Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-01-13
Prom the Missouri Democrat.

Ane telegraph Informs US that the Presi-
dent has put his Official signature to the
bill erecting West Virginia into free and
sovereign State, SO tar as State under the
Coustttution and within the bonds of the
Union can be said to be free and SOVEREIGN.
Ine Old dominion is consequently shorn
OF a tair share of her dimensions, and with
the cnrtailment of erterritoriaI greatness.
sinks into position of prospective iusip-
nihcance, from which nothing now for
shadoWed by passing events seems likely to
rescue her. Her glory has departed, and
Ipretty much all that now remains to her
10 nameWhich has been a badge of honor.
out is now badge of shame. Little would
IL nave been supposed a few years ago that.
In less than one century from the birth of
our nation, any portion of it would show
signs of age or decrepitude, and be marked
by the same fatal proofs of degeueracy
which are written all over the nations of
the East in the Old World; and yet we
have in Virginia to-day the evidences of
decl inc, as patent as in the empire of the
TURK, or the classic fields of the Greek and
Roman.
The moral of Virgiuia's history is so
transparent that it is certainly to be hoped
the other States of the Union will not fail to
proht by her example in refusing to follow
IT. Never was clearer illustration given of
tne truth OF the declaration made in Holy
writ, that pride goeth before u fall"
than lu the career OF this once powerful
ana naughty, but now dismembered and
tRlIlng State. Occupying a central aud
commanding position in the cOntry, and
possessed originally of an unusual number
OF eminent and excellent men, she was at
first enabled to WELD an influence in the
nation which in time turned the heads of
sner people, aud led them to trust 10 their
prestige rather than to their virtues for
continuation OF State power. Ou this
-tlARy' SEelisd white the eleInents. of real
strength were gradually passing away from
them, until. speud-thrift like, before thew
became aware of their condition, they found
themselves bankrupt. For years past Virgil
nIahas reminded US ofan ancient and ruined
family which retained all of its pride after
II mad lost all of its possessions. As in
social life, SUCH display of pretension is
ridiculous, in political lite on the part Of a
State It Is equally obnoxious and foolish.
aud when the hour of humiliation comes
as in either case sooner or Inter is lueyitn-
BILE, it finds few inclined to mourn or svm.-
pathize. The fate of Virginia will cause
put little regret outside of her own boun.
daries.
The cause OF Ytrginia's decline is easily
S'SSSASAS" uG SOCldI NE OF a State
be as ruiuous as that of au individual.
Here is to be found the secret OF Virgiuia,s
fall. Her internal habits, if we may be ir-
duIged the expression, were not correct
She cherished certain fatal vices which
preyed upou her strength and neutraiized
her virtues, until her constitution gave
way. There WAS no inherent weakness
in her organization. Other States as
old and originally much less favored.
living under different regimen and prac-
ticing different political code, us for in
stance New York and Massachusetts, have
constantly grown more vigorous and
healthy. They show no sign of decay
The same policy of conluct pursued by
them, for nught we can now see to the
contrary, might be followed for ten thou.
sand years, aud each period would be more
prosperous NLe~ :<- r--I--DsSor SI,-..
has been the corrosive in the one4%a Sc.
ten of free institutions has been the nutri.
ment in the other. The one encouraged
| extravaganza and idleness-the other in
dustry and economy and the States we
have mentioned, Virginia on,the one hand,
| and New York and Massachusetts on the
other, are the fields where the results of
their operations can be seen to the best
advantage. The whole story of virginia's
decline and fall can be written in the one
word, Slavery. E