The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-07-16
WEST VIRGINIA.
Sketch of its Erection and
Formation from the
Territory of Virginia.
BY J. MARsnA11 HAaANs, ESQ. !

/
BY ]. MARSHALL HAeANs, ESQ.
Prior to the meeting of the peace
conference at Washington, in january,
1881, the people of Virginia had been
required TO meet in convention, at their
| capital, by the legislature of the State,
Governor John Letcher. the then exec
utive of the State, Influenced by the
| pressure of events, had convened the
| legislature by proclamation; that
body sitting biennially, the winter of
1S60-6l was the period Of vacation. The
proclamation in its character was
anomalous and its substance was sug-
| gestive of the times. The ostensible
object was for the purposes of State leg
1slation, among the most prominent of
which was the ratification of the sale of
the interest of the State in the corpora
ton known as the James River and
Ranawha Canal Company, to a body
of French capitalists. 1t however con-
Gatned an allusion to the State of the
country, and declared that it was stto
take into consideration the condition
of public affairs, and determine calmly
and wisely what action is necessary 10
In obedience to this summons the leg
islature met at Richmond on the 7Th
day or January, 1851. It was the first
time, but once, since the adoption of
the constitution in 1851, that the inter
ests of the State were thought.to de-
mand the interposition of an extra ses-
sion. The true object and purpose of
the call, although the same might have
not been manifest to the chief execu-
tive officer of the State when deciding
| to call the body together, was soon de-
veloped. Early in the session, every
influence that could be brought to bear,
to oppose that action of the Federal
/ government which the times so earnest
ly demanded, and every evidence of
| that moral support and encouragement
which those who are nbout entering
upon hazardous adventure require,
was exhibited to the prhenzied gaze of
the recreant southern sisters of the Old
dominion. In the message ofthe Gov
ernor he deplored the condition of the
country with unaffected pain, He al
legged that 1.-The vile spirit of faction,
which pollutes the fountain of national
! honor, and digs the grave of patriot
ism" showed itself on every side. He
drew bright picture OF the progress of
the American people since the forhla-
tion of the Federal Union, and regard
ed the danger to perpetuity of that
Union as imminent. The perils, he
| averred, could have ben averted by a
conference of the Southern States which
had been sought by commissioners pre-
Mississippi, Colonel Memminger, of
the former and Mr.. Starke of the latter,
he renewed his recommendation for a
general convention of all the States,
and argued that safety was thus only
to be secured. The position ofthe Cot
ton States and the Border States wns
.contrasted, with view to show that
| the former had acted precipitately and
had not endeavored to secure the con-
current action of the Southern. States.
and that there was distrust entertain
ed by them of the Border States. He as
serted that South Carolina, a sover-
eigu State, had a right to adopt the line
of policy she had chosen" The North
was charged with using every effort to
confine slavery to the limits of the
States where It existed, and to exclude
it from the territories; and that the
statutes and speeches, which had been
followed by actual raids on the Borders
with the object of exciting insurrection
among the slaves, plainly showed the
alleged, tsis now disrupted; let the
North bsar the blame. They have
brought the sad and deplorable results
upon the country, and the candid and
honest men of the world will hold them
responsible for the destruction OF a gov
ernment that has challenged the admi-
ration and commanded the respect of
the earth" He discussed the PROPOSE
ton for call of State conven-
tiOn to determine the position Virginia
6AOuAA bdhS1 duu Will all dDOlQRY lOf
the opinion, declared that his firm con-
viction was in opposition to the meas
ure; that no necessity existed for it nor
did he conceive that any good practical
result would be accomplished by it. He
suggested the appointment of commits
sioners TO visit the legislatures of the
States that had passed laws to obstruct
the operation of the fugitive slave act,
to insist in the name of Virginia upon
their unconditional repeal. 9sIEF
tThequestion must be settled and the
country restored to Quietness and peace
| therefore he insisted that, northern
States must repeal the Obnoxious stat
utes; there must be effective guarantees
for the protection of slavery In the Dis
tricI of Columbia; that equality in the
States and territories must be recog-
nized, and the rights of persons and
property adequately secured; that like
| guarantees must be given in the trans.
mission of slaves between the slave
holding States; that rigid laws should
! be passed and enforced for the punish
ment of persons in the free States who
should contribute money or furnish
arms or In any manner aid or abet COM
panies ol men organized for the purpo-
ses of assailing the slaveholding States
| and inciting the slaves to insurrectfon,
and ith9tsthe Federal government be
deprived ofther power to appoint per
SONS 20 local offices in the slAveholding
| States, who were inimical to their insti-
tutions. He added that the will of Vir-
| gfnia would furnish an intlexible rule
Tor the direction of his action, and her
4 destiny should be his, The remainder
of his message was directed to local in
terests, the subject of organizing more
4 efficiently the militia Cccupying con-
siderable space. With this singular
document before it, which proposed
remedies that were held 10 be effectual,
4 and yet, which declared the Union
already destroyed, the legislature sat
down to its labors. After seven days of
brief but vehement discussion It tpassed
= bill to call together a convention of
the people of Virginia. Both houses
had previously passed resolutions for
/ the purpose of placing Virginia in the
| position of mediator Between the Fed
eral government sand the seeding
States, and requested suspension of
all aggressive proceedings pending
further negotiations for peace, which
were subsequently amended by desig-
mating the period of sixty days tor the
suspension. During the pendency of
the bill substitute was offered in the
House of Delegates, which proposed to
submit to the people whether any con-
l vention should be held or not, which
was voted down by a large majority.
The bill provided for the election of
members in the manner prescribed for
the election of members to the House
of Delegates; the convention was to be
composed of one hundred and s6fty-two
members, that number composing the