The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1863-02-19
spenker Porter,s vnIeaietory.
Gen.lemsn oftks House of Delegates,

The last moment Of this session has
come. / feel sincerely rrati6od to you
for the uniform kindness which | have
received from your hands. Your indul,
I geneo with me and courtesy to one an,
other has rendered the position which |
had supposedto be a very dlli'ult one.
4 comparatively easy and pleasant .
twas nearly twenty months ago
when we frst met here for tho purpose
( Of taking part in the organization Of the
Government of virginia, II is not ne.
Cessary to alIudo to the causes which
made il obligatory on US to tnke that
step. i pas necessary, gentlemen, that
you should take it, in order to pr serve
our people from anarchy, from treason,
rand from tho arbitrary sway Of military
styule, By taking that step We ralfllol
our duties--thO dujies which ~o owed
to the Federal Government, We pro.
teclel our oynpeoplc; we OddAd twenty
regiments in number to the Uoiou army
We preserved our own homes invloIaIe,
and wc protected the States upon our
\ borders Tho States of Ohio and Penn
sylyania 80 20 hh. as1.i o. st
/, Our sessions, gentlemen have been
veTy freqdent; and the laws which we
have passed frcm session to session have
4besn very numerous; but It is very like.
1ly the acts ofour session will be as event.
full as those OF any Legislature which
has ever preceded US in this State. BIT
gentlemen, our session is now about to
close in a way which mono have closed
before. The counties which have been
represented in this body will proably not
III ofthem be represented here again.
q is probable that the Old Dominion =
hn old Commonwealth Of Virginia.
pot State which wo hive alluded to so
equently as the good old mother Of MS
Lis to be divided We cannot forget
enilemen, the characterization Of Virgin
iaud il will bo our duty, whether we
long TO East Virginia or West Virgin,
10 adhere 10 the old, honest pride, the
Booming love Of ancestry, and the an.
ent and ,heart.given hospitality Of the
ople Of Virginia. To the loyal poo
eol East Virginia, genlle,ucn, our
hpatNies should be extended hcreuf!
There are great many noble m en-
ieSc that will contend for tho .re.tora,
4 pl'otthst State as it WAS heretofore. ~
lileIo are John Minor Bolts. LemuslaJ,
kosdea, Lewis Mckenzie, and Joseph
\ sseb names which arc familiar names
Eglnla, May they be as successful
" illeif nGoplS bx ia xest6s
cd government ot Virginia, rs we b ave
no defending and protecting our own.
Il To those ofyou, geptlempn who live
within tho limits Of the proposed State
Of West Virginia, !, mpy not be unbe.
coming TO say a few words. There is
an entirely new field open before YOU.
You are about 10 change those instilu.
tons which have ALWAYS baen peculiar
TO the State of Yir4ipia. You are about
10 cntof upon new life. You arc about
to become prosperous and thriving like
those great free commonwealth upon
your border. n''
| The forests, which are now all over
West Virginia, will pass away, and there
will be vineyards and Aocks on your
mountains Your streams which have
been wasting their strength in waking
echoes in those great soilndes, will be
devoted TO purposes of industry and hu.
nan progress, And lhoso great mines
| # wealth, iron and coal, and all your
mineral resources, vii be developed in
way'in which they have never been
developed before But more than thst,
gentlemen, the intellect of Western Vir.
snia which has hren slumbering-ths
| nir d Of your country, will be developed
md brought forth, and proluac greater
iowers and happier results than the do.
NelopmOnt of all your mines and mine
MI resources. With rich soil, cheap
binds, free, liberal institutions great
changes must necessarily take place
throughout your whole territory. Emi
8 grafton will llllow in upon you. Wealth
and enterprise will come in and enrich
you and make you great And all this,
gentlemen, is your reward for standing
firm and speaking out like bravo and
EFp..meF. wiki treason WAS Whispering
and towards trembling all around you.
Gentlemen, we have come to tho si.
hnce and soemnities Of the last moment
# the session. II is sended The req.
ord is written. And with the feelings Of
those who address each other for the
last time, and who look upon faces that
We may never soc no more, let US say
70 each other, farewell .l5 :.
| now pronounce this House adjourn,
ID sine die.
------S'+S-------
BtJ~ Yesterday morning rebel pris.