The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-10-19
Tho Southern part OF tho state.
The AWaR OninE Hopes ana EneTEies
Of ltS PeOPle-Its CaPital-'FhS
VIFgtniA Debt.
To the Editors Of the IptellIgencer.

!, have recently returned from n Jour
ney TO Cabell, Mason and KanaWhI
counties, and conversed with many o.
their people OF various RntecedentB
and also with several from other coun'
ties, and was Rratihed 10 Iind the feel.
Ing In favor OF removing all restrlC.
tions as speedily 40 practicable, so gen.
eral and sincere. met with many
oivillRng, who, like myself, had Bu Ter
ed much at tho hands OF the rebels
during the war, as well as others whC
had left all and so often hazarded all
Including life, on many well Fought
neld, to save their government; and
some who still bear upon their persons
and ever will bear, those marks OF
honor that must always excite the
gratitude and respect OF true patriots.
And all these, without exception, eXN
pressed q conviction and desire that the
time for forgiveness and restoration in
this State has come. That It was un-
becoming Just, generous and brave
people TO Withhold these longer.
But heard occasionally contrary Y
expressions-and need tell who from?
No true patriot needs 10 be told II was
from those little, supremely selfish
souls, that were always on the side that
looked the strongest and offered the
best opportunity for plundering, while
the terrible strife was going on, and
whose mRtchleBs loyalty and hatred oil
treason never showed themselves un-
I'll alter all the rebels had surrendered,
when they Bprang up as quickly and
toweringly as Jonah's gourd, with
equally large death worms In the roots,
and availlnR themselves of The pHeju-
dice and debris consequent on such a
storm, have pushed themselves and
their like into power, and still hope to
make their position impregnable by
retaining those abhorrent features Of o
registration law which places the abso-
Lutte and Irresponsible control OF the
ballot box In the same hand that holds
the sword OF the STATED And Badlest OF
all, that hand, Of which we had hoped
better things, appears to clutch 1t aB
though 1t was thing to be held In de-
hance OF the popular will
But barring this unpleasing aspect,
It Ii truly gratifying to witness the eI-
feels on the popular mind OF the liberal
Ideas that have been dropping upon It
during the last two years. The good
effects OF the grand movement by your
citizens and paper are everywhere seen
and felt. Other counties have nobly
followed; ground swell has commenc.
ed, which nothing short OF the AL.
mighty can stay. And why2 simply
because 1t is right, Just and statesman
like. The little intrenched Ring In
power, may retard 1t somewhat, but
only to be buried deeper In the end, In
that gulf OF lnfamy and execration
which they will deserve. There may
be few, who are really aotuated by
what they deem vIrtuons prudence.
Such are entitled to our kind consider.
ation-perhaps, commiserRtion.
A speedy construction Of the Chesa
peake and Ohio Railroad appears to be
certain, and the quickeninH influence
OF this fact appears everywhere visible,
More consplcuously so, In the KanA>
whR Valley, and especially at Charles
ton, which seems to be dropping spon.
taneously the exuviae OF an obsolete
civilization, and putting on that new
life so betting the present. You see
Improvements on all sides; numerous
new buildings are being erected, aud
the old ones thoroughly repaired and
painted. The streets wldened, repair.
ed and lighted; Q magnificent house
for Free Schools nearly completed; one
or more large Furnaces being erected
In Its vicinity; Boom like that which
built up the hourishing city OF West
port on the SuHquehanna, being erect
ed near the mouth ofthe Elk; a large
and elegant Hotel Is about 10 be erect-
ed; and what ls of more immediate
interest to the peoplel OF the State, au
elegant, ample and c0mmodlous build
Ing is being erected on one Of the most
eligible sites In the town, for the CApl.
tal OF the State, This IL 10 cost from
$4,000 to 100000, raised by her citi.
zens; and when completed, is to be
presented 10 the State, l understand, In
fulhlment, In part at least, Of the
promise made through her Delegates TO
the Legislature last winter, in consid.
GRAFTON OF that body permanently 10.
eating the Capital there. As explained
to me, and as Its model indicates, II
Will be all ihe State will need for many
years, and until her tax payers shall
be better able than at present TO UNDER
take the construction OF u capitol build.
Ing, which, II modelled and constructed
after the model and fashion OF the In.
sane Hospital aad enitentlary-which
are not yet half tinlshed-must cost
many millions.
However Charleston may be geo.
graphically, no man who understands
the resources OF that valley and section
of the State, can doubt II is to become,
at no distant day, the center OF the
population, wealth, and business OF the
State. l challenge any man to point
out any other spot In the State that cSn
by any possibility become It's rival In
these respects. The raw material OF
every description Of that section sur.
passes In an infinite degree that of any
other section; and when Its railroad
Is completed which Is at hand, It's &C.
disability will become equally Supe.
rior. Why, then. should our future
Legislators continue 10 disgrace us In
the eyes Of the country by more
"child's play" and spend more time
and money about this question? IT'S
for the people to say. II they require
more time TO see how that section shall
In fact develop, they have only TO post
pone the time fixed for removing the
Capitol. It Is certainly well enough,
for the present, where It is. Nor would
q temporary postponement materially
interfere with the pledge OF the last
"o "obAeAohulo " Su0 ppOPLp VI Suhl4eotuul
who appear to belab0rlng In good faith
to fulfil their part Of the contract.
l perceive the papers OF Old Virginia
are again taking the ground that our
State is bound to assume and pay one
third OF her debt, and advise the pay.
ment Of but two-thlrds, and leave the
balance Of principal and Interest TO be
paid by Us, which will amount TO over
fifteen millions. Our just and equita.
ole obligation In this respect becomes,
therefore, Of the highest Importance to-
our people now. With the editorial aid
OF your paper, l endeayored, In two ar,
ticles printed In the same, the 30th De.
cember, 1866, and 1St January, 1867, In
reply to similar suggestions then made.
by the Richmond press, 10 state what
seemed 10 be the true obligation and
duty OF our State Is this respect, both
to the old State and her creditors. Time
and reflection have served to confirm
the conviction then expressed. Our.
State. should do what is Just aud right
lrIthe matter, but no more. y Il would
be foolish and BuI6Iaal Tsubmit, contll.
toned as she Is, to undertake more.
Very respectfully, G.P.
TIE Social Science Association holds