The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-12-22
.aaapa 1855
E0heGnteNrl
RAsTERN VIRGINIA..
GOV. PeIrpOInt and the Rebel Editors
or the Examiner sd

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GOV. PeIrpOInt and the Rebel Editors
OF the Examiner. TX
General Harris, who is in command
OF the Fredericksburg district, sends to
the Richmond Republic timely rebuke
to the editors OF the EtaBlisier for their
recent mean-spirited and disloyaI at
tack upon Governor Peirpoint. The
| Governor merited better treatment at
their hands, for, whatever his faults,
the Eastern Virginia rebels ought to be
the last to complain of him, seeing that
he has been their friend, so far as a
loyal man could be, since his advent
among them. The rebels of the Exam
iHer are specimens of large class over
there who have neither gratitude or
sincerity, and are not to be trusted any
moro than SO many Italians. Like
Italians they mustand will be held by
force, and their naughty necIs will yet
be brought into submission to the new
regime, ae,s ~ tag
The General, in the course of his ar
ticle, vindicates Governor Peirpoint as
follows from the nl-natured filings of
the EIumtsler at his origin and occupa-
ton here in West Virginia: ~ 81
So far from being unknown beyond
the bounds ofthe three or four counties
in which it is alleged that he practiced
his professions Governor Pferpofnt was
well known by reputation throughout
the whole Of West Virginia. Neither
was he wholly unknown to the EASTERN
portion of the State, as the illiberal at
tacks on his political opinions by the
Richmond papers that differed with
him in political sentiment will testify.
He WAS known TO the people of West
Virginia as one of her educated, liberal
minded, enlightened sons, and 10y the
purity of his character and his compre-
hensive and statesman-like views of
the political questions then agitating
the country, and his fearless political
| consistency he won, for himself the
| respect even of his political adversaries,
then largely in the majority throughout
the State. In the fearful struggle of
1861, which resulted in precipitating u
portion of the State, in opposition to
the sentiments and wishes of the peo-
pie, into rebellion, rendering it neceS-
sary for the loyal portion to fall back
on the inherent rights of the people in
restoring government to the State, Gov
| ernor Peirpoint was selected by the
loyal people as their representative
| man, not ON account of his obscurity
and want of ability, but Il tribute to his
| worth, and an evidence of tho conf
dehee of the loyal people In his loyalty,
integrity, and ability to guide the ship
of State in that dark and troubled
hour. And only reiterate what has
often been said by some OF, the ablest
men in the nation, when say that, in
| all his utterances, he has displayed Il
cleRrnesS of comprehension of the real
nature of our institutions and of all
I ia t.
overthrow, equ1led by few, and eX-
celled, perhnps, by none.
Gen. Harris understands the animus
of the rebels, including the rebel ,edi-
tors, perfectly, as is shown by his stric-
lures on the professions and inconsis-
tencies ofthe Examiner.
! "Professing to beloyal, it does moth
ing but renew in the field of politics the
contest which has already been decided
by the arbitranentl of arms ;gand as,
whilst the war was raging, it did all it
| could to mislend the people by holding
up to them false hopes of aid to their
cause from the recognition of foreign
powers, SO now 1t, endeavors to inspire
false hopes of the disruption of the 10y
al party of the country, and of new COM
element in the loyal States, thus form
ing party that will control the gov
ernment, and restore all that has Been
lost.
It will be bad day for the people OF
| Virginia when they shall be led to trust
in such delusion ns this. Such a hopo
would be like the apples of Sodom, that
turn to ashes in the grasp. 1t is time
that the Southern people should learn
| that there is an inflexible purpose in
the minds of an immense majority jof
the people of the United States, that our
Union shall not only be preserved, but
shall never again be put in jeopardy by
such false political teaching as that
which led to the late rebellion. Not
only the cause of the late rebellion, but
all its concomitants must be put away
forever, and the sooner the people OF
Virginia and of the whole South cease
to look for advantage from connection
with an odious and powerless minority,
and put themselves in full sympathy
with the loyal people of the country,
the sooner will they find themselves not
only in the enjoyment of their political
rights, but, mt the same time, on the
road to. prosperity and happiness. "A
little common sense is most excellent
endowment. p