The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-03-21
REBELLION IN KANAWHA.

CHARLESTON, w. VA, March Is, 1870.
Since came to this quiet town to at
tend the session of the Methodist Con-
ference, quite q sensation has been
created by the publication of an anony-
NOUS letter TO the Governor, in a
Wheeling paper, under ominous head
lines. Dispatches, ioanded upon this
letter, have been given to the country
in regard to the condition of society
here. ! have made inquiries cf reliable
citizens as to the foundation to tho ru-
mors, bat have failed to learn anything
that would justify statement designed
to make the impression that life and
property are in peril. The lines be.
tween political parties are sharply de.
fined, but respected men, members OF
both parties, agree in condemning the
published statements as being unworthy
of credence.
They doubtless ara based on Two
events which have recently transpired,
both of which are deprecated By the
community. In December, q difficulty
occurred at Maiden, town on the
Kanawha, six miles above Charleston,
between the white and negro laborers
in the salt works. 1t is stated that the
negroes can not work there with safety,
and that civil process can not be served
on the whites engaged in the affair. 1t,
however, does not appear that the ne.
groes are at work in the salt works, and
| have failed to learn that any officer
has been resisted in connection with
this matter, or that any effort has been
1a htr of al hnr IN m nrFaktg
or to summon a posse cOmitdtus to enforce
the law.
The item upon which most stress is
laid is the liberation of two jail-birds a
short time since-the one being confined
for counterfeiting and the other for
horse stealing. This, the Governor was
gravely informed, was done by an armed
mob. The escape Of these feloDs is a
mystery to the CharlestOnians. The
jail is located in the public part of the
town, and must be approached by one
of the two principal streets. The jail
eaking took place about mid-after-
noon, and the two prisoners had been
gone some time before it was known to
the TAILOR. Even families living nearest
the scene neither heard or saw anything
unusual about the Jail. No parties,
armed OF unarmed, masked or unmasked,
were seen in the vicinity on that or any
other day.
As far as | can learn the people here
are quict and law-abidirg. That there
should have been difficulty among the
operatives in the salt works is perhaps
no more ~ evidence Of lawlcssDess
here than similar occurrences at other
places where large nambers of men arc
employed in building railroads, or other
wise engaged. IbaVe not seen any evI
dencesof distrust or fear on the part Of
citizens here, and every indication
favors the impression that life and
property are ordinarily safe The col
orea people seem to be industrious and
contented, and l have heard leading
white men, formerly SHAREHOLDERS, com-
mending the negroes for their general
good conduct. .'
Something Of the spirit of the people
is manifested in the cordial welcome
given to the members of the Northern
Methodist Conference. The homes of
the citizens, without respect to denomi-
nation or party, have been open fer the
reception Of those visitors. They have
been entertained for nearly week,
with hospitality for which Virginia
has long been proverbial. On Sabbath
all the Protestant pulpits in the city,
including the Protestant Episcopal and
the'Southern Methodist, we're, By inyi-
tation, occupied by preachers of this
Conference, every member of. which
| is supposed to be Radical.
| A special invitation on the part of
many citizens, members of different
sects and parties, was gwen 10 minis
ter from Ohio, who visited the Confer
en- ce, and preached on Sunday, 70 preach
Oh last evening. The bearing of all
parties has been liberal, Catholic aad
most hospitable.
The publication alluded to IS regard
ed by some as being designed to pro-
duce a political effect; but, as stated
above, it is denounced by the best men
in both the Radical and Conservative
ranks, -..a...r r.r