Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-11-04
An Inside View of Secession.
THE SOUTH AS 1T IS.
The Testimony of one who Knows
An Interesting Review and State
ment by the Editor OF this TIcks-
burg WING,
Editors Chicago Tribune :

burg WING.
Editors Chicago Tribune
As citizen from the South, who has re-
sided there until within the past few days.
may be able to give some glimpses of the
Southern side of this rebellion, which may
be new to some OF your readers. The object,
theIonly object OF the rebellion was and is 10
place in power men who are so sectional as
TO be hopeless of any position higher than
that to which their immediate constituents
could elevate them in the district in which
they resided. As this object of itself could
not hold out sufficient inducements to hope
for anything like a hearty support Of the
people, it became a matter of necessity to
assume some cloak which should blind the
country aud screen themselyes-and this
cloak was "Liberty.n Commencing at the
! Charleston convention, where they first be-
gan the work which was intended to result
in the election of Mr.. Lincoln, they follow
ed it up with political campaign that new
| er before bad its equal in intense sectional
excitement, The country WAS kept al a
white heat with the cry of "Blaek Republi.
can" was assured on every hand that its
4 very existence WAS periled aud that its
rights and its liberty were about to depart
and forever. The election of Mr.. Lincoln,
they claimed, proved the truth of their as
sertiOns, and also demonstrated the peculi-
ar love which these patriots par excellence
had for the "sacred soil of the sunny
South" Taking advantage Of the intense
excitement which they had created during
the political canvass, they followed it up
Immediately with the cry that an Adolf
zionist was elected President, hat the couu-
try was undone. and nothing but secession
could save it from utter degradation.
Allowing no time for the excitement to
cool, awaiting no acts Mr.. lincoln
which would justify these statements, they
Immediately set in motion the machinery
of secession. The sober minded looked
on the excitement which was sweeping the
land, and which they were impotent to re.
sist, with honor. The very principles OF
republican liberty, now so completely sub
ted, were almost distrusted in view oil
the wild scenes of anarchy which wore met
at every hand. Heretofore this state OF
things had been only of a general nature
but soon it began TO manifest itself in a
very special manner. Vigilant committees
usurped the civil powers, law and order sci
aside or trampled under foot Suspicious
became conviction. Post Offices were seiz-
ed by these vigilauts, letters opened and
read before delivery or mailing, and where
tue contents were in any manner objec.
tionable to any member Of this gang Of
outlaws the writer was immediately dealt
with as a "traitor to the Southw To re-
ceive letter containing sentiments oppo-
sed in any way TO this state of things wa.
as fatal TO the recipient as to the writer
and the citizen who received few or no let.
tiers was accused of "secret correspon-
dence." This latter arrangement was
made to apply to private conversation
He who said nothing was charged with
secret" opposition and was subject TO the
same treatment as the man who said any.
thing "disloysl," aud nothing save the
loudest protestations in favor of the exis.
ting reign of terror, and the deepest con.
domination of everything like law aud or,
der would insure a man immunity from
personal danger. While these things we're
being done in the local districts the Coun-
try was traversed With the leaders calling
on the people to arouse and protect their
liberty" These leaders suddenly became
the peculiar devotees of "liberty," and
nothing but the uprising of the masses to
sustain them would save the land from one
ruin. With this state of things you will
not be surprised that the conventions
which were called were mere clay in the
hands of these secession pIotters, and took
any shape which they were pleased to
mould. South Carolina, after "goinR OUT
sent commissioners to the other conveu-
tions, and any members who might tail to
see the necessity or benefit OF this state of
things, could not resist the outward pres
sure, and SO everything was compelled to
yield TO the storm.
But, Mr.. Editor, all this time it was
very grave question if the heart of the peo-
! pie was in this matter. Tho Wings fall
though Democrat, l am compelled to ac-
knowledge the Democrats were the prime
movers in secession) were calling loudly
for the submission of these amended
constitutions to the people, were even in-
timoting thatthe patriotism of some of the
leaders was of a very sudden growth. The
cry of TRAITORS" soon settled the Wings,
however, aud the secedeIs had a clear and
open.feid. touch lightly on this part Of
the rebellion as it is pretty we'll known al.
ready to the public, wishing simply to show
that, while there is a large mass of the
South altogether opposed TO the rebellion
| (Which state of my own knowledge) they
are and have been rendered helpless aud
unable TO make any opposition owing to
the immense excitement which, by ono
means or another has been maintained IN
the public mind from the beginning. and
which has now assumed the shape of a re-
morseless hatred TO every man North or
South, in any way favorable to the Union.
| On the LIST day Of July, 1861, by pro-
clamation of both sides the mails were
closed. and We were left to ourselves. This
was about the first general indication that
there was aiWar in the land. The old IA
miliar stamps were replaced by the "etheri-
al blues the ~. S" on the mail bags
was HCrossed out" and the novel initials
&c. 8. Ar substituted. All this looked
strange, unpleasanLy so, but soon became
farailiar. The most disagreeable feature
of the new state Of things was the flag.