Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-01-28
rmE NEW sr,rn
A NISst EHceIIoHt Ar,leI. ON the sI,l,-
ject.

a j
Most Excellent Article ON the Si,I,
ject.
4 EfHo'r Citizens of Vast Yirginiu:
You will sosn be called upou TO perrnrr
one OF the most important acts that can en-
gage ;he attention of any people. In nc.
cord"uce with your will expressed upon
iormer occasion, you assembled con,
Eenhon to frame Constitution preparnto.
Ty 10 your admission as State into the
Union. That Constitution has been sinh.
iaitted 10 you for your approval or rciec.
tlon' and has been approved by you with
unprecedented unanimity. Upon your an
p!cauon for admission Congress has dccid.
ca 10 admit you, upon your adoption of a
singie amendment to the Constitution AS
framed by your delegates in convention
Ihat amendment simply--providcs for the
Stauual emancipation of the few slaves vet
remaining within your territory. This
snen, Is the simple proposition which is to
he submitted to your action. Wbether ron
will adopt this amendment, and .ngTnft
thls policy upon the organic law of ysur
future State, or reject it, and with il
all nope OF ever being admitted as a
separate State in the Union. Whethcr
you VIII become ono of the free States of
'hiS Gontederacy, or remain in your pres
ent very equivocHl position aud take all
tue consequences in the unseen future that
Is before Gs. Upon every other part of vour
Constitution RS framed by yonr DELEGATES
you have already decided by an almost
unanimous approval. Tho only Question
now to be decided is whether You will
ADOPT the policy of the free States, and cast
your fortunes unequivocally with the loval
part OF this Union, or for the sake OF slaye-
~. consent to remain as we are, formally
attached to the States in rebellion, and 10
take all the consequences to ourselves and
our posterlty The question is now dis
unctiy brought forward for our decision
whsther NC are so attached to slavery that
for its sake we are willing to forego allour
long cherished hopes of a separate or0nni.
Eahon. You have already deGif6d a, un-
eqniTocally as any people can decide, that
separation from the Eastern part of the
State was desirable. That which hereto
fore has been with you, longing and an
aspiration, is now brought within your
grasp, upon the single condition of pro
Tlding in your organic law for tho gradual
extinction of an effete and dying institu-
tion. This question VIC must decide in the
face OF the civilized world DO we so love
slavery, that without enjoying any of its
benefits, and without any danger attending
emancipation, we are willing, from mere
| abstract love of the institution, to sacrifice
all our long cherished hopes, and prospec-
tive advantages from this measure so ard
emily prosecuted.
1t becomes us, fellow citizens, to give
this measure u calm and dispassionRto con,
siderNtiou. We should divest ourselves of
all passion and all prejudice, in deciding
upon measure of so much Importance to
ourselves and our posterity. Upon our
decision depends the future destiny of our
Commonwealth, with all tho momentous
| interests and responsibilities attaching 10
unborn generations. Upon question like
this passion should be hushed and prciu-
dice held in allegiance and the voice of rea-
son alone should be listened to.
Let rs then look at this question in th,
light of reason and OF conscience, and lei
US decide it as men, rs reasonable and con.
ScIsnftoUs men, charged with high respousi.
bilities TO those who are to come after us
let us not be influenced by party drill or
the mere catchwords of party politicians
Let'hs look at tho measure as it affects oul
duty and our interest, and decide accord
ingly. ~ ~ :"
But here NE are mot with the objection
that this amendment is dieiUtion on thu
part OF Congress. In this objection NC dc.
tect the art of the mere party politician
l
unpopular epithct, hc would excite the nrc,
judices of the unthinking against meas.
ure irrespective of its real merits. The
objection assumes that Congress has NO
right under the constitution TO prescribe
the terms upon which n State is to come
into the Onion. That simply upon the for.
nation OF constitution, provided tbal
constitution is Republican in form. Con-.
gress is bound to admit State seeking nd
missiop into the Union. Let us examine
this doctrine in the light of the! -Constitu.
ton and the practice of the government
The language of the Constitution ia s.NeU
States may be admitted by the Congress,
into this Union, but no new State shall b,
formed or erected within the jurisdiction o
any other State, uor any State be formed b,
the junction of two or more States or part!
OF states without the consent of the Leg
Ilslatures OF the States concerned, and o
Congress" This is the whole of the third
Section of the fourth Article of the Consfi
tuition. "New States may be admitted in /,
this Union" is all of it that concerns on
present purpose. You will here observ,
that the language is alternative. II is mn
New States shall be admitted into tbi
Union upon presenting Republican Con
stitutton, which would have been tn,
proper expression of the doctrine assume,
by the objection. The language is not i'm
, peralive but alternative. New States mn,
be eadmitted, &C." If State man he ai
mitted, she may also be rejected, much NOR
may conditions be proposed for her admis
sion. BUTT may be contended that one CON
dttion, that of a Republican form of GOV
ernment being prescribed in the Constitn.
tlon excludes all other conditions. To thi
we reply that tho clause guaranteeing tc
every State within the Union RepublicaI
( form oFe 1ovarnrar+ - -. USHSo'