Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-06-04
9atleg egutelli1Ftltel5tI, II.
TIle NeW Stata- IN lC0neress
Speech OF Senator WilIey

- Il eiss ElIas = - q : - 49, -
speech OF Senator WilIey
On PFesenting the ATemoriaI OF th.
Yirginia LSgislature Tor a DivlsTon
tofithe State, d.
On the United States Senate, Slsy %, 1893
Mr. WILLEY. Mr.. President, gave mo-
uee yesterday that would this mornfno.
present memorial or request on The mari
OF The Legislature Of Virginia in reference
20 the formation and erection of a new
state within the jurisdiction of that State
and that'l would ask the Indulgence ofthe
Senate during the morning hour for the
purpose of accompanying the presentation
q that request with some explanatory.re-
bold In my hand, sir, an act of the
Legislature OF Virginia giving the consent
OF that State to the formation and erection
of a new State within its iurisdictinn nss 81
ed May l3, 1862. wilrreatl the tbirtlsec.
ton of that act
Bs q JsTtAfr 'ndcted, That this net shan be
Transmitted BY tile Executive TO the SSlators and
representative Of this COmmonweaIthjin ConrF,1-S
ssEIiHs9 oF F6nal OF said constitution aud
- aud the said Senators and Rtpresonta.
a5S heEepy TO use Ifsohdeayors 10
the consent Of Congress to the admission Of
eGle Union. 3
ACCOMPANYING this request is a certified
2! original OF the constitution adopted by
mat portion Of Virginia which, seeks tolbe
erected fnto new State together Win
certified copy of the returns of the vote in
stitution. l y s''s.s -. SV9f
hr; President, in presenting this greouest
OF the Legislature of Virginia, together
with the said certified original of the said
constitution" deem 1t proper to accom-.
Pany II with me'eXplan1toryi remarks. Il
think the Importance of the question in.
Solyed,ts sufficient apology for such a
claim upon the Indulgence of the Senate
! snail be.as brief asjs pOsaibIet
ln the years of 1860 0-8l the Legislature of
virginia was convoked in special session,
70 take into consideration the sxigencies
pressing upon tue country in consequence.
u u u Ine revolutionary proceedings of the
1nlI states; That Legislature passed a
NV Glrectlng the people of Virginia to
eject delegates TO u Convention, TO be held
in the city of Richmond on the IAN dsx
of February, 1861, to determine the tlnty
OF Virginia under tue extraordinary cir
c9mstanees by which she was surrounded:
ana 1t was expressly provided in this law
directing the election of delegates to this
CooHenuou, ,thata vote should be taken at
tue same time, ascertainjug the sense of
ths people of YiERinia, whether. iifi ltbe
Convention passed an ordinance withdraw
ing the State Of. Virginia from the Federal
Union, sseh ordinance, before it became
operative and .fnalIshOnld be referred back
to tue people, for their adoption or reiec-
ton. The majority of votes in favor of
such reference was nearly sixty thous-
aud. iilI
The daIa..o -. ~. :. - s-.-l -
the time aud place appointed. After sev-
eral weeks of excited discussion. and nnder
the pressure of maligu and extraordinary
Influences, not now necessary 70 be. Re.
counted, the Convention, in secret session.
did pass an ordinance of secession on the
4Ith day of April, 1861. Under the re-
quirement OF the law calling the ConVsn-
ton, already mentioned, this ordinance
was formally referred to the people, to be
voted upon, on the fourth Thursday of
May, 1861, next ensuing. OF course, this
ordinances could not, therefore, be Of sany
legal effect, until after II should be adopt.
ed by the people.
And now astounding as what / am about
TO state may appear, itIistneyertheless,
true. Before the seal of secrecy was re.
moved from the proceedings Of the Con-
Vention; before the people knew that the
0@
pie had voted upon it=-yes, sir. on ; the
very next day after the passage OF the DR.
dinAnee, the Convention began 10 levy, war
against the United States-large appropri-
atiops for military plfposes were made,
heid OtheeFs were appointed aud commits
sl0ned--the military stores, forts, arsenals,
and arms, aud castom-houses of the Uni!
ted States were seized at Richmond, Nor.
folk Harp FerEy an d other places! A
fortnight had not elapsed until the Con.
Nendou, still in secret session, and before
the people knew that any ordinance of Sc.
cesston had passed. had, by. solemn com
pact made with commissioners from the
insurrection6ry government of the.so call.
ed Confederate States, annexed Virginia 70
mat eontederati0nl and transferred to it
her entire military resources, aud placed
the rebel militiG under the control of the
rebel chief of that fnsprrecdOnary orRani.
zation,7 All this RGS- done-'by these s6cret
consptFators, not only before the peopla
had voted upon the ordinance of secession,
but before they were permitted to know,
or did know, that any ordinance OF Seces-
sion had beanp Thus were the suh.
conscious people OF Virginia, like beasts
in the shambless transferred 20 . new ALE!
gtancej new government, aud new rulers
and poltdc4l3 masters, in the selection OF
whom they had no knowledge or choice.
And before the people were permitted 10
know ohthese proceedings, the s'sacfed
/ sol OF Virginia was trodden BY the Stt1sd
legiOns OF South 0arolila and the e nlf
Statess and on the to6fth Thursday Ia May,
when .hs ordinance Was 70 be voted on by
the people, thirty t66asahd Bltttstitg lbay.
onets surrounded the polls from the Ches.
I apeake TO the summit OF the a AilegtRniee.-
Portions Of the coufed e 6tees 81 d been
\ puahed sctos tbs Alle 16nies, md ttsEsre
/ mi einE tie lives aud 4 efIies 6t Nolth-
1 Wesi ierilt u ieef llli been a.
/ mis sfo1ed aud authorized 70 rdse ffodps
there md to organize the miltfa In suoi g.
tioa % the military tyrants Mont a..
cry, and IA hostility 70 the United Stat =
! The civil authorities we're also ttifeatened