The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-01-26
Letter from New Creek.
NEW OFEEHHI W Ell ~
January, 18th, 1866.


4lbuY 4oOOs J
Aiessrs. Campbell, FTeD d Co:
GENTLEMEN :-Knowing the ability
and popularity of your paper ] would
respectfully ask your consideration OF
the following reasons why think you
would advance the interests of the
State and loyal citizens of the border
counties, by advocating the passage of
the constitutional amendment by the
Legislature now sitting in your city.;p
j First-You recdoubtless aware that
in many of the border counties the
former rebels constitute the majority,
and consequently can and will unless
by LdtV prevented, rule these counties to
the detriment of the Union citizens. 1
know it may be urged that we should
be conservative, and pass, by no "Shyt or
device, "any eE post Jdcto laws or amend
mentS." Under any other circum-
stances than those in which we now
find ourselves, conservative or liberal
action might do. But in treating this
subject we. must do it practically and
take or view things as they are. and not
as we might wish they were. The facts
nre that those who We're the patriots
and loYalists in one OF the greatest and
most Important struggles the world
ever witnessed are now arrayed politi-
cally against former rebels, and there
seems to be no more congenialty or af-
finity between the two than oil and wa
ter. Consequently one will, as fur as
possible, rule the other. ~
These being the facts in the case, /
think its easy to decide which should
rule.
The rebels down this way are oppos-
ed to everything that savors of'the new
State, especially the township system
and free schools. Say they, :what right
have we to be taxed TO pay for educa-
ting the poor iDhite trdshf" And to
show you how unreasonable they are, I
might tell you that they are doing all
they can to entirely ignore the free
school law, Notwithstanding they have
to pay their school tax, whether they
use it. or not. And to cap the climax,
they held meeting, advertised by tho
rebel sheet of this county as very i'm
portant one, in Romney, on last Satur-
day, to take the yneeesSGT1 steps to get
this county back into the old State.
learn they had quite lively time and
some JfdHlin9 speeches, one especially
able ,GT0lIUeIttdtiUe and conclusive to the
audience, by one WI illiam Perry, a fifth
rate IF there is so low a rate) lawyer
and States Attorney, for this county,
elected by the rebels at our fall election.
He said, among other things, "that the
free school system was a hItHlbtG0 and a
cheat for squandering the peoples
money!" Che can't get a plug Of tobacco
on his own credit "by giving or pay
ing the County Superintendent of free
schools 8, 600 per annutn, and the lesser
officers in proportion" He also said
"that the old TiTginid system was the
best, that under it Virginia was more
enIi0hted and cultivated than any of the
boasted free school. Yankee States"
"Yea," says he, fellow-citizens of
Hampshire county, TOE are better edu-
Gated, and more enlightened than the
citizens of any of the counties OF the
Northern States where they have adopt
ed the free-school system"
But enough of this. only quote It
that you may have an idea of how we'll
we are ssreconstyucted" down this way,
and what kind of people would sit
there and applaud such a harangue OF
nonsense as the speech referred to.
Hoping you will excuse the length OF
this communication,
. I am, dear sirs, with sentiments OF
high regard, Very truly yours,
- THOMAS r. CARsRADoN.