Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-03-25

take leave of this Press writer by COM
mending him to the sympathy aud COM
passion and forgiveness of his ''infernal"
friends among the soldiers and others. He
evidently does not know what he is doing,
and should not be held to u strict accounts
ability. FAIR PLAY.
The West Liberty neutrality-suspicious.
OF General Wheat and Marshal
Norton.
WEST LIBERTY, VA, March 90.
Editors IntelIigencer
According to announcement, an inter
esting New State meeting was held at this
place on last Saturday evening The at
tendance was good, and the audience COM
posed of VOterS.
The meeting was organized by calling to
the chair VIM Waddle, Esq; and on mo-
ton, Robert Bonar was appointed Secre-
tary.
Jas. S. Wheat, Esq. FIRST addressed the
meeting. His remarks were peculiarly
happy and convincing. He stated that he
had not come there with the purpose of
INDUCING in abuse or sarcasm, but to dis
cuss matters in calm and friendly way;
that be knew there were many good men
opposed to the New State who had been
deceived. To these he wished to address
himself The leading men of the opposi-
ton had been playing upon the prejudices
of the people. He denounced as mere
twaddle, this talk about the de jure Gov.
ernment at Richmond and the de facto at
Wheeling. He showed that the idea of a
de Jure Government originated in the doc
trine of the Divine right of kings-in the
idea that the king ruled by Divine authori-
ty-n doctrine much advocated about the
restoration of Charles II.
He went on to show that this teach
ing or doctrine had always been denied by
the American people; that such an idea
could never be admitted as a principle in
such gOvernmentas ours. Consequently
to talk, in this country, about dejure as
opposed to a de fdcto government was sim
| ply to make "distinction without a differ.
euce." He next touched upon that old
saw "Dictatiou' which the opponents try
TO make such capital of. The Wiley
amendment was relieved of the odium of
dictatton both by precedent and the Con-
stitutional powers of Congress. Howmany
slaves would be freed by this amendment?
By the time the New State would be ready
to go into operation he did not believe
there would be 4 COS slaves in the territory
of the proposed State, and of these only
those under 81 years of age would be
emancipated. he thought ii strange that
there should be any opposition in the
Panhandle where slavery is virtually ex-
tinct. We oil know that what few slaves
we have are such only through choice
We cannot give Gen. Wheats remarks
entire, but they were sound and convin.
cling; speech well prepared, full of ar.
gument and we'll delivered He concluded
by saying he was u loyal man and an earn.
est supporter of the Government; that his
motto had always been, "The majority
rules" that although in some respects he
might object to the policy of the Admins
tration yet it is the duty of every citizen to
uphold and support the Administration as
the means of government.
As Gen. Wheat concluded, Marshal Nor
ton being called upon responded in a short
but telling speech. Heshowed very clear.
~ the consequences of Projecting the amen.
ded Constitution. "Should the original
State OF Virginia be restored to the Union
eastern Virginia, with three times the DO
litlcal power of the West might impose
what burdens she pleased upon US. We
OF the West have become particularIv ob-
noxious to the remainder of the State AMI
whether the South succeed in their attemDt
or not, one thing is sure, our fate is sealed
unless we cut loose Immediately. Aspraat
deal of our property has already been sold
IN klehmoudi we are denounced as trail
tors, threatened with confiscatiou, and nv
friends, whether Virginia is restored to the
Union or not, in either event, ne can ex-
Pect no mercy. But do not wish n hs
understood as having any doubts as to the
ultimate result of the war. Six millions
conquer twenty-five milliousl
Gentlemen when this shall happen IsbalI
submit, will go to JEFF. Davis on INV
knees saying, Mr.. Jefferson Davis am
your slave, we of the North are all vonr
servants. You Southern gentlemen have
said you were race superior to those
1ankees, and you have demonstrated it in
this war, submit.
"Gentlemen, should our New State mis-
carry at the polls, there will be a general |
exodus OF all your Influential and best
citi1ens. YOur capitalists will seek safer
ana more profitable fields. West Virginia |
would be depopulated
The Marshal went on to show the r-a
JUDGE existing in slave Statesagainst man.
ual labor. he enumerated instances where
capitalists had been forced to leave sncb
States simply on account of discourapino
laws, social preiudices aud the difficulty in
procuring laborers. He said that he had I
Travelled all over West Virginia, with an
eye to manufacturing and mining locations
aud he would venture that there were M
better locations in the Union for such en-
Eerprises than between Wheeling apT, the
mouth of the Big Sandy.
For want of room we cannot give the
IarshaPs speech in detail, but Il was
iPeech of facts. OF course, we have mt
'een able to do justice to either speech in
uch short space.
It was evident that the audience were
veil pleased, as was manifested by fre.
!uent cheering during the meeting, and
ne congratulations among the New Stare
len after R6ioprnmant