Year: 1861

For the Spectator


Mr.. EDITOR of the general condition of af-
fairs in Wheeling and the Northwest of Virginia,
your readers must be pretty well apprized.- =
There are some things, however, which it may
crafty them to learn from the report of one new
ly arrived from that quarter. The majority of
respectable citizens in Wheeling are known as
Unionists. OF these, there are some who affli-
ate closely with the Black Republicans in their
sentiments and sympathies; warmly approving
the coercive policy of Mr.. Lincoln and his Cabi-
net, denouncing in bitter terms the action of
Virginia and advocating the establishment of a
separate State Government under the flag of the
old Union. l believe, however, that the Union
men generally are divided in their own minds
and hardly know where they are, or what course
to pursue. They love the Old Commonwealth
and would fain cleave to her and share her for
tunes. They condemn the Lincoln measures and
are deeply exercised about their own seeming
and alleged completely with the counsels Of the
Republicans, whom they heartily detest. At
the same time they feel constrained by consid-
erations Ofinterest and personal safety, to come
out and take their stand with the Northern
side, and cherish the hope that, in due time, a
peaceable separation from Virginia may be
effected.


Think that we should judge charitably of many
of these Union people, however we may con-
demn their indecsion and disloyalty to the State;
for their position is certainly most unhappy
one. Black Republicanism, backed up by the
whole power Of Ohio and Pennsylvania, is now
dominant there, and man must either hang out
his flag for Union or leave his all behind and
flee for his life. Hundreds of our loyal friends
have already left and are now actively engaged
in the good cause others are leaving daily,
while few appear disposed to stay and brave
the worst. The leading citizens of Wheeling,
and Unionists generally, are anxious to main
tain the peace and exert themselves cOmmenda-
bly, to suppress all lawless proceedings; but
there is large class of the baser sort led on by
a few prominent Republicans, who are ripe for
deeds of violence. l may state that the house
of one of the Episcopal clergymen of the city,
the Rev. Mr.. Moore, was mobbed on the evening
before left. and his family very roughly han
died, his wife being at the time in very weak
ly condition of health. The ruffians threatened
to hang him, but he was happily absent at the
time. Other outrages of the kind have been
perpetrated, and there is a virtual reign of ter
ror, such as prevails throughout the North.


The Federal regiment gotten up in Wheeling
by the notorious Kelley, and composed of the
.srag- tag and bob-tail'' of the city and Panhan-
die, had started for Grafton before I left. 1
foundit to be the general impression in Kanawha
and along the route of my travel, that it needed
but fair demonstration Of the power and pur-
pose of the State to maintain herself and support
her friends in the Northwest, to make manifest
the fact that the majority Of Union voters there
were still loyal in their feelings and ready to re-
pei all invasion.


But, Mr.. Editor, must bring this communi-
cation to close j. F. B.


Staunton, June 10, 1861.