The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-06-20
FromJths National Telegraph.
E., West Virginia, p, sa

b. The State of. .West ViFgipia nov oe:
cupiss proud position among the
States Of this Union. Although behind
many Of the States In wealth, population
and extent Of territory, yet the history
sof the late rebellion will show that West
Virginia is behind no State iu. the lelc
ments which tsndto build up and sustain
q Government. Our loyal people eyinced
at the commencement or th6 rebellion
patriotism and bold indepsude1cs Of
character that has never been tEapscsnd.
cd, and we may trace the pages OF the
worlds history in vain 10 6nd an in.
stance, of the display Of moro ipds,
pendepce and lofty deterpination than
that exhibited by the Uuiod people Of
West' Virginia when thsarebelIion htst
broke out. The noble band Of patriots
that assembled iu, Wheeling, in May and
June, 1861, to reOrgunize the govern.
msnt Of Virginis, exhibited a Roman
frm ness, aud their lofty and self!sscriiei;
ed patriotism bas neSer been surpassed,
and We but rarely end a, parsllsl TO It
on, the pages of history. Az the time
the question Of restoration Vas mooted,
the loyal people had no compass oT chart
To- guide them bat the eternal prinfjPlss
Of right and justice. AT that time Coy
Lescher and his cohorts OF treaiou 10
Richmopd we're threatening the Union g!
men Of West Virgi1iS with desth, II
they adhered to the Lincoln Government.
There we're no federal bayonets 10 West
Virginia then to protect our loyal Peo'
ple. The rebel Porter6eld was in their
midst with his ar my, but in the face of
all these difficulties they reorguuized the
COVER o me ut and formed nucleus around
which the Union men could rally. The
restored govern uent soon began TO send
its volunteers into the, field to protect
their glorious Government, and during
the war West Virginia kept more men
10 the Federal army according to the
number Of loyal people within her bor-
ders than any other State iu the uniou'
During tho war the State Government
of West Virginia was organized and our
State became an independent member
of the Union, Topped Of from Virginia
which had gone into treason and rebel
lion. Ever since the formation Of our
new State its government has been con
Quoted after a strictly loyal model
Noth;no that has savored Of treason 10
the shape oftbe old and exploded doc
trine of State sovereignty has ever en-
tered into the Executive, Legislative or
Judicial eOuuuilsi Of our Snts, but every
act of either branch, has been based upop
o strictly loyal model, and every, safe
guard that was necessary has been
thrown around the government OF the
State to euable il preserve Its loyalty
The ratification Of the AmeOdment to
the State constitution has completed the
barrier Of defenses against the encro9ncn !,
ments OF treason apd West Virgins
to- DAY hasher instit1tiob6 'as unaltera'
bly, fxed 80 are those Of MAsGdehusetts
w. W. W;-n;n;a ss ion1 "a the Americsu
me:s '"S vi.,: no nos.ibls c,ooiptiif. ,oiti
ou'UU ;,, :TI 49,. 90 ssvs, a: ,oain 40.
gsIsy W.. ~, IDis S,Is I ~ So..;t;S.S seopterr
from which she Ras:cut of. The Htold
lfoeies' and rebels who have been crying
H. Ofearry me back 70 old Vitgi9is,
lho3 ~ veiI t,hsh mn. for their cries vii