The Morgantown monitor. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1863-1864, 1863-06-27
INAUGURAL ADDRE SS
Governor BOreman

The inaugural ceremonies OF the
New State Of West Virginia came OFT
last Saturday, (the 10th inst.,) IN
the City Of Wheeling, in front OF
the Lindsley Institute, the tempo
rary Capitol of the new State. The
city was crowded with people from
far and near, and the greatest enthu-
siasm prevailed on the OCCASION
Governor Peirpoint delivered his val
edictory, at the close of which Gov
ernor Foreman rose and spoke as
follows -
FELLOW CITIZENS To be permit
ted to participate in the most humble
capacity in the organization of the
State of West Virginia would be an
honor; but, to be called by the una
nimous voice of her people to accept
the highest office in their gift, and
to the performance of its duties, alta
time of SO much difficulty and dan
ger as the present, excites IN my
heart the profoundest gratitude to-
ward them for the confidence thus re-
posed in me. And if shall be per-
mitted to live, hope in after years
to recur to the ceremonies of this
day with pride aud pleasure, not
only for the part l have taken IN
them, but as celebrating the most
suspicious event in the history OF
this people.
Yet, trust that IN taking upon
myself the solemn obligation which
/ am about to do, l am not unaware
of the great responsibility that it i'm
poses on ne. In time Of peace, and
under the most favorable circum-
stances, the organization Of q new
State and its introduction into the
family of the Union, is a matter OF
no ordinary moment; but when fierce
civil war RACES all around US and IN
our very midst, one whose experience
is-as limited as that of him who now
advance, the Indulgence Of a gene
rous constituency.
West Virginia should long since
have had separate State existence.
The East has always looked upon
that norton Of the State West of the
mountains, as sort of outside ap-
peudage-a territory in q state Of
pupilage. The unfairuess and ia
equality of legislation is manifest on
every page Of the statute book; they
had an unjust majority in the Legis-
lature by the original Constitution
of the State, and have chung to it
with the utmost tenacity ever since ;
they have collected heavy taxes from
US, aud have spent large sums in the
construction of railroads and canals
ia the East, but have withheld ap-
preparations from the West ; they
have refused to make any Of the mo-
dern improvements by which trade
and travel could be carried on from
the one section to the other, thus
treating us as strangers; our people
could not get to the Capital Of their
State by any Of the usual modes of
travelling, without going through
the State of Maryland and the Dis
trict Of Columbia. The East and the
West have always been two peoples.
There has been little intercourse be-
tween them, either social or COM
mercial. Our people seldom visit
the East for pleasure. The farmers
do not take their stock, grain, wool
and other agricultural products there
to sell ; the merchants do not go
there to sell or buy the manufactu-
rers have no market there ; indeed,
we have had nothing to do with the
Eastern people, except that our Sen
ators and Delegates have gone to
Richmond to sit in the Legislature,
and our Sheritfs have gone there to
pay in the revenue as an annual trl-
butte from this section of the State
for the inequality and unfairness with
which we have always been treated
by them. Our markets, our trade
and our travel are North and West
of Virginia, through natural chan
nels, or those constructed through
the enterprise Of our own people, or
such means as they could procure
The mountains intervene between US,
the rivers rise in the mountains and
run towards the Northwest and, as
if to make the separation more COM
plete, Eastern Virginia adopted the
fatal doctrine of secession, while the
West spurned and rejected it as false
and dangerous in the extreme
Thus nature, our commerce, travel,
associations, and interests, all-all
say that West Virginia should be
severed from the East. And now,
to-day, after many long and weary
years Of insult and injustice, culmi-
mating on the part es the East, in
an attempt to destroy the Govern
ment, we have the proud satisfaction
of proclaiming to those around us
that we are separate State in the
Union
Our State is the child Of the rebel
lion yet our peace, prosperity and