Smyrna times., 1863-01-22
OFFICIAL.
LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES,
Pssssd at the Third Session Of the Thirty-sesenth
Cong reSs.
IPUsIIc-No. a.

iPUBIo-No. a.
Az AcT for the admiss Of the State of "West
FtrgInlA into the Union and tor other PURPOSES
WHzREAs the people 'nhabiting that portion oF
Fi-ginla known as West Virginia did, by Conven-
tIOn asscabled in the cy Of Wheeling on the twenty
sixth OF Nnve nhcr, eighteen hundred and sxty-one
fame Tor themselves Constitution with view of
bec0ning sePerate and independent State: and
whereas at general election held in the counties
composing Ihe territory aforesaid on the third day of
My last, the said Constitution was approved and
adopted by the qualified voters of the proposed State
snd where Is the Legislature of Virginia, bv an act
passed "n the thirteenth day of May, eighteen hun.
dred and sIxtytwo, did give its consent to the forma
iIoHof new State within the jurisdiction OF the
slid STATE of Virginia, to be known by the name of
West Virginia, and to embrace the following named
c,un'ies, TO witt Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall,
Wetzst Msricn, Mono1galia, Preston, Taylor TYLER
Peasants, R.ichie, DOddridge, Harrison, Wood
ylcSson. Writ, Roane, Clf0un, Gilmcr, Barbour.
Tucker, Lewis, Bfaxtoa, Upshur, Randolph, Mason
Putnam, kaHawha, Clay, Nicholas c bell, Wayne
B'One, Logan, Wyoming, Meccar, Mcdowell, Web
s'eF Poe lhon;as, Fayette Raleigh Crecnbrier Mon.
re, fendlet"n, Hardy, Hampshire, and Morgan
and whereas bOth the Convention and the Ierisla-
ihrc a'arcsLid have requested that Tie new State
hOdId be admitted into the Union, and The Cnnstltu-
% al"teS1'i being republican, in form, Congress
ia hereby conseHt that the fort weight counties NAV
" t'r'aed INTO a seperate and independent State
Tnc-rose--
be II eaIct'i 5y the Senate and Holse of Rsp-esen.
70 ices Of The Caied d,es of tme, ica IN Conorcss
Css,mb'"E, That the Stale uf West Virginia b., and
/ hsrrbv declared to be Of the United States of
AmapcA, aud al nittcd into the Un,on on an elull
1.in[ wth the original States n all respects what
ever, ad until the next general census shall be ent
ed TO three members ia the House nf Representa-
'tves of the Iaited States: Prorided nl,cqys That
ms act sail not take effect until after tho pr,clAma
i'on d the II sdent of the United States hereinaf
ter provided for.
1t being rrpr,sea.cd in Congr-ss that since the
I C'lveH'hn ofthe twenty y-sxih OF November, eight
{ "A hu1drud and sixty one that framed and oropos
ef the Constitution for the said State nf West Vrgin
Ia The peo2'e thereof have expressed wish to change
the seventh section Of the eleventh article of sid
toest'tntion by striking oIt the same and inserting
l e following IN It's place, viz: The children Of
saves born within the limits of this State after the
tar day OF July sIteen hundrced and six; ytree
S'4l De Tree; and tnat al slaves within :,c sa d
4te VINO SHAT, II the time a0rc>i ID, be radcr The
are OF ien years. sh4ll be free whcl they arrive at
''e age oftweaiyons years; i'd all slaves over ten
ana uide- tWenty-oGe years shall be fee Wbcn ;hey
s''ve at the age Of twenty-five years: and no slave
sh@ be psrI'ied to come into the State for perm,a
ncnt rcsuhence therein:' Therefore ~-
Sec. :. And be 1t further enacted. Thai when
e' =; t'e people n West Virgin shall tnroug1 their
Said Cp1veniIan, aId by vote TO be takel at an
eecii"a 10 be held with the llni.s of the said SIZE
at sus1 ne as the COnven ion may provide, make
aud raiiy n; change Aforesaid I'd properly GETTY
sane under the hand of the President Of the Co
vto:ion Il shall be lawfdl for the President of ,be
CHted >; ite' T. issue his Prncla natoa sLltng the
tct and thef:upoI th's act shall take eff:c. nd be
IN ful force from and af,er sixty days fon the dale
oil sad pfael unalisn.
APHsNsd December 81 1863.