Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-06-04
IL convention at whasilhg On die lftbl dayl


upited States volunteers had been organ.
iZed. and, led on by the gallant Colonel
tnow General) Kelley, supported by troops
sent rom Ohio andIndiana, hadrouted the
enemyiRt Phtllippi, Before the advance of
these troops, nearly every. judge of onr
courts, nearly every prosecuting attorney.
many of the Justices of the peace, a ma
jortty OF our sheFifs, many OF. the commiss
/ sloners Of the revenue, and Of all classes
and grades of civil Office, had fed from the
loyal counties TO Richmond and other
places within the lines Of the enemy, and
many of those daring to remain WIRE dis
loyal, and unwilling TO yield allegiance 70
the United States, or to aid in the enforce
ment OF the laws of the United States, but
were actually employing theiranthority and
offices to- harrass the ioyal- citizen: and
bring them Into snbjection to the usurped
government az Richmond and Montgomery.
| Now, Sir. reflect moment upon :he con-
dttion of the people of Western Virginia al
this time and under these circumstances.
We were without q Judiciary, either loyal
Or dtsloyal, in Westerp Virginia two OF
the, three judges bad fed We were with
out sherths and couseryators of the peace.
| They had fled. We were without Iii emears
of enforcing the laws for redress of civil
grievances or for. punishment Of crimes and
| mlsdemeauOrs. We were without legal
Proteetion Of life, liberty, or property. Sir,
! at1 using no figures ofspeech. / am in!
dulgtng einono lhyperbOle. II am reuitlnR
facts, stahborpi literal facts. What were
done 's' -.u fhi - q sli5 III
II willitell you WhatFwe did. The CON.
Vention. thus provided and elected. com.
posed Of delegates chosen BY tho people,
and Of tue loyal members of the LeRisla-
t1re, as have already stated, assembled in
Wheeling on the lIth day OF. June. 1881.
and insthe language of our present excel
lent Governor, they ..-,-.,,.-..-..s-
Declared the Office Of Governor, Lieu
\ tenant Governor, aud Attorney General
vacant, BY reason Of those who had occu-
lpiel them having Joined the rebellion, and
Proceededto TO till those Offices, fora term of
sig months, with loyal persons, who were
TO continue in Office during these six months;
and until their successors were elected byi
the people" tfA isa. s88 e iH -
And heie let me again. recur to the Lam
gnage oftthe GoYeFuOr thus chosen. Says
ne; ~ s.fF sfrs g44., h at,ss
'tThe aetioni of the Wheeling onvention!
was. not, as GONE lave supposed, eonfinedi
In its scope q Western Virginia; It goes to-
the whole St Be. Il 'fssmade the dnty yof
the ExecntiXe To- restors all the officers of
every grade, Eciyil aud military, to be nd ;
mlnistered bY loyal men, In every county
IN the Statet As test Of loyalty. each
othcer Is req1ired to- take an oath 10 sun.
port the constitutioh of the United States. /
and OF the tgestore1s government Of Yir-i
glnia, as ytqdieated by the convention at
| Wheeling, WhiFh assembled on the lithi
I day off, Junes 1851 Oh theT TefusaiI or fiit.i
huFe of the .0ttice- holder TO take these oaths.
u is the duly, of The Executive TO declare
the office vacant, and TO order an election to
| ill the vacancy. a1fs ss Iisfit
f'In obedience TO the ordinances Of the
convention, nearly forty counties have b9en
eorg9ntzed. Those holding office who
took the prescribed oaths, retained their
| position; of those who refused, theofices
Were declared vacant, aud loyni men yvers.
elected TO fill them They are acting now
harmo qtously, under tine laws Ofthe United
States, aud tue laws of Yirginia made be-
fore the ordinance of secession was pass eEl.,J
sun ayaIlihg myself of the language OF
the Governor, aslto the purpose and pro.
ceedtugs of this convention
at was not the object of the .Eheeline
convention TO set up any new government
In the State. or separate, or other govern
msnt thanfthe one under which they. had
always lived, They made single altera-
fton 10 the constitption of the. State, which
Prescribes the number of fdeIegates Ia the
General Assembly which shall be necessary
TO constitute aquorum6' islaft
We're not the loyal people of Virginia
i1pstlhahle in these proeeedipgs? Whatle
could they have donei They were In q
state OF anqrchy and civil disfrauchtse!
.menta Their chief tnakfstFate ana 6tF5sL
te1scutive officers essertiAl 70 the imainte.
lpalce,ef law and order bad abdtcated their
Authority, False 70 the obligations of la17;
false 70 his supreme allegiance. false to the
constitution Of his own State and of the
EUnited STATES, falSeito his oath toisupport
lboths Governor LeteheF had sworn ALE.
glance TO the so.called confederate govern
ment of the Feyolted States, and was using
all the means Of tbs Comfdonwealth al
his commatd to resist the authorities Of
the United States, andlto crush and killi ali
who opposed his usurped and Reasonable
assumptions qtapoWeF,s The same spirit
Rnimated him then Which distipRuishes his
jFeSent b9FbaFous and blood y proclamation,
ttn,wAieh be dsclAFesf f; ~, -
Is fsEAei loyal citizens; Of the, West and
Northwest iu. counties not herein named,
l4Ee earnestly invoked TO form guerrilla
lsonpapies, and strik when least expected.
sQqce more for the State that qaye, them
birth. Wit stern resolve and manly
4 courage uphold the flag and III snntarnished
fame Of abe Ola Dominion. = Il sbS,J .'15-
We5cdnld nptaPply TO him for ptotec-
/ tions tHedEas 4 traitor he was o1r most
crnel oppHessOr and Persscutor5 sHiSas1b-
loTdtnatesiin the exeedtive departments Of
the goYernment werp cooperating With
ihim.e MefetWe not driven 10 the last re-
isorts Were mot sthe loyaIs people not
ifnsrelSa excuse bic. but 'c1mpeIlsCt byBfnex-
oraotes neeessltyto resumei ftheie1 0tfgi6aI
Sovereign authority. and oriaih rSe.SllFes
necessaFyi for their i6roteetiouE .ss1 4S !
Bag siFS the sOOnNenti6nalid mot runsiu-
kt6iNnss feEslutio oddry ItreineS 81 The 6tate
dlho 4oyernnEsia andh the C0uvenifonsa ap.
tpDinted 0ReI s0therss snb0rdinate executive
Offices had also been vacated byathG tfsa.
{ 1sog of -their iueuranents,t and Tie 6OonFenG