The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-01-24
me Rtnte CoptfaI,

EDITORS I,teltlgeneer:
inst. that Mr.. Marley Merrill, Jr., was
considerably aroused by our article In
reply to his first. We expected by our
article to bring ont the amany argue
ments" in favor Of his plan, which we
were led to believe were held in reserve
for some "future communication" but
we discover that WeWere disappointed
and this enterprising and disinterested
friend has been forced to abandon his
advanced position and assume the de-
fOnsiVe. Wedid not intend to do hall
so much by our article. and, If by CALI
ing In our fire and withdrawing our
batteries. we can bring him out to
further development OF his "plan" we
viii do so, as far as we can consistent
ly. Therefore wewill not return blows
for blows, and fire for fire, but we VIII
like Mcclellan at Chickahomiuy-
fall back StrGte1eticdLIy, and give him a
chance to show himself However we
must clear up the dust a little, which
was the IesuItof the last encounter.
We did not ask Mr.. Merrill for his
reasons for not giving his objections to
places other than Grafton and Clarks-
burg. We merely stated that he had
not given his objections to other places;
1t was enough that he did give his OBJ.
jections to Grafton. Why he should
consider this mystery to us We can.
not conceive, unless 1t is that his MIND
has been so much employed in imaR-
inations, since his late emergencs from
"shrouded obscurity," that the disease
has become chronic, and he imagined
that we were attacking him at that
point.
His objections TO harrisburg were
such that any loyal man would con-
slider grave, II true; and this should pc
sufficient to clear up the dust tromshis
eyes on the point of loyalty he made.
As to our own loyalty, we choose not
to speak for ourself on this OCCASION
but we will challenge Mr.. Merrill to
compare records. Alter he Is con-
WINGED that his objections to Grafton
are without foundation in fact, he en-
deavors to shield himself with this ar
gument, that this "does not remove
the fact that there are objections 20 II
as site for the State CAPITAL. wen,
suppose there are, why does he not tell
US what they are7 We consider the
negative as fact until an atnEmauYe
Is proved. Probably he thinks he does |
prove 1t, from the fact that the Capital
has not been located there. That kind
ofeVidence, lift proves anything, proves
that there is not suitable site for the
Capital in the State, since the Capital
has not been located at all. In answer
% his question as to whether ga mag |
lluSSut CAkS1 aSREAhB4uk !hIo S4LSsoHS0
Is If by magic, &c., would not be as ro-
mantle as the black and smoke of the /
own of Grafton" we do say, most en-
that incur humble opinion
1t tDouLd! We never have said, neither |
IAN we see that there Is much romance
n the smoke and black of the town of |
therefore we repeat most en-
IhRtically that-it iGouLdll And we |
VIII say further, in our humble opinion,
"a magnificent city springing into ex.
stence as II By magic, would be about
g romantic as anything could well be, |
80 much SO that 1t would be all rO-
nance, and nothing else,-like the |
tory OF Jack the Giant Killer" and
We have said before, such u city could
,xtst only in q very lively Imagination,
md we say now, that such a lively i'm
lgtnation would most likely be found
n one who for long time had been
'shrouded in obscurity."
Practicus does not deny that there is
black and smoke in Grafton, but he
loes deny that there could be an objec-
ion were the capital located on the west
Itde of the river-for reasons before
stated, and II our enterprising friend
Will read our former article carefully he
will see his mistake. Mr.. Merrill, Jr.,
1tnts that our former article was writ
en- for an explanation, and he, acting
IN that suggestion, or idea, processes to
undertake TO explain. But does he do
III If there was anything in our for
mer article that could be construed by
an Intelligent individual to be request
for ansexplanation, it was as to what
was meant by his saying that Grafton
could barely accommodate the railroad
company. Did he give any explanation
In this matter2 Nothing else needed It.
SO that our opinion as to his meaning
ID the same 1t was on that point. We.
Will close as we did before by inviting
q turther development of his plan sup
ported by his "many arguments"
Yours truly, PRACTIcUs.