Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-07-29
The state OF West vIrgInIa.
WHRRLIEG. WEsF Va. July %

dress, II not olnding upon the Demoorauc
party, is, at least, on account Of its ability
and the position of its siguers, document
Of great political Importance. For this
reason, and because l subscribe most hear
tily to most of the principles il announces,
desire to mention 9 part, and what may
seem to most q very small part, Of the sd.
dress, which is peculiarly interesting in
this State, and in which cannot fully
concur.
Expressing, as I believe, the feeling of
numbers of Conservative citiEens in this
State, venture to send you ny objections
to the history of the reorganization of the
government of Virginia, as given in the
address, under the head "Creation Of Bo-
gus States" trusting to your candor to
listen TO me, and to your ability to answer
me If am wrong.
condemu as much as any the system Of
bogus States and bogus votes which Lin
coin is endeavoring TO manufseture for po-
Iitical purposes; bat the Virginia move
ment presents q history and . result 60
different from these as certainly to deserve
mention under some other title, If at all.
After the passage Of the ordinance of
secession, the people Of northwestern Vir-
| ginis spontaneously and tVithoTt any
PromptiHgS IehdteVer from Washington, COM
menced the movement which resulted in
be known to none better than to the SenR-
tor from Virginia whose name follows the
address. Not only was he at the head Of
that movement, but even then he proposed
| a division of the state. That this reoTgan-
iEation was accomplished without the con-
sent or even the knowledge of the admin
istration-except as news Of the day-is
patent 10 any one who knows the history
or will read the speeches of that first con-
vention held in May, 1861. One msu, new q
United States senator, and then In the conf
dence of the standardization, condemned
the movement for q division Of the
state, proposed by Mr.. Carlile, ss
mtriple treason" remark which would
certainly not have fallen from a man
IN his position had the movement been
dictated by the administration. The
address comedies the moVemement to
have been, thus far at least, justified by
the peculiar circumstances of the case, /" but
condemns the "further proceeding" as
"without warrant Of power or pretense Of
necessity" I admit there was no ''pFe-
tense of necessity" more than there Is for
the admission of any territory into the
Union as q state but l must certainly
claim Just as great ''warrant Of power" as
for the admission Of any such new state
When the address admits the justice Of set
it admits the whole case; for the only
question is upon that fact. The Legislature
Of the State of Virginia (reeogaiEed as
such by the United States authorities and
now by the Democratic congressional ad-
dressl did consent, according to the pro-
vision of the Constitution mentioned by the
address, to the formation of q new state
within the boundaries of the old.
It is certainly not my purpose to defend
the administration in this matter or any
other; my motive is to do justice to the
wrouged by the thought that they, who
threw of the yoke Of one despotism, could
be,so subservieut to that of another. In
this matter, blame the administration,
not for the admission Of West Virginia,
but for refusing her admission except un-
der certain conditions intended to secure
the political influence Of the new state
And this was the ground occupied by every
Democratic senator, upon the motion Of
Mr. Carlile TO admit the state without con-
ditions, which was defeated by the Repub
licans on strict party vote (see COHgTes
sionGI Globe, I'd sess. 37.h Cong. page
s3I6). For the sake of consistency then, 1
as well as for the sake Of our doctrine of
strict construction of the Constitution, the
Democratic party cannot object 70 the Rd-
mission Of West Virginia as unconstitu-
tional. Even II history were silent, the
fact that the reorganized government Of
Virginia still exists in Eastern Virginia,
answers the charge, that IL was establish
ed merely to secure the division Of the
state.
The careful pen Of Senator Buckslsw
must have slipped when il objected 70 the
former territory Of Virginia seeding four
members TO the United States Senate.-
His own Argument is one for the division
of Virginia. The State Of Virginia-eVen
the loyal third thereof-might be satisfied
because little DelaWRrs, with one repre-.
sentative, sends two senator's, and might
divide for the sake of abstract justice and
the increased number Of senators. others
would follow suit, and the principle advo-
Gated Ia the address would reduee the
Union to two hundred and forty one pieces
! or more. Each compensated for its own in
| Significance by the thought that its neigh
Dor is no smatEeT than itseiE Even II sueh
were not the eonsequenees, Senator B
must consistently object TO the admission
of any new state smaller than New York,
or his own Pennsylvania, and keep empires
in territorial leading strings until 9 pbPu-
lation of four millions brings 70 them years
Of discretion aud the right 70 two senator's.
A momeufs reflection will show that even
two additional United States senators
would scarcely compensate for the expense
of q second state government, and that
stronger motives for division than those
i must exist, as they existed in the common
wealth Of Yirgfuis more than thirty years
/ before they bore their fruit. Efua
I will eoueiude with . hope that the Chi
eago Convention will do justice 70 the state
and people of West Virginia, and give
them q tacit welcome, If . formal one be
not proper, TO the sisteFhood Of the Uuion-
Yours, DAVID A. CoTNRR-