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


Of sermons, 50 cents each. nonvii-'59
Who Is ResponS Ible for the suppress
sion OF the "GrRduRl Emancipation
ClRuselo
Editors Intslligencs:-
We received yesterday, through the
kindness of our friend from Marion, a copy
Of the Fairmont National, new and pro.
missing loyal paper, the matter and spiri!
Of which are quite up to the "living pres
ent-" We wish 1t success, and our friend
many happy days under the old flag which
never fails to inspire him.
We wish that We could believe with
"H. H." "that twenty millions are now
waiting, waiting with the greatest anxiety,
to place you" (the new State) "among the
stars as the thirty-fifth State of the
Union."
The press of tue country, with scarcely
an exception, declare that the new State
stands no chance with Congress without
the "Gradual Emancipation Clause" The
great mistake of the Convention wAs-not
the commission to insert the clause in the
Consultation Internationally las there
was reason for doubt at that time Wheth-
er our constituents would 0pproVe)-but
in the Withholding the reference Of the
question, by separate poll, to the discuss
sion Of the people. This was the great
and fatal error, aud an enlightened public
at once pronounced It as such, and bera-
ted the Convention rs unfailhful 10 their
constituents. We are now satisfied that
large majority Of the people in the South.
west, and every other part, desire to have
the emancipation clause inserted.
However much we may esteem our
friends, an. H." ard "Palatine," they
must not expect to relieve their shoulders
of the responsibility for 80 unjustifable a
course, by shifting the same upon US and
Others by alleging it to have been the re-
suit Of n compromise, to which all assent
ed. We ezpFeSted eHphdtieally our dis5eHt,
when a member, in the performance of the
part assigned to him in the fare, inquired
If the insertion of the first clause twas
compromise measure and settling the
question" The statement of "Palatiue,"
viz: "that the writer of this is aware of
the fact that the free State men of that
Convention could have put in any clause
they saw proper, as they had decided
majority. Had not the clause been put in
to the entire satisfaction of the ConVen-
ton, a SubSituts tChieh ieGS prepared, would
have been offered aud passed by large
majority, for that of Mr.. Battelle,n is cool,
indeed / ..s....-... b.
It was perfectly understood by all, long
before the proposition came up, that a ma
jority or the Convention would not go for
inserting the gradual emancipation clause
iineoRditioHaHy. Both of the clauses had
been rejected, by only one dissenting vote,
by the Committee on Fundamentals.
Many of the members of the Convention
were afraid to act without first consulting
their constituents. We proposed to Mr..
Battelle that he should modify his propo-
sition so as to refer the whole subject by q
separate poll to the people, believing no
honest nor sane member would object to
that course. BE modified it accordingly,
and the proposition us modified was called
up the 18th of February, and twenty-four
to tWenty-three laid the subject on the ta-
bic, aud on the motion OF Mr.. Hall, of
Aarion-"Withoutd dayp-three ofits friends
being absent. The opponents expected
thirty-one instead of twenty-four, AS we
have been since credibly informed. They
were greatly alarmed at the result, and at
this point the plot or farce began. We,
feeling little interest in the measure-eT-
eept as a means to secure success in Con-
gress, took no part aud received no infor-
nation excepting that the subject would be
called up next day at 3 o'clock p. NJ, and
our presence was requested.
Next day about ten o'clock, A. NJ. there
being nothing else to engage the ConVen-
tion, the subject was, Unexpectedly to us,
called up by the gentleman from Hancock
whom we had considered one of its eaFli-
est and staunchest friends. His remarks
SURPRISED us. AR. Ollie, of Prestony who
had conferred freely with the friends Of the
measure, protesting himself to be what "H
H." says he still is, cone of the stauuchesl
Free State men in the Convention opened
the play, aud we refer to the report of the
proceedings of the Convention In the In
telkigeReer of the l4th, and the PreSs of the
18th February, (eVeniug edition,) for au
accurate description, with one or two ex-
eeptions, of what trauspired.
AfterWard, Mr.. Ollie, being asked to re.
port his proposed substitute, the Secretary
i the same that is inserted in the Qonstitu.
tion. "a substitute which had been pre-.
pared,n which aPalatine" speaks Of, wa
never brought forward. Our leaders sur.
rendered Internationally, without that re
gerye being brought mp. Many Of the so
called free State men Joined ina pretty
general congratulation. Not little ANA
Eed, and good deal grieVed-for we be
llieYed then what we feel certain of now
that Congress will not ADMIT the new Stat
as It is-and seeing no chance nor disposi
tion on the part of the leaders to rail-!
again; we, having briefly defined our owl
i position, Withdrew. We had correspond
ed with members Of Congress, whose let
tiers satisfied us of the views Of Congress
andwe showed these letters to the mem
bers generally, before the question camt
up. Other shoulders than ours must bea
the responsibility Of so grave an error
The people viii place 1t where It belongs
L. Il.
March loth, 1852. .,a.-,--..