Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-01-14

Of the general authority, and for the mantle
nance Of The POtrsrs Of the Umon.-[Speech
of Henry Clay, August LIST, 1850.
Reasons for Debating the PennsyI-
TaniR Railroad Bill.
We are endeavoring to form new State
in Western Virginia. The present Legis-
lature really represents that proposed new
State. although by 4 sort of fiction of Law,
it represents the whole State For nation
al purposes, it is the whole State of vir-
ginia, for State purposes, it is the new
State of West Virginia. 1t owes its exis-
tence to the fact that the people of North
Western Virginia have long looked upon
themselves as ignored and provincialized
by the Eastern part of the State, and to the
belief of the people of theWest that in order
to get suitable and VIII oIesome legislation,
they must have a smaller and more homoge-
neous territory. Accordingly they have ia
ken advantage OF the present times to pre-
pare steps for their long desired new Stats;
and this legislature is one of the first fruits
of their determination. Hence so far that
body has been mainly engaged in the con-
sideration of interests peculiarly affecting
our North Western Virginia people. They
do not extend the wing OF their legislation
over Eastern Virginia or over the Valley.
They realize that such action is not called
for and that it would be fruitless so far rs
actual results are concerned.
In this view of the case they are engaged
upon work like that of the Pennsylvania
railroad bill at present before then. That
is measure which eminently affects the
peculiar interests of the North West, and
the fate of which must be a matter of grave
moment to the people comprised within the
boundaries of the proposed new State.
1t seems curious enough that at the very
threshold of our new regime-at the very
Inauguration, as it were. of a Western Vir-
ginia policy, a bill should be introduced
which can very justly be considered as
fraught with hostility to large number of
the counties of the new State. 1t would
seem, taking this bill rs an omen, that in
abjuring tho unequal legislation of Rich
mond, we have not escaped our complaints
We Immediately confront another danger.
Our change threatens to be more a thing of
name than reality. By some luckless for
tune Pandora's box is among us still.
1t would be strange enough if, before we
have really entered on our career as a new
State, we should find that there are among
us irreconCilable points of hostility. That
local jealousy, or local prejudice, is so
strong among US, that harmonious legisla-
ton is to become impossible. That bills
are to be resurrected from the dead calen-
dar ut Richmond, which were fire brands
in their day, and which, after long contest,
had been settled, and made again bones of
angry contention. 1t would be strange,
we say. And yet this Pennsylvania Rail-
road bill is scheme of this character. lite
discussion at Richmond is familiar to our
readers, and so likewise is its settle
meut. All of us here had supposed that
the settlement was fnality. 1t was spo-
ken of as q fiuality. All the contracting
parties so regarded it. During its settle
ment, the Pennsylvania road under the
alias of the "Western Transportation COM
pauy" SO spoke of it. DR.. Logan, in his
speech yesterday, read the letter and dis
patches of Mr.. Potts, President of the COM
pany, referring to it as finality. More
thau:that, it was the chosen settlement
of that company. There was not word
in the letter and dispatches that did
not breathe entry sincerity on its
part. In full confidence in that sincerity
the representatives from Ohio county ac-
copied the settlement.
Nowwe ask, gentlemen of the Legisla-
ture, if whether the bill before them, aside
from the interests which all the Baltimore
railroad counties in Western Virginia have
in it, does not present phase of bad
faith, viewed .simply as a question of
contrast and compromise between
two local interests, which of itself
would demand its defeat. We think It
does. And certainly when one of these
local interests is in our own State, and
when it proves itself the injured party or