Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-02-23

III the construction OF public buildings.
DC; whilst, by adhering to the old State,
and rejecting separation, it will subject
them to the burden of a new and addition
al debt contracted since the ordinance of
secession, amounting to fifty or sixty, or
perhaps, hundred millions of dollars.
Give US new State. and our existing rates
of taxation will be lessened. Remain as
we are, and they must necessarily be in
creased more than q hundred fold. | can
not appreciate such economy as this.
Mr.. President, there are those who are
so UnchaTitablc as to suppose that under
! lying these specious but fallaciOus objec-
tons, there Is concealed q secret hope
that the rebellion will succeed, and that
West Virginia will be dragged into the
Southern Contcderacy, like the captive
princess chained to the triumPhal car of
the ancient Roman conqueror? Can it
be possible that these pretexts are assumed
to cover up design so disloyal and fratri-
cidal? Are they mere diversions of the
enemy TO distract our attention from the
true issues?
Why, Mr.. President, what would be the
condition of the people of West Virginia
in a Southern Confederacy?-with all our
waters, with most of our trade and traffic
and travel, flowing into the North with
little or no trade, or travel, or commerce,
or social intercourse with the remainder of
even our own State? Cut off from all
these advantages by impossible geograph-
Ical and natural barriers, not to be over
come by any available amount of capital
or skill-compressed like q driven wedge
between the two mighty States of Ohio
and Pennsylvania, which, if hostile to us,
could sweep us away AS with "besom of
destruction. " before relief could reach us?
And would not these States be hostile?
Does not universal history teach us this
| significant lesson, that no contiguous peo-
pie, speaking the same language, possess
ing the same religion, accustomed to the
same civil institutions, ever did live, in
peace, under distinct and independent
governments, with no natural barriers to
separate them. Perpetual war or consol-
idatiOn Is the inevitable result of such a
condition.
Sir, We have recently heard great cry
for peace. No man more earnestly de-
sires peace than do. But, sir, there is
no peace but i'll the union of these States.
Disunion is perpetual war. To establish
two contedcracies of the United States is
to inaugurate Il war which will have no
end, save in the utter destruction of each,
or in their consolidation into one govern
ment; and such consolidated govern
ment, would, most probably, bea military
despotism. Let West Virginia, therefore
be attached to Southern Confcderacy,
and we would be the prey and the sport of
hostile nelghbOrs; or if any attempt were
made to protect us, we should be the mere
battle ground of the opposing powers, and
be crushed beneath the iron heel of war.
In this event, frowning forts would cast
their dark shadows from either shore mp
on the peaceful bosom of the beautiful
Ohio, where hitherto we have only been
rivals III trade and commerce and good
fellowship. Standing armies would line
these shores from Ceredo to New Cum
berland, and from New Cumberland to
| the Fairfax stone; and we might as rea-
sonably expect luXuriant vcrdure where
the blasts of the sirOccO sweep across the
| Arabian deserts, as that the arts and pur-
suits of peace should flourish in West Nir-
GINA, under such malign influences. Sir,
how long would it be before trowning bat
Elements would crown those Ohio hills,
yonder III sight commanding your citv?-
How long before your city would be in
RUNS, and your wives and children home
less and hOuSelcss? We should but re.
produce the history of the wars and deso.-
lations of the Scottish border-huppy. if
Mt last, after centuries of rapine and muir
der, and the uncc0sing conflict of armies,
We should acknowledge the folly of our
unnatural separation, by again "ioining
together" rs did Great Britain and Scot,
land, that which God and nature had Or
damned should never "hc put aSundcr.
Mr.. President, feel that have tres
passed too long ON the patience of the
Convention Other topics suggest them
selves for consideration; but forbear to
discuss them. ] beg leave to submit u
few remarks of a general character, and
then ! shall have done
Ting adroit opponents of this great
measure, despairing, perhaps, of the sue
! cess OF their arguments, are bestirring
themselves to enlist in their behalf the
: passions and prcjudices of party politics.
) SIR, what have party politics to do with
. the division of the State? Will any man
be less Democrat, or Wing or Republi-
can tterthc admission of the new State in
to the Union than he was before? VIII not
all Offices, Federal, State, and County, be
precisely under the same control after adj
mission as they were before? Do YOU, or
do condemn the Presidents emancipa-
ton proclamation? Or his suspension of
the privilege of the writ of hdbeas cOrDwSs
Are we dissatisfied with his policy in ref.
erence TO slavery? Surely the admission
of the new State cannot be construed into
an approval or disapproval of any of these
things. 1t has no connection with them
whatever. We shall be us free to approve
or condemn i'll the new State as in the old.
II will not change our relations in the
slightest degree, towards the President or
his policy, br towards any party, or pol
icy. Let the question, therefore, stand or
tall upon its own merits. Letuot the pe0-
pie be deceived by the clamor of artfnl
political leaders, who, under the guise of
party tealty, are seeking to defeat /, meas
ure having no connection with party poli.
ties, but which is of vital importance to
the interests of all. l trust, therefore,
that we will not suffer ourselves to be be-
trayed byany such mischievous devices;
but shutting our ears to ali Theses falls falls,
suggestions, and turning our ewes away
from the dreary scenes of the past, we
will listen to the voice of duty alone, and
Tx our eyes only upon the bright pros