Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-01-03

question OF the day. Gov. Hicks was a
Wing in other days, and then joined the
8 American" organization, whereby he was
chosen Governor in 1857, receiving Al,
votes to 1882 for John o. Greene. Demo.
erat. Gov, Hicks wayered somewhat at the
first outburst of secession fury in 1861, but
soon recovered his balance. and has since
been devoted Uniouist. He resides at
Cambridge, Dorchester county, where is
printed the Intt tli9enesr, Que Of. the ablest
and most thorough Union journals in the
State, which. on the 9Th ultimo, stated that
Governor Hicks had recently, in conversa-
ton. declared that " We can nevsr havs a
stable Government and peaceful Union so
long as Slavery exists IN the country" We
quote a good portion of the InielEigeneer's
bold aud truthful. article, ms follows :-Ez-
change. 7ni
!, SIT must be clear to any ordinary intel
llgence that, whatever may have been the
aspirations of the leaders of the rebellion
LOT position and power, they never could
have plunged the people Of the South into
TINS dlabolical Rebellion but tor the insti-
tuition of slavery. II is true that slavery
may have been the mere pretezt, but it was
sure and etfectnal Prctsrt. 1t secured the
inauguration of the present Rebellion.-
And, not only so, but it is now the great
strength of the rebellion. By the labor of
the slaves, the rebels are enabled to fight.
The masters Gan fight all their lives long.
If their slaves furnish them with food
when the slaves cease TODD this, the mas
ters must cease to eight. A blow, then at
the labor, of the rebels, will be a blow at
the heart of the rebellion. With this view
of the case, no true Unioniat would arrest
the arm that would strike the death blow
to slavery. Its death will be the death of
the rebelliou; and the death of the rebel.
lion will be the life of the nation. Thou
sands of our best citizens have died in the
effort to suppress the rebellion. There
must be an end to this slaughter. We
must spare the lives OF our brethren. We
must strike the rebels at their strong point.
Slavery is their strength. Then let sla.
very fall! lie this way, we shall save the
lITes OF thousands of our brethren in the
field. ~
The events OF each day induce us to be-
lieve that slavery must fall with the re-.
6ellion; or, we should rather have said.
the rebellion must fall with slavery. Il
becomes more and more apparent that
slavery mus: be destroyed 10 save the
Union and secure peace to the nation! IN
this view, we are happy to be sustained by
SO distinguished a patriot as ex- Governor
Hicks. Only a few days since, he remark
ed within our hearing, that ne can neper
haze a stable Government and peaceful
Union as long as siapery ezists in The country
Such is the Intelligent view of that en-
lighteued statesman. Aud it cannot be
questioned that current events sustain his
opinion. The fact is, we have never been,
perfectly united people. The North and
the South have always been tive distinct
nations. This has been necessarily so.-
We eau never be one nation, under one
Government, while we. have two systems
OF labor. And while VIC are fighting for
the unity of the nation, we may as well
make the Union perfect and PermNuent.-
bet US have peace on an enduring basis
These must be the sentiments of all true
Unionists, whether we take South side,'
or a North side view. Let US have for
onr sole object the restoration Of the
Union, while we smito its enemies with
fire and sword in verifying that gives
them strength"