Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-12-18

enoughi Nnnd the fault, we suspect, was
not somuch in the argument as in the
judges Be that as it may, we are willing
to reproduce them, because we conceive
them TO be, highly important in their
relations tO'ezIstins and prospective con-
troyersies. ------,----.-~.,
In the first place, we deny that an act
-Olseees sion, mo matter 10y awhHeauth6rity
passed, can llegimately sever. the political
connection Ofa State with the Union.
We deny it herause. thatconnectiOn once
formed, It Is no longer in the. option of
the, Statbi tOiahhul the bond. 1E has be-
come part ofan organized whole, which
provides for its own destruction. Nothing
but force, or revolution, in the violent
sense, can change the Fundamental, relaS,
tons which have. been created IAN act
of secession, therefore, is treason, and the
parties tOit are 'eohspirat6fs and traitors.
rH Inthesecond place, should these parties
happen to be the established authorities
of the State, they do not carry the State
with them in the proceeding Their deed
is void inzitselE and GhsiatiO, because it
Itibiuds nobody aud it has
mo legal character II cannot be recog-
Missed in any. way as the act Of the State,
which remains as- much State of the
I Union after as ibaE1rs the;inyatid transac-
tion.A a II that the anthorities have done,
by renouhcing their allegiance to the or,
ganic law, is to abdiIate theirsOwn right
ffnl functions. They refuse tbediehce To
The laws, local and federal, which alone
create their sOfiOes and in doing so, aban-l
don their Offices to the power from
which they were derived. They annihi-
late their own legislative and executive
tcapacity of the neople by whom they
were entrusted with. Office III, s.s sss-
h. When the. Legislature Of Virginia, then
sitting at Riehmondi passed au ordinance
on the 18th Of April, 1861, declaring the
Stare no Longer oue oil The United States,
and transferring its allegiangeltD a foreign
| uSurping Confsdsracy, the act was upcon-
| stitnn nopsl and void. Il was done not only
without the consent of the people it repre-
issntedg whom Is refused 10 Consult, but was
suhyersivo OF the rights and liberties OF
\ that people. 1t was, furthermore, subrer-
hsive OF the Tightssand liberties of the 7pe9-
pie oftall thesother States entitled to the
koo- operation aud support OF. the people of
I YirEihiai under the cemmon goTernment
/ In us whole scope and method il vas reTO-
Elnti6nary. The Legislators who were the
u{hDrs Of il we've no Longer lhe legislators
tof the people Qt Virginia. TheyWeFe usur.
I pers, straitors, criminals, but IN no sense
authotilies. Theyhad ex pres sly felInqlish-
led their authority uader Ihe consultation of
Z the nRtioni aud assumed To act nnder the
isabctiou Of distinct and hostile poWeF.-
i Had they tran psfeFred their allegianca 10 the
British and. French goveruments they could
mot more pletslY have surrendered. all
right and title as the organs OF republican
Virginia, Whatever powers they once law.
fully. p S4se4sed reverted the yeTy moment
tof teeis treason 10 the people Of Virginia
lWhp didIPpti 'fqlleW a Aemlipl tIiR frsason,
aud who, stil, remained tgue - the 0Opsti-
tuition OF the State and To thar Of the Edited
States. sastfiidq 7l aorF1-it ts1s..l ifa.7d
Accordingly, the loyal people Of, Virgin,
ia, 6udiag that their representative had
betrayed them, hadabaudouedth the exercise
of the legitimate authority bad gone over
TO foreignsand dnfriendly power, could
EaoucOntinue without all government, aud
took measures for resuscl6tihg theft reg
ular political, functions. y;As all the old
machinery OF the State hid been stopped,
they called a e6afeqtibn 10 Sci -, SSotng
Il tagAip. lass nAetipgs ,1area held IN every
! county in which ithe traitors " ere not Ia
the aseeudaut,.. to gp pint dele kdteB 70 a
state eSnTention, % be heid at Wheeling,
aud empowered TO devise means for carry
ing on the Ng1Serntnent " hieh hat iaH sed.
Could they do otheETiss? Faithfui to theig
Oaths and obi atight they could not fol-
Ina ~ Z. 1tff n - ..,-.ftss -