The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-02-15

Berkeley and jefferson COunties---Re-
marks OF Hon. John a. Binshnm. of
the Belmont, (Ohiol District, In Con-
ssress, last week, in support of the
Joint Resolution anneXing those
Counties TO West Virginia.
Mr.. Speaker, wish to remark that
the preamble of this resolution is who'll
ly unimportant, and trust 1t viii be
voted down. submit that the State OF
West Virginia is State of the Union.
1 submit to the House that tits too late
to challenge the power of the Congress
of the United States TO authorize the
formation of new State within the iu-
risdiction OF State of this Union with
the consent of the Legislature OF such
State; for it was done by the First Con-
gress, composed in great measure OF
Ibe yerv men who framed the Constitu-
ton. The gentleman from Maine Mr..
Blaine) is mistaken in his statement
that the territory of Kentucky was ced-
ed to the United States. 1 affirm that
the State of Kentucky was erected with
in the territory of the State of Virginia,
by the consent of her Legislature, and
by act of Congress admitted into
the Union. ii'I. 52E tes fsLs " 3 nE
Mr.. Dawes. Iwould remind the gen.
tleman from Ohio that the same thing
was done i'll the case of The State OF
Maine, which was formed out of part
of the territory of Massachusetts, with
the consent of the Legislature of Mas
sachusetts. y.sE
Mr.. Bingham. Yes, sir; and the State
of Vermont was formed in the same
way from part of the territory OF the
State of New York, with the consent OF
the Legislature of New York. giis 1slsil
Having had the honor to take some
humble part in the formation Of the
State of West Virginia, and her admis-
sion into the Union, L wish 10 say that
in doing what 1 did, I but followed the
example ofthe men who made the Con-
stitutfon, and among them, ofChtm
whose peerless name is first attached to
that great instrument. ~ z
Mr.. Speaker, having said this much,
I desire to repudiate once for all the
statement of the venerable gentleman
from Pennsylvania, Mr. Stevens that
in the exercise of this power, i, as one
of the majority of this House who adj
mitted the State of West Virginia, did
it as an act OF. sovereignty over con-
quered territory and a conquered peo-
pie. deny that the armies OF the Uni
on have ever made one loyal citizen the
enemy of my country or one rood of
the original Republic conquered terri
tory by suppresSing this unmatched
and atrocious rebellion. The soil OF the
States that engaged in the rebel
lioa remained through all the
storm and darkness part of
nv own, my native land in spite
of fythe treason which was enacted upon
il; and now that that treason has been
subdued, il remains still part and
parcel of the native land of every natu-
raj born citizen of the Republic. The
loyal people ofSouthj Carolina the 10y
al people of Virginia, are no more con-
quered sabjects than is the venerable
gentleman himself. They were all the
the
Constitution. The armies of the Union
struck to maintain the supremacy of
the Constitution and to give effect to the
laws, that the loyal might be protected
and the disloyaT crushed.
Ideng ever having countenanced apy
such dogma as that the loyal people of
West Virginia ever were conquered by
our arms. The armed rebel was con-
anered. In accordance with the prin-
eipIe laid down by him who Is some
times called the Father of the Constitu-
ton, (dr. Madison0 three hundred
thousand of the loyal citizens of the
State of Virginia, by reason of the re-
bellion and treason OF the remaining
seven hundred thousand of the citizens
of that state; had the exclusive right of
civil magistracy within the limits ofthe
entire Commonwealth. No matter
whether the loyal people of Virginia
met in Richmond or In Wheeling, in the
necsons of their chosen representatives;
they asserted thereby their right, under
the Constitution Of the United States
and in accordance with the statute law
of the State of Virginia. When the
majority of the State of Virginia turned
traitors the minority of citizens therein
who rejected treason, being sufficiently
numerous to constitute State, had the
ripht 10 assemble in any part lof the
STATE and exercise all the powers which
pertained to them as citizens Of the
State. subject to the approval s6f Con-
gress. but without question. OF the rebel
majority. Why9s Because in such