Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-01-06


loathe and dred them. Any terms with
any other would be preferable b subiuRa
} tion to them.
rms ls the sentiment of our people. ThiI
ls their conviction. Let our rulers remem.
J Der it and heed it. sOur constitution va,
made as the development of our nationaI
4 life. 1t may not provide for all tfie yariour
exlgencies ofwar; questions of State NAV
arse IN our experience as they have
arisen in the experience of alnost every
other nation, when our best Welfare will
require OF our rulers the exercise of a bold
responsibility. -
The acquisition Of Louisians in 1909
was justified only as question of State,
something over and above tbs Ccastitntion.
Ii IN times of peace statesmen have SOME:
times thus to throw themselves upon the
Intelligence of their countrymen, and seek
their advantage by irregulaf methods, such
occasions may well be presumed more
likely to arise during struggle for ite
with powerful, Inscriptions and fero.
cious enemy.
The clouds that have thickened over as
admonish US of the possibility that the
time may come when statesmanskip, If it
cannot deliver us, must at least secure to
us the utmost palliation of or misery. If
1t cannot save, it must at least save us
from the Yankees.
We lately published from thoughtful
correspondent a suggestion that, in the
event Of being unable to sustain our inde-
pendence, we should surrender it into the
hands of those from whom We wrested or
purchased it, into the hands of Britain,
France and Spain, rather than yield it to
the Yankees.
From the favor with which this sugges-
ton has been received, we are sure that in
the dread event which it contemplates, our
people Yopld infinitely prefer an alliance
with European nations on terms as favor
able as they could desire, in preference to
the dominion of the Yankees. We will
not dwell upon that supposltion now. We
speak OF them not ut of gloomy forebod-
ings, but simply as man in health speaks
of his will.
What we ask now, o in the name of the
people, is, that the Government strain ev-
cry energyand deYelope every resource for
the public defense. Remember that to
hold back anything is not to save it. The
only question is, shall we have the use of
it, or shall our enemies. Such q question
leaves no room to hesitate. Upon such
efforts and such devotion heaven will sure.
ly send its blessing. But if misfortune
should still pursue US and our hopes all
fail, let US have the election of throwing
ourselves into the hands of those who are
cold and Indifferent rather than to fall
under the yoke Of malignant enemies rails
ing the VOLTS howl for our blood. 3a
We could not have avoided the struggle
into which the North has foresd-As. Long
ago Lincoln declared that the republic
could not exist half slave and half free.
In various forms the people of the North
pressed the issue upon us. Our enemies
hedged US round, and finally drove us to
the wall. The worst that can happen to
us in prosecuting our defense ia the best
that they designed for US in the beginning,
and far better than they will accord US if
they triumph in their aims. Providence
has marked out our path, and both led and
urged our steps. 1t has been to US the
inevitable path of duty
If in pursuing it wefail, this were to fail
as nations never failed before. Providence
will not suffer us to go down if we show a
proper devotion, proper wisdom, and q
proper courage. Let our wise men plan,
let our brave men fight, and let our good
men pray. God will open up a way of
escape for us and will disappoint our enc
mics. Let our faith fail not"
The Richmond Enquirer, in a column of
editorial review of the above article, con-
cludes as follows "a decent respect for
the opiHionBtof mankind required our an
Cestors when about to dissolve their poIit-
ical bands with Great Britain to declare the
cause which compelled them to the separa-
ton. That high, noble precedent was not
followed by those States "when in the
course of human events it became neces.
sary for us to separate from the United
States" ..ss s.a- ea,
Tho absence of such declaration has
enabled our enemies to misrepresent our
cause, and to place us before The world as
nation seeking not self-government, but
the perpetuation and extension of slavery.
"Why," said Mr.. Golden, in his recent
speech at Rochdale, ais there no such dec
larstion, because they have but the griev-
ance that they want to consolidate, perpet.
nate and extend slavery"
Thus the ocoasionsof the war has been
misunderstood and mistepresented, for it's
causes and the righteous noble object of
kept out of view, and slavery perpetuRlly
paraded before the world as the corner
stone of the Confederate States.
Gan we any more than, our f0refathers
affect to disregard the opinion ofmAnkind.
The opinion of mankinkas entertained in
France and England and throughout Eu-
rope, is that of anti-slRvery; and was it to
be expected that that opinion would rev.
olutionize itself merely to divide and dis
sever the United States. ~
The right of self government was as
much at stake in the denial of our equal
rights in the Territories as that of our fore
| fathers was in the tax on tea. But the
enlightened opinion OF the world does not
so understand our canse, The violent
anti. slavery discussion that has for thirty
years preceded the dissolution of tue
Union, and which as often predicted civil
war, very naturally led the world to un-
derstand our war as solely undertaken tor
the perpetuation and extension of slavery.
2 Perhaps the. time has passed for any
such declaration of grievances to be either
proper or profitable. but manifesto OF
objects and purposes, setting forth clearly
I the reasons that induced US to resort to
war, the manner in which that war has
been conducted, the declaration and acts