Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-01-17
The Barbour County Outrage.

Que of the most notable signs of tho
times, in local and small way, was the
article in the secession organ yesterday as
sailing very bitterly the Governor for his
excellent and much needed recommended
tons to the Legislature on the 18th inst
ThearticIe was virtually an open espousal
of the side and cause of secession. The
Governor, as was his most bounden duty,
recommended to the Legislature 'that there
should be some law passed authorizing the
arrest Of distinguished secessionists to be
held as hostages for the release of Union
citizens that have been or may hereafter
be arrested" The immediate cause of
this recommendation by the Governor was
the fact that the Sheriff of Barbour county
few nights ago was taken from his house
by band of secession scoundrels, suppos-
ed all of them TO be residents of the coun-
ty, aud carried into the secession lines
/ for the reward, as it is alleged, of thous-
sna d5llars offered by the Richmond rebels
for oi.cers under the Wheeling Govern
mcnt The Sheriff of Barbour county
was a non-combatant and simply civil
officer, and contrary to all usages of war
he was taken prisoner, and by those too,
not in the ranks or tho uniform of the
common enemy. The case is the same,
only greatly aggravated, as that of Roberts,
who last winter was carried of from the
KNnawha VALLEY to Richmond. 1t will be
remembered that Laidley aud others were
arrested by the State authorities here and
brought up as hostages for his extradltion.
Nothing else saved Roberts from death,
for he would certainly soon have died, and
he did suffer permanent mental aud physi-
cal injury. The Richmond rebels found
that arresting non-combatants for no other
crime than the fact:o1 their officeship under
the restored government of the State was a
game that two could play at,and accordingly
after having degraded and injured Roberts
as much as possible they released him.
When this was done, LaidIey S Co. were
discharged from their arrest.
The same thing is now called for in the
case of the Sheriff of Barbour, a most esti-
mable and respectable citizen. 1t is a
credit to Gov. Peirpoint that he dares to
act so promptly and decidedly in such mat
tiers. He wishes to meet this case, SO fla.
grant are the circumstances of its perpe-
tratiou. To meet it it is necessary to do as
was done in the case of Roberts, viz. arrest
certain noted conniving and winking
and influential secessionists in Barbour,
men who are justly suspicioned with being
the procurers of the abduction of the Sher-
if. Whether they are or are not the pro
curers, they should be arrested, for only By
their arrest can an innocent unoffendiug
Union man be released, If every seces-
0ioniOt 10 Barbour county has to be ar
rested before the Sheriff is given up, they
ought without any hesitation and in the
most summary manner to be seized. And
we trust that they will DO if it is
found necessary. Let there be nc
shrinking. The cowardIy secession organ
here has become bold because Union men
have become weak. We call upon the
legislature to stand up like men aud pat
riots at this crisis and hold up the hands
of the Governor. Shall these midnigh,
secession bctrayers and scoundrels rule
us? Are We going to quietly suffer our
officers or private citizens to be carried
into the ranks of the enemy, without visit.
ing swift and severe reprisal upon the trail
tors in their midst who invite such outrages.
God forbid! ItwouId be cowardly and
unworthy in the last degree for a govern
ment to desert the humblest and neanest
Union citizen in the State. We rejoice in
the belief that our Legislature will not let
the Barbour county outrage go uuavenged
to the uttermost.
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE,