore conclude that all who will
vote against the new Constitution at the
approaching election, may be fairly regar-
ded IS enemies To the new State, aud TAX
ing the vote of the 24th of October last on
substantially the same question as u vote
for judging, they will be "few and far be-
tween"
While, however, our Convention may
have presented Constitution that ends
general favor under the circumstances with
tue people, there Are many who entertain
doubts, and naRy more who feel distrsssRg
JteaTs, that their work may not meet apprO-
val in Congress; and thai such event be.
f0rethe Convention could be re-assembled
aud induced TO remove the obstacle, aud
then to refer it again to a vote of the PEG.
| Pile, and still afterwards to re-convene the
Legislature aud obtain its consent, thus
doubling all our expenses and risks, that
the condition of public affairs may have
been so changed as TO make il impossi-
BILE Tor us TO obtain she consent of a Leg
stature that may then exist, and Ihusleaye
US To take up the bitter and unavAiI.
ing Lamentations: "The harvest is mast,
the summer is ended, and we are
not saVedl' Saved from what9-
/ from the faugs Of an enemy in the Old
Dominion, lashe,l into unatterabIe fury bv
the hopeless failure and despair of the
mosIdiabolieal and objectionable rebellion
that ever disgraeed human ambition OF
stained the page of history, Not saved
from IheS:clntches Of a foe maddened by de.
feat and made more furious by the destruc-
ton of their country by the tread OF war.
the slaughter of thoiC sons and kinsmen,
aud all the other cruelties of BLOODY war,
might still have power TO compel MS to
contribute q much larger relative proper
ton than ever before towards pairing the
expenses of this var against ourselves, and
| also for all the niGgerS that may have been
lost during the var.
Could anything be more reTOlIiuE to the
spirit Of the loyal West! Yet this and
worse will be our doom If We shall fail in
cur new State, and be compelled to fan
back into the power of our old taskmasters,
II was not 70 be urged that they would
change their policy towards The West, for
their slave interest would secure the same
Interest in the Valley and SOuthWest, which
combined would rule over rs I'd tsfAItuul.
Even the few slaves and SHAREHOLDERS that
are found in West Virginia are
already potent for eTil, and have
already jeoParai1ed the best interests OF
more Than nineteen-tEentieLhs of our peo-
pie! This power, small a. it is numeri-
cally, this day hangs like pail of death
over orr prospects, Aside from it, We
think our course EOaIl be clear. How
then could Ue ever expect TO cope With the
colossal power Of ass, 600 slaves and their
masters, il We are now crippled and routed
By 5,oooE The hope aud all professions
fer It are simply absnrdI Go,r is the time,
As itseems to me, for all the friends Of the
new State 70 mite and pat forth all their
efforts 10 give our eanse more promise in
COngress-Ee take 1t for Eranted Ihat All
saeh will vote for the COasliIuIiOn-aDd
re hope that all viii also send up 10 Con
greSS ad expression Of this will on the rez-
J ed 9Gsstisa-
Since our Commissioners are slOE in
moving il This matter, and perhaps may
aet Al ALI steps are nov being taken 70 give
All the voters in this part of the STATE, il
possible, Al The election On the 3rl Of April,
AFTER they shall have voted on the COasti-
tntio1, 70 vote fer or sSGfusf free State
by grAauGf4nd peaceful means--tSe pOlls
TO be kept AID eeEtihed By Aseparaae risrf.
and re cordially iRTite ever eouayr taeo-
operate IA their OW1 way 70 TIE sane e.
/ feet UTIor
PnsItan Csuay. Nsrek IL, 1884.
AEen,lenAu direet NON Memphis, Who
sPent several days thele LATELY, Gssares Tie
!