Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-12-19
Eourth Pags


Interesting reading matter will be found
on the fourth page of this paper.
ga PRAcTIcAL SCHOOL TEACHER" thinks
that if the 6rst Legislature ofWest Viz
gtuia, just adjourned, had done nothing
more than perfect and pass Prof; Ross
school system, they woulI be entitled to
the grateful thanks of the people. The bill
seems to give unbounded satisfaction to
those competent to judge. Prof. Ross
certainly ought to feel highly compile
mented at the testimonials which 1t has
received from so many apprectetivss sources,
and the people ought to be glad that they
have in the Legislature man SO capable
and earnest and untiring in the work of
educational reform as the Professor has
proved himself.
A eEsrLEMAN residing in Lawrence, Kan
sas, named Geo. w. Benson, who is the
agent of Richard Warren, of New York,
who owns about 70, 900 acres of land in
Mcdowell county in this State, writes TO
the Secretary of State here to know wheth-
err, in despite of the law passed at Rich
mond some years ago, allowing settlers
upou unoccupied lands to obtain free
hold, the title of Mr.. Warren TO his IL, oeoI
acres can be confirmed by the. Legislature
of West Virginia. Up to the breaking out
of the rebellion, the taxes were all paid up
10 the old State and the title registered at
Riehmond. But for the war colony of
immigrants would have settled upon the.
land, and if the title can now be confirmed
as desired, they will come as soon as the
military situation will permit.
We make this note of the letter Of Mr.,
Benson SO that some competent person can
write to him and give the desired informa'
ton.
JEFF. DAVIS is said to be cold FLOODED,
self-possessed man. Hehas certainly said
some very acOol" things in his last mes
sage. Among them is his assertion that
we began the war. in violation of our con
stitution, which forbids, he says, the at
tempt 10 coerce a State. 1t is assuredlys
very refreshing to receive lectures from
JEFF. Davis on the Interpretation of onr
constitution and on the duty of observing
its requirements. He showed such WON
derful fidelity to it that he speaks with
authority on the matter. Nevertheless.we
are SO peryerse that We cannot help asking
him when we attempted to coerce a State,
and when it was that we began the war.
We have labored under the delhsicn that
we were coercing rebels, not States, and
that one Gen. Beanregafd, by the order of
the rebel government, began the war by
firing on Fort Sumter. Though Davis meme
ory may have failed him in5respect to this
last fact, it is pleasant to see that he still
pursues tho study of our constitution
There is something very touching in the
profound regret which most Of the leading
rebels profess to feel at what they call our
violations of our constitution. One might
anppose that the consciousness Of their
heinoas crime in violating 1t had quicken
ed their consciences, and that they hoped
to atone in some degree for their great
sin by accusing us of similar offence. =
In the same way, too, we hear them con-
stautly expntiating with grea. pity for us
on what they call our decline from a re.
publican governments to military despot'
ism, forgetting apparently that their citi
sens are groaning over the pitilsss con!
scription to which they are subjected, and
are driven to the very verge ofrebellion BY
the imprsssment agents, who msrsilsssl,
seize upon their property, spatchipg th'
food from their very lips.
-----e s---- 4 ,lss'
Ma. MBMM1NsRR's Report OF thelcondi
ton of the rebel finances is documen,
even more dolorons than Davis message
five may judge from the extracts furnish
edus. He,frankly. confesses that unless q
remedy betopnd for the financial distress
unless the currency be reduced, the army
can neither be paid, clothed nor fed, arm
and munitions of war eanFno logger b
supplied, the ofieers of the governmsn
cannot be supported and the country mus
succumbs Heeyidently believes what Mr
VIM. Gregg told him lately that "the sim
pie and naked truth is that the government
has no credit" For weeks and month
the southern journals have been seekinl
for some mode Of relief for the treasury