Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-08-21
a sHoRT REVIEW.

West virginia, ma Lnelr account III such
platforms of principles as those published
to the world by the two candidates in the
Second Congressional district, marks a
wonderful era in the popular sentiment.
Who could have so much as dreamed three
years ago that such state of things was
among the possibilities of speedy future
Most certainly, we, ourselves, sanguine as
we were of the ultimate ascendancy of the
doctrines held and advocated by this paper,
never for moment flattered ourselves that
in the course of night as it were, they
were to have such Stree course aud to be SO
extensively ssrun and glorifed." The time
of Pentecost seems to be upon us. Men
either speak with new tongues or else use
their old ones to very different purpose.
But three years ago the politicians of West
Virginia looked upon those who held such
principles as we then advocated, as fac
ton of poor, despised Nazarenes, not
worthy of notation in the general political
sentiment of the State. That portion of
the ignorant aud prejudiced populace who
were subseryient to those politicians, were
fond of manifesting their Virginianism and
their Southern affiliations and their tru-
cuIent ates.rightsism, by emitting no
opportunity to offer some indignity to this
paper. Our anonymous letters for several
years would show curious record.
Some of them were of the most
fiendish and brutal character; others
were remarkable tor their revolving yul-
garity. Many of them were written in dis
guised hands, showing plainly that the
writer's were persons who had considera-
BILE education, and moved in what is called
the respectable walks of life. For several
years it was the custom with the spreeing
portion of the States Rights Democracy to
come bowling past our office and give us
midnight brawling. All the jeers that
their besotted and negro -phobized brains
could devise were freely vented as they
staggered along. Occasionally, until they
heard from us pretty summarily, they
would stop to offer petty acts of violence.
The police department of the city, at the
time, were their thorough sympathizers,
and our frequent efforts to abate this nui-
sance by enlisting their attention never
amounted to anything. We found our
best protection in taking the law into our
own hands. The old Argus newspaper,
weak, virueIent, low affair, used to furn-
ish the catch words for these creatures, and
daily TRADED the town upon the impolicy
of allowing such an excrescence as the
IutelRgencer to be published on Virginia
soil. The miserable postmasters of Bu-
chanan's Administration, acted upon 1.-THE
hints of the argus, and to the full extent
oftheir ability annoyed and broke down our
circulation. Nearly all of them turned up
defaulters to the government afterwards,
and not a few of them stole the mail bags,
keys and public property, and put off with
them into the Southern Confederacy.-
They were so much occupied in eradicat-
ing heresy from the sacred soil, and propa-
eating democracy, that they hadn't suf-
fcient time left to attend to their business.
Surprising, of course, that when the de-
mocracy were defeated at the Presidential
election, and their own day about over,
that the government had ceased to be of
any account to anybody, and ought natur-
ally to go to pieces, they made haste to grab
all that came TO their hands thereafter, as
SO much clear gain. Among the effects of
some of these offices were found bundles
of our paper, which the occupants had sunk
on private account in order that the de-
mocracy might be as unanimous and un-
tainted as possible in carrying the State
out of the Union.
Those were palmy days and we appre.
ciated them highly, and hence our present
intense ardOr to see the 'Union as it was.'
It would be infinitely pleasant for us tc
be put under the patronage of the state
Rights democracy the balance of our lives
Their love for us has been vastly increased
of late days, and no doubt We should ex
perience more copious measure of thei
tender mercies than in the olden time
We feel bound, however, to say for our
selves, that between Reinstatement OF. tn
state-rights Democracy aud the install
ment of the Hapsburgs, we should by al
odds prefer the latter. A more perfec
despotism over mems minds does not ex
ist in Austria than existed in West yirgini
under the rule of the States-rights DemoS
racy. Heaven grant their day may neye
come again, whatever else may happen I
They knew nothing but utter subservienc
to slavery. On this issue, in every littl
election, they, in the language of poor Be
Ridgway, of the Richmond Wing, thunte
and bounded all who opposed them, wit
the abolition yelp," and "made seven'