The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-06

| officers who seem to ts to represent
the only important p%ersonaaes who car
| ried the issue to q successful conclus-
| ion, and whose yalor and lnbors made
possible the heritage or American indie
| pendence. In our admiration for these
men. whom we naturally regard as the
| chief. II not the only.moyersl In the STIR
ring events which contributed 10 the
| emancipation OF the colonies. We lose
| sight OF those frequently humble ind
much neglected persons who as pamph-
leteers, essaylsts. song writer's. etc,
| aroused and created the necessary SEN
| tlment among the people TO prepare
them to receive the seeds OF liberty and
inspire within them the germ OF pa
| triotic action which only awaited o IA
| vorable time to bearfrults as at Concord
and Bunker Hill. At this distance OF
time, and In the light We receive from
the ordinary history OF the events OF
that contest. the uprising OF the people
OF the colonies seems TO have been n
| spontaneous one, without much consld-
Grafton or elaboration.
The first gun fired bv the minute men
at Lexington appears as the culmina-
| ton OF n struggle about q mere local
matter, the result Of which intiamed the
| people OF all the colonies into active
resistance TO the forces OF the king. But
this notion is q mlsapprehension. The
people OF that day had an Intelligent
conception Of the powers and duties Of
| government, and by a long continued
discussion OF the wrongs to which they
had been subjected, had grown keenly
| alive to the failure or the mother u
try either TO provide legislation for
their good or restrain administration
for their evil.
The immediate predecessor OF the
newspaper. and which formed and
moulded public sentiment more thor
ouGhly within the limited range OF Its
circulation than even the modern news
paper. was the pamphlet. 1t comprised
to q great extent the educative force
which enabled the bright intellects on
the side OF the people to reach and In
fluence the minds Of the masses. Dur
lug the formative period Of public SEN
timent on tho question OF reforms in
government which finally developed In
to al Irresistible demand for separa-
tion and independence. newspapers oc-
cupied only n subordinate function,
They were badly printed, and OF very
limited circulation, without editorial
oplAiiOAlot INV utPEtlutu loI llelE DOllt-
ical strength and effectiveness In argu-
ment upon the voluntary offerings of
unpaid contributors, who only found
their columns a convenient medium for
tho expression OF passing thought in the
discussion of the momentous questions
which were pressing upon the people.
The pamphlet was the Common avenue
through which the people were awaken.
ed to a sense Of the wrongs which were
being imposed upon them by the moth
er country. 1t was the ordinary liter
AIRY method OF the times to get opin-
ions before the people. and its efficiency
as on educator was recognized and fear
ed by the opponents Of American lib
erty who vainly strove to answer and
tear down the effect OF the political es-
says which enforced with the most elo-
Quent. arSumentative and persuasive
pleas, the right and justice of the COL
onlsts in their resistance to the man
dates OF tho king.
AS I have said, while Lexington was
a prelude to actual host!lities. the edu-
cational methods which aroused the
necessary sentiment to produce the
Lexington, had been persevered In by
slow intellectual processes for many
years before that outbreak. No intel
llgent people, especially a patient and
enduring people. as the Americans have
eve. proved themselves TO be-will fly
to Sms without u candid and search
ing investigation into the merits and
reasons OF the cause which requires an
appeal 10 force. These reasons had
been compiled and distributed in series
Of essays which were conceded by Eng
lislmen to be models OF ability and
strength. and for clearness of argu-
ment and boldress of views. entitled to
the highest rank among the political
writings OF ana, age or country. Thei.
effects were 10 be seen In the earnest
| ness and rigor which animated the
great majority of the people, first, in
mere resistance to oppressive laws and
the show of British force 10 maintain
them, ond afterwards in their practical
unanimity in support OF the idea or