Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-01-31
An Argument of Age and Strength

an 04B uUeAI OF age ana strength.
a Document of Peculiar zmtereEtnmd
Importance to the People OF Vest
ern Virginia at this Time.
The following memorial from the people
of Augusta county, Virginia, to the couven-
tion which assembled III Richmond in Octo-
Der $50, We take from cory OF Niles Reg
,si'r tor that yesr. The copy oflhe Register
containing it can be seen at our Office or at
he office Of any lawyer in the city who has
q file Of it. We publish it to day in this
column, III order that the attention of every
reader OF our paper may be drawn to it
1t is a remarkable article, aud at this time
It's solemn and measured Sentences fall
with the weigh, of prophecy upon the car.
Let every one read !,
Memorial TO Tie Honorable Convention of u,
giglu, asli @: Richmond. IN October, 1929.
Ssei-g ;ha; the people OF ;his Common
wealth have deemed it necessary TO reform
our existing constitution Of government, to
supply its defects, and to remove a nur:- Der
OF evils which were thought 10 press heav-
lily upon The community We. the sub
- V,
cannot Gat congratulate ourselves and the
public OF The selection OF 50 many Of our
highly distinguished citizens for the per
Torrance Of these solemn and interesting
duties. Distinguished as You have been
Tor gravity, prudence, and wisdom, we
cneeFtu!ly accord 10 you our confidence, in
the important and arduous station 10 which
you are called and trust that you will en-
p!oy your wisdom aal prudence in that
way which will rebound most to our COM
mon welfare
There have been many topics Of reform
anticipated aud discussed among the oeo.
pie. We do not mean to NEEDLE with sny
OF them, or 20 express any opinion on their
meTIts Oar purpose is respectfully to call
your attention 10 another subject. which
We regard as Of paramount Importance.
and respecting which, if nothing be done
we appreheud that your lahors must prove
comparatively nugatory. We ask your at
ieniion to the existing slavery Of the ne
groes in our State, and 10 some consti,u
tIoohl provision for system of emancipa.
tion.
1t is objected. indeed. tina; our proposi.
ton will give alarm TO our Eastern bre,b.
ren, who are SHAREHOLDERS on IA larger scale
than We of the West: and that thev are
even already alarmed at the anticipated
power of the West 10 impose Unlimited
taxes on this species of property. To the
latter objection we answer. THAI we are will
ling to see you provide any requisite guar
anty against an undue exercise of surb
power, that thus the fears Of our Eastern
brethren may be quieted. To the former
objection we say that, in political view.
we esteem slavery an evil greater than the
aggregate 81 all the other evils which be-
set U.S. sEad that We are perfectly willing 10
bear our proportion of the burden of re-
moving it. We ask farther, what ia IN.
evil OF any such alarm AS our proposition
may possibly excite, 10 minds uuueces.
sarily jealous, compared with that Of the
fatal catastrophe which ultimately awaits
our country, and the general deprivation of
manners which slavery has already pro-
duced and is producing? These we think
sumcient answers to the objections men
toned above.
In laying this subject before you, we are
not insensible to its magnitude or it's DIM
culties. We are aware, too. of the ron,od
prcjudices which we encounter, GROWING
out of old habits and present real or supo
posed interest. Now are we Indifferent TO
those imputatiOns of enthusiasm and rash-
meas which will probably be cast upon us
in no stinted measure. But we know that
no great good was ever achieved without
strenuous Efforts and that such efforts
nave always been subjected to reproacbfnI
imputatlous. We must, therefore. patient.
" submit to them; considering them. in
our turn, as the ebuilitiou OF needless ms
sion or incorporating selfshuess. Tbe
awful weight Of the subjecttorbids anv an.
proach to it in the spirit of levity: and Ts
Ieel assured that we approach it with as
much caution as those observe who ,urn
away and refuse to look it in the face. Rn,
we should esteem it moral and politicaI
co"Ardice IN US to remain silent on n sinh
Ject SO deeply interesting to US in all our
uonestic and political relations; one which
iuteEuiingies itself with every interest and
concern Se OF ME; productive, perhaps, of a
rev Transient benefits, but certainly of nm
,IH1.! y! e'l'S' now pressing upon US, and
Portendlng general desolation in future
g we waive, at present. the considerations
this momentous subject; and nrezen, !, ~ "
naked question oil political wisdom, 81
safety While we believe that the npbiio
N orals and general prosperity, which II -
Tue province OF government TO a great aTo
tent 10 protect and cherish, are deplorabIv
. .tJ " slavery, we proceed TO affirm
tuat II IS our own experience and observa.
lion confirming the facts and deductions of
political economists, that the labor 0r
slaves Is vastly less productive than ,bOt
E Ta- lree men; that it therefore, requires a
larger space to furnish subsistence for a
I,. number of the former than of tho /
!".teri mat the employment of the former .
in,,e saElIy excludes the employment of thu
49, auS Ina, tnat' hence, our population, white .
"Iu o!ack' averages but about seventeen
, "ueu ~ ought, and would, under other cir
- iS average, as in New England /
the possession and mauaremen, 81 .Is tnat
form source of endless vexation .nS S' .u;s
cry within the house, and of waste and rnin
IN the FARM that the youth of the cnnn rI.u
are growing up with contempt of sts.dy.
industry as low, servile thing, which