out 'a tower of strength' to the the heart of the loyal Millions never XXXII. WEST VIRGINIA. THE Virginia Convention of 1861, of which a majority assumed to vote their State out of the Union, as we have seen, had been elected not only as Unionists, but under an express stipulation that their action should be valid only in case of its submission to and indorsement by a vote of the People. How shamefully that condition was evaded and circumvented, we have seen. The vote to secede, taken on the 17th of April, and already anticipated by acts of hostility to the Union under the authority of the State, was, so far as possible, kept secret until the 25th, when it was proclaimed by Gov. Letcher that the Convention had, on the preceding day, adopted the provisional Constitution of the Confederate States, and placed the entire military power of the State under the control of Jefferson Davis, by a 'convention,' whereof the material provision is as follows: whole military force and military operations, wealth, in the impending conflict with the offensive and defensive, of said CommonUnited States, shall be under the chief control and direction of the President of said Confederate States, upon the same principle, basis, and footing, as if said Commonwealth were now, and during the interval, a member of said Confederacy." Thus it will be seen that the Unionists of Virginia were liable, that day and every day thereafter, to be called out as militia, and ordered to assault Washington, seize Pittsburg, or invade any portion of the loyal States, as Davis and his subordinates might direct; and, having thus involved themselves in the guilt and peril of flagrant treason against the Union, they were to be allowed, a month later, to vote themselves out of the Confederacy and back into the Union again! The stupendous impudence of this mockery of submission was so palpable as almost to shield it from the reproach of imposture; and, as if to brush aside the last fig-leaf of disguise, Letcher, nine days thereafter," issued a fresh proclamation, calling out the militia of the State to repel 1May 3d, 1861. "1st. Until the union of said Common wealth with said Confederacy shall be perfected, and said Commonwealth shall be come a member of said Confederacy, according to the Constitutions of both Powers, the 2 2 apprehended invasion from "the Government at Washington," and designating twenty points throughout the State-five or six of them westward of the mountains-at which the militia from the adjacent counties respectively were required to assemble forthwith, for organization and service; and, only three days later still seventeen days prior to that on which the people were to vote for or against Secession-the State was formally admitted into and incorporated with the Confederacy, and Gen. Robert E. Lee3 put in chief command of the Confederate forces in Virginia-by this time, largely swelled by arrivals from South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and other Rebel States. The people of West Virginia, thus summoned, in the name of their State, to fight against the country they loved for a Rebellion they abhorred, saw the toils closing fast around them, and realized that they must awake and resist, or they would soon be helpless under the feet of their betrayers. Rebel officers, appointed from Richmond, were busily at work, enlisting and mustering their young men for the uses of treason, under the guise of obedience to lawful and constitutional authority. On the 4th, a strong and spirited Union mass meeting was held at Kingwood, Preston county, near the north line of the State, at which the most determined hostility to Secession was avowed, and the separation of Western from Old Virginia demanded. The meeting further resolved to vote, on the appointed day, for a member of Congress—not that of the Confederacy, but that of the Union. A like meeting, impelled by a similar spirit, 2 May 6th. was held at Wheeling on the following day, whereby adherence to the Union was affirmed, separation from Eastern Virginia demanded, and a determination evinced to render no further tribute, whether military or pecuniary, to the Rebel rule at Richmond. Hon. John S. Carlile was especially decided and zealous in advocacy of separation. Another great Union meeting was held at Wheeling on the 11th, which was addressed in the same spirit by Mr. Carlile, as also by Francis H. Pierpont. The response of the masses was unanimous and enthusiastic. On the 13th, a Convention of delegates, representing thirty-five counties of West Virginia, assembled at Wheeling, to reiterate more formally the general demand that Secession be repudiated, and West Virginia severed from the Old Dominion. This Convention adjourned on the 15th, after calling a provisional Convention, to assemble on the 11th of June. The delegates were to be chosen on the 26th of May; on which day, about forty Counties held regular elections, and chose delegates in accordance with the call-usually, by a heavy vote. The provisional Convention met on the designated day. Arthur J. Boreman was chosen permanent Chairman; and John S. Carlile, on the 13th, reported, from the Committee on Business, a Declaration, denouncing the usurpation by which the Convention at Richmond had pretended to sever Virginia from the Union, repudiating the idea of allegiance to the Southern Confederacy, and vacating the offices of all who adhered to the Rebellion. In the debate which followed, Mr. Car Late a Colonel of Cavalry in the U. S. regular Army. ORGANIZATION OF WEST VIRGINIA. 4 519 from the Republic they thus cling to and uphold. Congress, after due deliberation, assented to and ratified this claim, admitting the new State of West Virginia into the Union as the equal of her elder sisters; her people being henceforth under no other obligation to the authorities of Old Virginia than are the people of that State to the authorities of her young sister across the Alleghanies. Of course, neither the Rebels in arms, nor their sympathizers anywhere, were delighted with this application of the principle of secession. Gov. Letcher, in a Special Message, treated it as one of the chief sources of his general unhappiness. He says: 5 "President Lincoln and his Cabinet have willfully and deliberately proposed to violate every provision of the third section of the fourth article of the Constitution, which each one of them solemnly swore or affirmed, in the presence of Almighty God, to preserve, protect, and defend.' That section is in these lile opposed an immediate division of the State; but Mr. Dorsey, of Monongahela, who urged it, being supported by Pierpont and others, obtained, on the 20th, a unanimous vote in favor of ultimate separation Yeas 56. The Convention had voted, two days earlier, by 57 to 17, that the separation of Western from Eastern Virginia was one of its paramount objects. In the afternoon of that day, Francis H. Pierpont, of Marion county, was chosen Governor, Daniel Palsley, of Mason county, Lieutenant-Governor, with five members to form an Executive Council. These elections were all unanimous. The Convention, it will be noted, was a Convention of Virginia, wherein | the loyal counties and loyal people were represented, so far as the Rebellion did not prevent; and all this action was taken, not in behalf of West Virginia as such, but of loyal Virginia. The Legislature, which met soon after at Wheeling, was a Legislature of Virginia, elected on the regularly appointed day of election -- eastern as well as western counties being represented therein; and this Legislature, as well as the Convention, heartily assented to the The answer to this is ready and formation of the new State of West simple: President Lincoln and his Virginia. This action was taken, Cabinet do not regard John Letcher throughout, on the assumption that as Governor of that State of Virginia the loyal people of a State constitute which is a member of our Federal the State; that traitors and rebels, Union. The Governor of that Virwho repudiate all respect for or loy-ginia is Francis H. Pierpont; and its alty to the Constitution and Government of the country, have no right to control that Government; and that those people of any State who heartily recognize and faithfully discharge their obligations as loyal citizens, have a right to full and perfect protection to Letcher as to Lincoln. Those who words: "New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be other State, nor any State formed by the junction formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any of two or more States or parts of States, withconcerned, as well as of the Congress."" out the consent of the Legislatures of the States Legislature is that which, elected by loyal Virginians, assembled at Wheeling, and gave its free, hearty, and almost unanimous assent to the division of the old and the formation of the new State. All this must be as plain * First named Kanawha, after its principal river. 5 January 6th, 1862. hold that Letcher and his fellow-con- | falsely, to the presence of a Union 8 All direct communication between Western Virginia and Washington was, and remained, interrupted for some weeks after the primary' Rebel foray on Harper's Ferry. The Rebels remained in force at that point, completely controlling travel and transportation on the Baltimore and Ohio road. They finally obstructed that road altogether by destroying several bridges farther west; continuing to hold and to strengthen their position at Harper's Ferry. Two companies of Confederate or State militia entered the village of Clarksburg, the capital of Harrison county, on the 20th, but found themselves speedily outnumbered by the Union militia of that place, on whose demand they surrendered their arms and dispersed without a contest. 9 Although some thousands of West Virginians had volunteered to fight for the Union, none of them were encamped on the soil of their State until after the election held to ratify or reject the Ordinance of Secession. The Government, assured that Western Virginia was overwhelmingly for the Union, doubtless chose not to have that unanimity attributed, even A Union soldier who, having been taken prisoner by the Rebels and paroled, was, in the Summer of 1862, in camp on Governor's Island, New-York, was asked by a regular army officer "What is your regiment?" He answered: "The 6th Virginia." "Virginia ?" rejoined the force. The Virginians who volunteered were mustered in and organized at Camp Carlile, in Ohio, opposite Wheeling, under the command of Col. Kelly, himself a Virginian. George B. McClellan, who had been appointed a Major-General and assigned to the command of the Department of the Ohio, remained at Cincinnati, his home. Three days after the election aforesaid, he issued from that city a spirited address "To the Union men of Western Virginia," wherein he says: "The General Government has long enough endured the machinations of a few factious Rebels in your midst. Armed traitors have in vain endeavored to deter you from expressing your loyalty at the polls. Having failed in this infamous attempt to deprive you of the exercise of your dearest rights, they now seek to inaugurate a reign of terror, and thus force you to yield to their torous conspiracy, dignified by the name of schemes, and submit to the yoke of the traithe Southern Confederacy. They are destroying the property of citizens of your State, and ruining your magnificent railways. The General Government has heretofore carefully abstained from sending troops across the Ohio, or even from posting them along its banks, although frequently urged by many of your prominent citizens to do so. It determined to await the result of the State election, desirous that no one might be able to say that the slightest effort had been made from this side to influence the free ex pression of your opinions, although the many agencies brought to bear upon you by the Rebels were well known. You have now shown, under the most adverse circumWestern Virginia are true and loyal to that stances, that the great mass of the people of beneficent Government under which we and our fathers have lived so long." A brief and stirring address to his soldiers was issued simultaneously with the above; and, both being read Westpointer; "then you ought to be fighting on the other side." Of course, this patriot will naturally be found among those who consider the division of Virginia a usurpation and an outrage. |