Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-01-16

The influence of West Virginia's exam
Die in opening the way to gradual eman-
oipation in the Border States has been telt
and recognized. She was not only the first
OF them all TO move against the rebellion
but also to move against the cause and
main spring of the rebellion Her people
having long been hostile to slavery were
naturally hostile to the rebellion. Had
they been as strongly pro- slavery as the
people of the East, 1t is quite likely that
they would have been like them Infected
with the virus of accession and rebellion.
The two sympathies have gone hand in
hand in this war, and consequently they are
recognized to-day as twin kindred. VI
course there were people among US prior
to the war who were neither emaucipa'
tionists nor abolItionIsts, who now are as
loyal to thegovernment as those who were.
A large class Of citizens were wholly indif-
fereut about slavery. They were content
to see it wear on and hold on in our coun-
ties If it could, aud If it could not they were
perfectly willing to see it die. And now
that it is dead they are heartily glad OF 1t
and would be among the last TO see 1t, If
such a thing we're possible, galvanized into
even a semblance of life anywhere in the
State. Some such there are who would
have been well content, now that they see
In the light of events the full relations OF
tho institution to this rebellion, IT our Con"
stitutional Convention had adopted even
more radical measures than they did In re.
gard to its certain exlirpation, and lift had
at once and forever by summary blow
stricken slavery dead on every inch of our
soil. The states which have followed orr
lead have in this respect improved some
whgl upon our example.
Missouri had convention some months
ago that proposed gradual emancipation,
but such policy did not begin to satisfy
the most intelligent and active men of that
State. Accordingly they reconvened, and
last week they completed by grand coup
dstat the whole and full measure of Rbo'
litton. Iustantaneously as bolt from
heaven, they sturck the shackles from of
every slave and deCreed that hereafter and
forever no person in that State, except for
crime, should be deprived Of his liberty
1t was urged by the leading and directing
minda In the convention that State half
free and half slave had future of very
slow growth before 1t, and had to encoun-
ter both the prtjudices of those who were
for and those who were against slavery
In other words it was left in such nonde-
script condition ss to invite hostility from
each side and real sympathy from neither.
Such state of things in Missouri where
Slavery prior to the war had SO deep a
hold, was more to be appreheuded than
among rs here OF West Virginia, where the
Institution had long been In departing
condition. Aud yet the apprshensions and
predictions made in her Convention are
not wholly inapplicable to Us. What is
true Of any slave Stale is true, iu lesser
degree perhaps, of every other one. We
always believed that 1t would have been
sounder policy in our Convention to have
: done just rs they have done in Missouri,
and to have made the State in law what
We all recognise it is virtually, vi1-au
out aud out free State. Mr.. Madison was
anxious that the word "slave" shOuld
nowhere be found written in the Constitu-
ton Of the United States, although himself
Shareholder. Looking forward toia day
when the prejudiees of the Christian
world should pOssessthe minds ofposterity |
in this country against slavery, just as
they had the European mind, he desired
to save the Constitution then making from
becoming a target for those preiudices. he
felt that if Reinstatement Was made the
bulwark of slavery itwoald ineite Incoming
time not only the preiudieOs but the assaults
ofpublic opinion. Hence he desired that it
should never be regarded as q pro.slavery
instrument. We see how completely the
change of opinion, to which he looked for
ward, has occurred thus early in our ma.
tional history. The prejudicss of a large
majority of the people of the free states
are active aud bitter sgainst an institution
Recognized to be the procuring cause of
the woes that have come upon the land
This growing and wide spread sentiment
will never more compromise with slavery,