The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-11-27
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.
Eriends and Etllor. Citf.sn8::

Friends and Ftilor. Citizens:
We address you on topic Of the deep.
est interest and the most vital Importance;
and We entreat your patient and candid
attention. We shall certainly present to
you facts aud arguments worthy OF your
most serious consideration. Many OF you
will, perhaps, dissent from the conclusions
to which We come; but only few, If any,
will deny that necessity exists, and be.
comes daily more and more imperious, OF
examining the matters to which We design
to call your attention, and OF preparing, at
least, ior definite action in regard to them.
At tho period Of the adoption OF the
Constitution, Virginia was the leading
State OF America. In 1870 her population
was 747, 500, and not quite one.titth OF the
population OF the United States. Pennsyl-
vania stood next, but separated by wide
interval, with 434,37S inhabitants Still
more remote in the rear followed New
York, with only $40, 100. Ohio, OF which
almost the entire territory had then been
recently coded by Virginia TO the Union,
was not yet State. at one or two spots
only, within its limits, had the arm OF the
settler leyelled the forest and let in the
sun. But In the career Of prosperous adj
vancement-iu population, in wealth, in
all that constitutes the greatness and glory
of States, New York, Pennsylvania aud
Ohio have successfully outstripped Vir-
ginia and have taken position in her front.
Why is this? No State enjoyed more ma
tural advantages than ours. Our noun
tains are stored with mineral weaith-our
valleys produce in exuberent abundance
every growth OF temperate and Salubri.
GUS cline. Our springs invite 10 their
healing waters the searGhaTs for health
from every quarter. Embraced on the
east by the ocean, aud the southwest by
the Ohio, the commerce Of the old world
and the new was within our easy reach
Why then, We repeat, has Virginia failed
to fulfill the destiny which these auspici.
Gus circumstances marked out as hers?
You know the reason, iellow.citizens.
You know that the demon which has
Knocked the hopes OF our fathers, which
has held back our State from prosperous
career, which has degraded her from the
first 10 the fourth State OF the Republic,
is Negro Slavery, We earnestly ask you
to look this paralyztng cause In the face,
and to address yourselves like men to SO.
rious and united effort for It's removal.
We believe that the time has come for
such an effort. We propose TO give you
our reasons for this belief, and point out
the measures from which We expect deliv
erance.
We are the more powerfully !mpeIled tc
do this because we have noticed oil late
years tho PRONUNCIATION and progress o
alarming doctrines on the subject OF slave
~. a few have boldly proclaimed slavery
to be a blessing, and It's protection, nur
. ture and extension to be among the frs
duties OF our National Government. The!
assert that slavery Is the foundation o
civil liberty, and the cornerstone OF on
republican institutions; an enormous ant
most detestsble heresyl Others, admitting
that slavery Is an evil, contend that 1t |
ineradicable, and insist, therefore, that |
: should be let alone. The distinguishs
leader Of the Wig party, and his advocate
generally, are patrons Of this opinion. !
speech before the Senate OF the Unite
States, by Mr.. Clay, declared that, In hi
Judgment, the liberty OF the Anglo.Saxo
: and African races In this country "wer
: incompatible;" that two hundred years {
Legislation had sanctioned and sauctii