Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-06-16
" o r c E S T E R:
New virginia-"The Nations PrOpOs"I.''


New virginia-"The Nations PrOPOs"I.'
The application Of the people OF West Nlr-
-ginia to be allowed to set up as an independent
state is Iikely to receive, the favorable consid-
Grafton of congress When the dominant east
plunged the state into secession the people
west of the AIleghanies refused to follow-re-
naming loyal against the Establishments OF
traitors in their midst, and the resistance OF
traitors who were sent over in arms to COM
pei them 90 submit, They sacrificed much in
material prosperity; their homes were in
many places desolated; but they still rallied,
as in every loyal state, to the defence of the
old flag. In the meantime they have organ
lied the machinery Of new commonwealth,
formed a new constitution, and sent it with
the popular approval for the ratification of the
highest authority,
The .expediency OF dividing the STATE of
Virginia has been agitated for many years, the
east, with its great advantages of wealth and
representation, always overriding the west
1t is claimed that the west, with a majority Of
the white population of the state, has minor
ity representation in the Legislature, and is OPP
pressively taxed 1lnder laws framed by the
majority 10 faver slave property, which con-
stitutes the great part OF the wealth of the
east. No slave, whatever his value in the
market, can be valued over $500 for purposes
of taxation, and no slave under twelve years
of age can be taxed at all, In this way two
hundred millions of slave property is ex-
empted, owned almost exclusively in the
valley and the east, while every other
species Of property is taxed to its full
value. White labor, land cultivated by its
owners, every enterprise by which individuals
get food for their families, has for years under
their unequal laws paid tribute to the slave
power. There has also been for eighty years
an oppressive land law under which lands
west of the Alleghanies have been treated as
''waste and unappropriated; and has been
sold and resold till the whole country has
been shingled over five or six patents deep;
on all of which taxes are vigorously exacted.
And while the legislature has often exonerated
lands in the east from taxation, it is alleged
that such an act of clemency and favor was
never shown to the west.
These are some of the expressions on ac-
count of which they ask to be released from
the old state incubus, and start in business on
their own resources. In an earnest and Wig
orous appeal to congress in behalf of the loyal
people of West Yirginia-written by Granville
Parker, Esq, former citizen of Worcester,
and well known to many Of our citizens
they submit the following proposition Con
gress shall pass an act at its present session,
giving its consent to the division and admis-
sion of West Virginia, to take effect ichen the
qualified UoteTS thereof shall accept the 'nG-
tion'S proposal" made pursuant to the recon"
mendation of the president on the
sixth of March, in relation to the eman-
cipation of, and compensation for the
few slaves Of loyal men now remaining within
its limits, not exceeding two thousand in
number. This would place the whole matter
beyond the repeating power of any unfriendly
state legislature, and it is strongly believed
would receive the appreciation of nearly the
whole of her people. The ''appeal" concludes
with the following sensible and healthy para.
graphs =
Compare West Virginia as she as with what
she nlight hare been if she had been free from
the oppression and thraldom of an accursed
slave oligarchy and its minions. Her salu-
brious climate, fine streams, and fertile soil,
early attracted the attention Of Washington
and his copatriots. Soon after the Revolution
they patented and attempted a settlement of
large portion of her land Their great intu-
ence and combined efforts were directed to
that end. The great free west was then, and
for long time afterwards, an unbroken will
derness; and still the tide of emigration
and capital has flowed from the east to the
west, veeTing around our repulsive border, as
the mighty river bends its course around the
repellant features OF the projecting rock, UNI
iii it has filed up the vast valley with states
imperial, reached the base of the Rocky
Mountains, and sent back its refuent wave;
nay, it has o'er-leaped that stern barrier,
peopled the land Of gold, and is fast
filling up the whole Pacific slope. And
where is West Virginia? Comparatively
a wilderness still! Look on either side Of
our beautiful Ohio. On the one hand is a
thrifty, happy, and loyal people. Their hills
covered with green pastures, and waving
grain, are worth from $15 to $40 per acre;
on the other side, we find similar hills, but
they are still in a great measure covered with
primeyal forests, and worth from so cents TO
81 per acre, and large portion Of her people,
roaming bands of marauding guerrillas, mad
with treason, and seeking whom they
may devour." Your own minds can run
out the contrast and assign the cause.
If disenthralled and permitted
10 set up for himself, West Virginia will
at once "spring forth into newness Of life,
with JOY and FREEDOM in her wings"-to bless
and be blessed; but if remanded to her worse
than former bondage and chains, the young
and loyal west, bound indissoluby 10 the dis
loyal and now self.imn1olated east, the living
Hindoo widow bound to the corpse of her de-
ceased husband, she viii become lost to the
country and no pen can adequately describe
the anguish and utter dispair that will settle
with crushing weight upon the hearts Of her
loyal people. But we know that some timely
octlon OF your body will save us from such
fate.
Fighting i'm Gloves.
The house of representatives last week