The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-12-04
0tneQtrtetEiQet1rer.
RATES OF sUBsCRIPTIoN.
OUR RICHMOND LETTER
segnlar Wsskay Lsns..r.Iao 1s Wase.lng ze.e.n
RIcnMoND, Nov. q, 1866,


| Regular Weekly Letterto Ge Wheeling InselR.
.....r.. fG..z.r...f 0enceT.;r. --..-5IE
RICHMOND, Nov. q, 1865.
It is difficult to believe that auy con-
siderable number of negroes can be so
unreuecttng and so totally blind other
future interests as to enlisttin an insur-
| rectionary enterprise against their late
masters, with a view to 4 change of our
social and political condition, which it
seems is not conSonant with their notion
| OF proPriety, and does not harmonize
with their aspirations. Yet there can be
little doubt of the existence in the
minds of the, negroes, ! of a restless dis
Satisfaction and disappointment at
their failure to realize the practical adj
vantages and tangible blessings which
they anticipated In such endless flow
from the enjoyment of "Freedom."
The mutterings of discomfort have
reached, in many instances, thee ears of
the authorities, and in <portions,0f the
State remote from military posts, where
the people are defenceless, have occa-
stoned considerable uneaslness.3 Only
a few weeks since General Torbett,
commanding the Norfolk, district,
thought It necessary to issue strin:
the secret meetings by the negroes,
which were held SO frequently and
mysteriously, and with such evil
dent purpose of inscrutable secresy, MS
furnished good ground for the snppo-
sltiou, that the purposes of these So
cret assemblies were evil. Again, we
have reports from the ,rural, districts
which tell of anything but d promising
spirit among tho freedmen, and which
forebode much trouble TO the whites,
and eventually severe retribution upon
the blacks; or course, there could be
but one result to a negro insurrection,
and that very speedily consummated,
even were the whites not protected by
the presence of the Federal soldiers.
The negroes would be inevitably pun
ished severely, but only after perpe-
trating vast deal of mischief, besides
the lamentable results which would
follow In the implacable spirit of re-
yenge. on the part Of tho white popula-
ton, finally resulting in the eXtermin-
alton of the blacks by a war of races.
The general conduct of the negroes, in
almost every direction, strengthen
the suspicion of the existence Of u
mudnous spirit, which undoubtedly
requires close watching to prevent con-
! squences serious to all CLASSES OF south
ern society, but in the end fatal on v
TO the blacks themselves.
Beneficial results will undoubtedly
ensue from the steps which have been
taken by the Freedmen's Bureau, to
disabuse the minds of the negroes, of the
notions which they have cherished of a
| division of the estates of their late mas
tiers, by the authority of the Federal Gov
eminent, for their benefit. tits trulyas-
| tonishing to witness the general preva-
| lence of this absurd impression among
the rural freedmen, and the tenacitY
/ with which many ofathem still cling TO
| the deluSton, the Protestation of the off,
GERS of the "Bureau" to the contrary
notwithstanding. The officers of the
''Bureau" are travelling through their
several districts, and delivering i'd
| dresses to the negroes, urging them to
abandon their idle habits and to
embrace whatever opportunities OF
making favorable contracts for labor
may be rendered them by the whites.
1t will require many months to enlight-
en- the minds of these deluded creatures
sufficiently to convince them of the
folly of adopting the advice of adven-
turers from the North, who know moth
| ing of their natures or real wants, and
whose teachings thus far have been
productive only of the mischievous re-
suit of disturbing the agreeable and
harmonious feelings which naturally
I exist between the negro and the white
man of the South. ......-y,
Imbroglios among the stockholders,
State proxies, &c, of our various rail-
| roads are becoming fashionable. We
have recently had congratulations OF
the officers and boards Of directors OF
three leading railroad companies, the
Richmond q Danville, Virginia Cen
trail, and Orange g Alexandria, and
In each instance a violent partisan
spirit has been manifested, and in some
Instances considerable personal feeling
has undoubtedly been engendered.l The
cause of difficulty has beenthe inability
ofthe indiYidua1 stock holders to.apre,
in their choice of officers for the COM
pany, with the State proxies, who rep
resent the Interests Of the Statea Natu-
rally emo enough, with the oXerYhelming
who havethemselves been c0nfeIlerates,
it constitutes no cause of political re-
proach, and is no proof of incompe-
tencyj to have been during the late
war as "tBill ARP" says, a Hrebel
sS-eGtted." Not .so,a7 however, with
every instance, collision has ensued.
Four-ffths of the individual stockhold-
ers of the D8nYillel Road, preferred
General Johnston as President, but
Governor Peirpoint expressed the opin-
ion that his election would be injudici-
GUS, and, the State proxies voting
against him, he was defeated. So in
the case OF 1.-THE Orange Il Alexandria
Road, John s, Barbour, was elected by
a large majority butn the State proxies,
under the guidance of Lewis MacKen.
zie, 6oIted the Convention, and elected
another. In the case of the Virginia
Central, Col. Fontaine, who has been
President for twenty years, was defeat
ed blythe State proxies, who voted fol
VIM. G. Wick ham, late Brigadie1
General of Cavalry, and mem Der OF the
Confederate Congress, but always
known, during the war, to be Union
man at heart, lighting not for political
convictions, but merely in obedience tc
public sentiment. Considerable feeling
has been evinced respecting these cleo:
tons among that portion of the com.
munity which is interested in these
roads, and they have been free.
ly commented upon by por-
ton Of the press. The EnqIiref, in
its issue of yesterday, assails Governor
properly in the affairs of the Railroads
70 further partisan. purposes. 1t is to
be deeply regretted that difficulties
should have occurred, involving politi.
cal or other questions, than those Of
general qualifications, but the com.
munity OF Richmond will require
many evidences of an illiberal, partisan
spirit, before they Will receive as just
such charge against Governor Peir.
point. His past course certainly doe.
dot sustain it. The Enquirer doubtless
has its own reason for Its opinion, bui
our people will be slow to conviction o.
"Progress" Is undoubtedly the favorits
word Of our people, and will soon be
the appropriate expression of the as
piration and condition OF all classes o.
of our leading lines Of railway to theil
original destinations will be vigorously
urged, both upon Legislature and
! people, and will be zealously and sue
cesSfuily prosecuted. The completion
of the james River and KhnaWha
Canal, of such vital moment 70 the in.
dividual and commercial interests o.