Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-02-03
TIE NEW STATE.

THE NEW STATE.
Another Letter from yIrgInIan.
Editors Iatcltigencer:
That our revolutionary sires were nat
riots-pRtriOts of tue tirst order--is no
longer doubted by any body. They were
earnest, faithful men7-laboring for the
good OF all people. Tho principles by
which they were governed, were principles
OF humanity, the natural result of which
was cur national Independence. And the
people Of Western Virginia arc now engage
ed IN the formation of n new State. Will.
lit not. be well TO inquire what was thfir
sentiments on the subject ofisInvery2 The
name otHashinglon, OF of Patrick Henry and
OF Jefferson must be dear to every Virgin
IAN, having respect TO constitutional liber-
Washington's sentiments on slavery, are
thus summNrily expressed ina letter to
Robert Morris: 81 can only say said the
good, the great man, 81 can only say that
there Is not II man living who wishes more
! sincerely than do, to see a plan adopted
for the abolition Of it, (slaYeryl But there
rs only one proper and atfcctual mode by
which II can be accomplished, and that is,
| by the legislative authority, aud, this 40
.tar as My suffrage trlL 90 shall not be lgaRt-
RgH In aletter to John F. Mercer he also
writes, ut is not among my first wishes to
see some plan adopted by wbicl. slavery
in this country may be abOlished By kaip.
How does this man, tho father of his
county, contrast with the stipulations of
our day that "iGuorcp the whole question;
The name of Patrick Henry is but little
less dear to Yfrginiaus than that of WASH
iiuGton. This noble man said in letter
to Robert Peasants, "I will not, l cannot
Justify 1t. ! believe time will come
when ap opportunity will DO Offered 10
abolish this idMeHtd6ic ecS Every thing
we can do, is to improve it, if it happens
IN our day; if not let us transmit 10 our
deccndcnts, together with our slaves, u
pity for their unhappy lot and an a6hor-
rance Of stgUery. 1t is y debt we owe to
the purity Of religion to show that it is Mt
v4rlpnce with that which warrants slave
ry: Has not the sttime" to extermiuate
this evil happened" in orr day Will We
have the moral courage to do it? We
Tillsee.
James Monroe made speech in the
Virginia Convention against slavery, in
which he said: eve have found TINT
this evil has preged apoIl The pey.y ritals. of
the CRioH, and been prejudicial to all the
States in which it has existed" Fellow
citizens of Western Virginia, what has
desolIted yonr farms what has destroyed
your domestic peace; what has, and is
shedding the blood OF your sous? an
swcr unhesttatingIy, Slavery. Will you
incorporate in the organic law of your
States, this "Idmentd6le cpit ?" / think
you will net. Mr.. Jefferson protested
again and again, and in language which
he he only could use, against it. In his
Notes on Virginia" he declared that Hin
such controversy" as an iusurrection,
there was no attribute of the Almighty
which could take sides With u.s. In his
original dratt of the Declaration of Iude-
pendence, he declared the imposition o!
slavery upon the infant colonies rs one
| cause of their revolt. He notes the fact
that he made speech in the Virginia Col
oniNl Legislature as early as 1863, in favor,
OF emancipation. In 1874 he drew up the
''instructionsS of the Virginia Legislature
to her representatives in Congress, in
which is this remarkable passage 1The
abolition of domestic slavery is the great
object of desire in those colonies, where il
was u1lhGPPiLy Introduced IN gieir infant
state, How applicable to our territories /!
But previous TO the enfFanchisement OF. the
slaves, we have, it is necessary, to exclude
all further imporiations from Africa. Yet
our repeated attempts TO effect this by pro-
hihitions, aud by imposing duties which
might amount to prohibition, have hith-
erlo been defeated by his Majesty;s mega
tive; TINS preterriug the Immediate ndyan-
tage o. few British corsairs, to tho last.
ing interests OF the American States, and.
TO the rights of human nature, deeDly
wounded by this Infamous practice >.
This document lsaS adopted by tke LegisEa
trfre Of YtrginiG.
After the Declaration of Independence,
Messrs. Jefferson, Pendleton and Wythe
were appointed committee to colify the
laws OF Virginia. He says of one Of these
bills. The bill on the subject of slaves
was mere digest of the existing laws re-
specttng them, without any intimatfon OF
a plan for future and general emancipation.
II was thought better that this should be
Kept back and attempted only by way of
amendment whenever tho bill should be
DO brought on. The PFihePles, Of the
anepdmendi however, were agreed Or
That Is TO say, the freedom Of all born af-
ter certain day. and deportation at props
er age: But It was found that the public
mind would not bear the proposition, nor
will 1t bear it even at this day. Yet the
day is not fur distant when It rnnst bear
and adopt it or " orse will follow Has
not worse followed "Nothiug is more
certainly written ia the book of fate, than
that these people are to be free; nor is It
less certain that the two races equally free
cannot live in the same government. Ma
ture, habit, opinion has drawn indslibis
lines Of distinction between them. II Is
still in our power to direct the process of
emancipation peaceablY, and IN snch slow
degree, as that the evil VIII wear Oh in
sensihiy, and their places he, bari UaaslS,
filled up by free white laborers: If. on the
contrary, it is left 10 force itselfon, huran
nature must shudder.a at the prospect held
up. We should in vain look for an exam