Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-01-03
OFFICIAL.
LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES,
Passed at the Third Session Of the Thirty-sepenh
Congress.
lPUBLIC-No. Al

AN ACT for the admission Of the State Of West Virginia
iuto the Union and for other purposes.
WHEREAS the people inhabng atportion Of Virginia
known as West Virginia did, BY Convention assembled
in the city o Wheeling the twentyxth Of November,
eighteen hundred and sxtyone, frame for themselves
Constitution with view OF becoming separate and indie
pendent State and whereas at general election held in
the counties composing the territory aforesaid the third
duy OF May last the said Constitution approved and
adopted by the qualified voters Of the proposed State and
whereas the If Virginia, by act passed
the thirteenth day Of May eighteen hundred and
did give fs consent to the formation OF State within
the Jurisdiction of the said State OF Virginia 10 be known
by the cf West Virginia, and 10 embrace the follow
ing pamed countless to wit: Hancock Brooke, Ohio Mar
,haJ Wetzs Marion, Monongaa, Preston, Taylor Tyler
Peasants Kitchie Doddrdge, Harrison, Wood Jackson
Writ Roane Calhoun, Giner, Barbour, Tucker, Lewis,
Braxton UpsbCr, Randolph, Mason Putnam, Kanawha
flay Nicholas CabeIl Wsyne, Boone, Logan, Wyoming
Mercer Nc Dowe Webster Pocahontas Fayette Raleigh
Creenbrirr Monroe Peudison, Hardy, Hampshire, and
Morgan and whereas both the Cony nton and the Lees
are aforesaid have requested that the State should
be admitted into the Union and the Constitution aforesaid
being republican FORM Congress doth hereby consent
that the SAID forty eight counties may be formed into
psrate and independent State Therefore
BE IL enacted bp the Senate and House 81 Representatives,
of the United States Of america in Congress assembled
That the State Of West Virginia be and lie hereby declared
"a he one If the United States Of America and admitted
into the Union equal footing with the original States
in all respects whatever and until the next general census
sha be entitled IT, three members in the House OF Repre-
sspsafses Of the United States P orded atoays That
is act shall moi take effect until after the proclamation Of
the President of the United States hereinafter provided
for.
It being represented to Congress that since the Copven
ton OF the twenty sixth Of November, eighteen hundred
and sxtyone that framed and proposed the Constitution
for the said State OF Wet Virginia the people thereof
have expressed wish 10 change the seventh section Of the
eleventh article Of said Constitution by striking the
same and inserting the following In its place, viz The
children Of slaves born within the mt u this State after
ths fourth day Of July eighteen hundred and three
snail be free and that all slaves within the said State who
shall at the time aforesaid be under the age Of ten years
shal bo free when they arrive nj the age Of twenty
years and all ten aud under twenty years
shall be free when they arrive at the age OF twenty five
years and slave rhall be permitted to come into the
state for permanent residence therein Therefore
SEC BE further enacted, That whenever The people
of West Virginia shall through their ssid Convention aud
hv got. b. be taken at election "a be held within the
Imits OF the said State at such time the Convention
NAV provide make and rstfy ths change aoresad, and
properly Gritty the under the hand Of the President
Of the Convention it shall be lawful for the President OF
the United States issue hs proclamation stating the as
and thereupon this act shall a effect and be in force
from and after sixty days from The date e said proclamation
Approved, December 81, 1862.