Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-08-25

consolation ana CleeF to the sick and dJ
ing. Heaven reward them for their an1
iOus toll and angelic ministrations.
The importers of goods are the mos
bustling and anxious class to be seen j
} the city. Boxes, bSrrels and bales Of eve
ry description are being rolled into th
street daily, aud every imaginable specie
of conveyance is Employed to transpor
them to the depots, for the purpose of be
ing sent into the iiterior for safety. Blu
! portion of the mfrchandise can be &C
commodated by the trains, and the res
will have to remainland share the fate @
the city. l am mot so sure but that
would be good plan to allow no more +
go away, for where the treasure is ther
u will the heart be also" and it is prett
certain that there dre many who woul,
care but little for Charleston were thei
own worldly goods removed to place o
safety.
spoke in the outset of the general dis
trust perVading the minds Of the inhabi
tants, should 81 nnfaitBful to the trutI
did fail to refer 10 the causes of thi
uneasiness, as such state of feeliuG
must have a reason, real or imaginary
Nobody believes the city is perfectly de
fensible, but the Impression is general that
the proper military efforts have not beer
made for its protection. Whether this be
true or not shall not pretend to say, even
were competent 20 Judge of such matters.
My object is simply u state fact, gener-
al belief, which may or may not be well
founded. The commanding General has
enjoyed every opportunity of military ed
ucation and experienee, while his exploits
in the field have won more popular admi-
ration than those ofhny other leader since
the war began.
Were it only In dsfense of public senti-
ment throughout thee Confederacy, should
be 10th to charge such u man with profess
sional shortcomings! Besides, it is due to
him that we wait FIR the results of his
opinions and labors before we even insin-
uate a charge of iIeffciency. 1t is true
that appearances wer rather an uufayor-
able aspect now, bit Morris Island and
Sumter have not iet been taken; and
should both fall, thagh the peril may be
increased, we by nomeans surrender our
hopes of Charleston. The enemy can never
occupy Sumter: tht is fixed fact. 1t
will be destroyed Iefors It shall fall into
their hands, and IL not, Battery Bee, on
Sullivan's Island, tould level it to the
foundation in twe1tJ -four hours.
But, granting hkt there mas been re-
missness, that thinks have been left undone
that ought to havI been done, it does not
necessarily follow hat the military author
tiles are responsibI. When absorbed with
an effect, we are Hry apt to overlook the
cause, an excited Kate of the public mind
being unfavorablep p rational Investigation.
Are the slave.owhers of South Carolina,
ave, of fOharlestonherself, free from blame
in the matter2 Ttking it for granted that
they are willing 10 face the inquiry, we
mHy UUserVe rnRt tes many unniha mast We
have seen repeatedand urgent appeals IN
the Charleston papers for the planters of
the State to send ID their negroes for work
on the forti6cationl. The last Legislature
of the State, impessed with the impor-
tauce of the subiec, passed law imposing
a heavy fne for alrefusal to furnish the
desired labor. Still more recently, Gen.
Beauregard and tie Mayor of Charleston
issued most urgInt appeal to tie same
end. What has len the result of their
frequent calls for aid to the military2 The
state of tie defenses answers the
question, and coDdusiVely.
After more than two years for preparation
the enemy are Knocking at the very gates
of the city, aud 1e are not ready. The
papers of this vety morning contain an
appeal and statehent from the Governor
which show the most culpable indifference.
So far from plauters answering the ap-
peal to their patriotism for contributions
of labor, the Goyernor informs ns that
even "the act of the Legislature proves
insufficient to the procurement of the labor
asked for by the Confederate authorities"
l am informed that the planters, many OF
them, prefer to pay the fine rather than
respond to a great public necessity involV-
iug the lives of thousands of their fellow
citizeHs, aud perhaps their own liberties.
The negroes of Charleston were impressed
o few days ago for this same work. Why
was it not done months ago3 Georgia,
am proud to say, has set a better example.
These things may be very well taken into
when we come to enter
judgment against the delinqueuts.
sincerely trust that the vigorous couu-
sells of our Generals, and the unsurpassed
valor OF our troops, may yet overcome all
obstacles and deficiencies, and save this
noble city from vandal tyranny and pollu-
ton. The reports tonight from Morris
Island contain little worthy Of note, ex.
ceptfng that our officers are expecting to
be opened upon Tomorrow by three bat
teries instead Of one. Neither torrid heat
above nor burning sands beneath seem
sufficient to deter the indetatigable Yam
KEGS from LQ6lE lhNOEAbg SNSSlS1 Va 0ASkAuEs
lis stated in Mondays Republican that
'tthe TatnaIl Guard were not in the battle
(of Saturday,, having been assigned to
other duty. This is mistake. The
whole Of Col. olmstead's command parti-
cipated in that bloody engagement. and
the Guard. with their fearless leader, Capt.
Dayenporte, did their full share Of execu-
tion. 80
The Washington Volunteers were COM
noanded by Lieut.. John O. Rowland, and
not by Capt. Cooper, as stated 10 the same
article. The Captain from iudispOsitiOn or
some other good cause, did not accompany
i'd command to Charleston. The Ogle-
thorn Light Infantry, company B, is COM
.non5ed bv Capt. (not Lieut. Laehlison,
bs % having received his commission as Capt.
SIMS successor some week or two ago.
T heard to-day of an act of magnanimi-
~ TO a fallen foe Of which but few Of us
are capable. At the close OF the battle on