Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-09-11

MoundsvIIIe Convention ON the
3Oth.
a very important meeting of the SenA-
tors and Representatives, from the Coun-
ties composing this Congressional District
took place last night in the Hall of the
House. The meeting Was called to dis
euss the propriety of a Congressional Con-
vention, With q view of concentrating the
loyal vote of the district on some one man,
and thersby preventing the election of a
Copperhead or Bntteruut though the null
tiplicity of candidates on the Union side.
Mr.. Boss, of Ohio County, was Chairman
aud Mr.. Want, of GiImer, Secretary
of the meeting. Seventeen of the twenty
two members from the district were pres
ent. A ballot was taken to ascertain the
sense of the members as to the necessity
for Convention. Twelve votes we're cast
for and Eve against Convention. a Con-
ventiOn being thus determined upon the
following address was, on motion, unani-
mousIy adopted as tie Recommendation OF
the members to their constituents, Urging
the loyal people of each county to elect,
on the 26th inst, delegates to meet IN
Congressional Convention at MoundsyilIe,
on Wednesday the 3Oth inst, there to
choose Union candidate for Congress:
ADDRESS.
To the People Of the lst cOsgrz.Ho,aal Die
IN The a9d IF Oc+oh.- nv. -, .,..,;o.
for members of Congress from West Yir-
ginia is to take place. Several gentlemen
are already in the field AS candidates for
the SURFACES of the people of the First Dis
tTict. They are all more or less worthy of
ous support. 1t is presumable that If mat
ters stand until the day of election as they
do now, they will all receive respectable
vote. Were the election an ordinary one,
and we're no important results to follow
our choice, we should be well content to
see these gentlemen, all of whom are loyal,
fight it ont among themselves. But the
election is not an ordinary one. On the con-
trary it ia the most momentous one ever
occurring in our midst On the selection of
members of Congress from West Virginia
may depend the choice of Speaker for
the next House of Representatives. AS
things now appear it is quite likely that
our elections will determine that choice
That Speaker will have the appointment Of
committees vital to the successful prose
cution of the war. If we elect men who
will vote for thoroughly loyal man for
Speaker we will secure committees that
will fully support and sustain the Govern
ment. If on the contrary we elect men
who will vote for disloyal man for Speak.
er, the result will be committees, that
will endeavor to block the wheels of leg
islatiou, Withhold supplies, and thereby
cripple and embarrass the Government
It IS a fact well known to the people of
West Virginia, that we have willy and
lurking disloyal foe in our midst. That
foe has ever evinced disposition to con-
test with US at the ballot box whenever an
offered. Previous to the final
vote on the new State amendment, finding
that it was powerless to defeat the deter.
mination OF the people, it sounded a bu-
gle blast TO its squadrOnS, calling them of
from the field of contest, and enioined on
them the policy of not voting on election
day. You have not forgotten how implic-
lily, how literally and how almost unani.
mously, that Injunction was obeyed. Only
a struggling vote here and there was cast
against the amended constitution. While
this in one sense, was gratifying to the
loyal new State people, in another it was
suggestive and alarming. 1t revealed the
fact that we had in our midst highly dis
cipIined foe, whose word to its followers
was law, and who had at any time but to
pass the command along the line for action
or non-action, to find it implicitly obeyed
1t revealed the further fact that this foe
had its secret understandings, and was
constantly on the alert for the signs of the
times, in order to know when to strike and
when to refrain from striking.
1t cannot have escaped your attention
that recently an ominous recommendation
has emenated from disloyal headquarters
in this city, bidding the so.called "Con.
servatiyesn prepare for their opportunity
You understand what such a note of prep.
aratiou means. II you do not your disloyal
enemies do. Itmeans that if an opportunity
through your divisions, presents itself fol
the election OF a Copperhead or Butternut
TO Congress from this district, it is to be
embraced.
Depend upon it this scheme is now ma.
turing among the enemies of the govern
ment in this district.
1t will require very short time to de-
velop itself. II may be held in allegiance
until the last week, almost the last day, OF
the canvass, aud then it will be sprung
upon MS in such an hour as we think not
The result viii be that while We the loyal
people, repostng full trust and con fidence
in all our candidates, are voting some for
this one, and some for that one, and some
forthe other one, according to our iudivi-
dual preferences, our wRtchfnl and dis.
loyal foe will, with one strong effort
concentrate his whole strength upon a
candidate and elect him by numerical
plurality over the highest one of our hall
dozen candidates. You will agree that
such q result would be disaster sadly to
be mourned forever by the loyal people Of
this district. Consequences of life and
death to the country, as well as to us,
might result from lit, The Union cause,
in these times of peril, when the rebellion
| we all so dread and datast il sinking II,