The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-07-16

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spirits at the North, that a day of fast
ing and prayer was proclaimed. It ap-
PesTed as though one of those ine1pli-
caoIe periods in the history of some
men mad arrived, which justified the
conclusion of completely, or the edual-
~ to be regretted ack owlelRement of
puerility. People who still loved the
nations emblem of its integrity, were
put to the blush when thew heafd oFitsI
being rudely torn down BY a recrean mt
foe, without the resistance which the
weakest Duchy would have offered TO
the most sovereign pontiff. All conf
dence seemed for the moment lost. Sc
curities fellito nominal value, and
depression in external matters sympa-
thiZed with the Internal expressions OF
hopelesSness. Still there was silence
in the North that was portentous.
Whilst senators and representatives. in
Congress from the Southern States were
rising IN their seats upon the secession
of each State, and openly resigning and
casting an insulting parting word to
their northern comPeerS, reproaohing
them with criminal intents and dinbof-
tcal designs, there sat the representa-
tives of the mighty North, without
-deigntng more than an occasional mild
reproof for the indecorum, silent, inn
movable, imperturbable. No threats
were heard from theirside of the house,
no vain boasting of their purposes; and
yet they were the descendants of men
whose words of war had leaped like
liquid fire along the valleys and over
the granite hills, in a revolution scarce
ithree-quarters of q century passed
away. AS yet there was dormant in
the North itself, a sublime power un-
bounded in its terrific action.
The inauguration, however, of a man
who was the representative of a party
in the pride of its first triumph and
flushed with victory, gave hope to the
despairing citizens, and warmed into
life those patriotic virtues which the
hesitating policy of the outgoing ad-
ministration, had permitted to grow
cold on the altar of the nation. THEM
augural address, whilst of tone and
character that did not threaten or
wound, still announced the doctrine,
that nothing had yet taken place, ac-
cording to the constitution, which was
sufficient to tie the hands of the Execu-
tive or deter him from retalzing the forts
and arsenals and repossessing the pro-
perty belonging to the government in
the States where secession had been in
stituted. .taflEt - ID
This address was received and inter-
preted by the people of Virginia and
the convention. according to the pre-
vailing opinions of parties on the
questions then being agitated. The ex-
tremists argued and asserted that it was
equivalent to the declaration of HOSTILE
ties, and by the superior vehemence
which characterizeS reYolutionists, to-
gether with resort to the sophistry of
public commotionS, they drew to them
many who were filled with alarm at the
aspect of affairs and found a temporary
reliefin the shadow of violent spirits.
The pressure of events brought from
the committee on Federal relations, a
partial majority report on the 9th of
March. 1t claimed that Virginia being
more interested in the continuance Of
peace than other Southern States, and
having instituted measures to obtain
guarantees ofa proper self-respect, i'm
PEELED her to demand of all parties n
suspension of all action tending to pro-
duce collision of forces, whilst she
was making efforts for an amicable ad-
1uStment. Thesovereigntyw was declared
TO rest in the States; slavery was held
to be vital element of southern social
ism, and any interference either by
States or the Federal government was
offensive and dangerous; the formation
of sectional or geographical parties was
contrary to the principles on which the
government rested and tended to its
overthrow. The fourth resolution de-
clared that the territories of the
Union were eq ually the property OF all
the States, and that If the Institutions OF
lie
ton should be made and each assigned
to its respective limits. The fifth reso-
luton was vital in its Significance, 1t
alleged that the sites OF forts and arse
nails belonging to the Federal govern
ment within the limits of the States of
the Union, had been acquired by it,
and Jurisdiction ceded by the States, as
trusts for the common purposes during
the continuance of the Union. Whilst
State remained in the Union
the legitimate use OF such forts
and ,arsenals was to protect the
country from foreign foes and
to suppress domestic insuFrectiou; bu,
to use them to intimidate State or
constrain its free action was a perver-
sion, and that they were not intended
TO be used against the States in whose
limits they were found, in the event of
civil war. Whilst Irritating questions
were pending between the States, to
accumuiate an unushal amount of
troops and munitions of war, within
any of the States, was unwise, impoliLic
and offensive.
The sixth and seventh called for deIay
and suggested some remedies that
would forward the peaceabIe adjust
ment of pending complications.
The eighth conceded the right of the
people of the States for just causes to
withdraw from their association under
the federative head and to erect new
governments; and that the people o.
Virginia would never consent that the
Federal power should be exercised for
the purpose of subjecting the people
of such state TO the Federal AUTHORITY,
The ninth recognized the exercise of
the right by the gulf Statee and its dis
claimer by the Federal authorities; and
the tenth asserted that the people of
Virginia desired to confer upon the ma
uonal government the power necessary
to enable IL to deal with all questions
arising from the action OF these States,
in peaceable manner, and to recog
ntze their Independence and make such
treaties with them as might be proper,
The eleventh proposed that certain
amendments should be submitted to
the people of all the States for their
ratification, and If satisfactory res
ponse was not ELECTED, then Virginia
would resume her powers granted un-
der the constitution of the United
States and throw herself upon her re-
served rights; that reasonable time
would oe allowed for this course, but
during the interim nothing but pacific
measures should be adopted, and no at
tempt should be made to reinforce the
forts or to recapture any within the
limits of seeded State; nor should
there be any payment of impost upon
commerce TO the Federal authorities.
nor any measures be resorted to. instlv
calculated to provoke hostile collision.
The thirteenth declared that any ac
tion OF the Federal government tend
ing TO produce collision OF forces, pend
ing negotiations, would be aIpressive
and Injurious to the interests and ofTens
sive to the honor of the con1monweaith;l
and that any such action by the Com
tederate States would be regarded as
hurttul and unfriendly, and as leaving