The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-06-20
Our Eleyenth AnnlyersaEY.

Our Eleventh AnniversaIy. Y
The State Of West Virginia Is eleven
year, old to-day, having become mem.
Der Of the American Union on the Goth
day Of June. 1868. Turning back to the
old dies Of this paper we find On editorial
headed "The Day We Celebrate" COM
mencing thus. "rhis day ushers into
being the new State Of West Virginia,
and adds the thirty fifth star to the con-
stellation Of the American Union. :" Turn.
Ing to. the local eolumns Of the same issue
we ttndthe programme ofcetemonies that
attended the formal Inauguration Of the
State therein announced. The Governor
OF Virginia tas he then was) Governor
pE1RPoINT, together with the Governor
elect oI West Virginia, Governor BoRB.
MAN, and the State officers ot the two
States, and also the members Of the Sen.
ate and House Of the new State, met at
the Mcclure House at nine o'clock In the
morning, and from there were escorted
by the 4Lh and 9th regiments Of West
Virginia militia through several ol the
streets to the Linsley Institute, which was
then and lor years afterwards our Capitol
building. aIntrent Of this building spa.
clous platforms had been erected for the
the accommodation Of the officials named
and their invited guests, From this plat.
form Governor, PElRpo1NT delivered his
vAledlctory and Governor BoREMAN hla
inaugural address. The multitude oi
people assembled were called to order by
the Hon. Q. D. HUBBARD and prayerwas
offered by the Rev. ]. T. MoLuRR. The
concluding speech was made by the
Hon. WAITMAN 7. WILEY, after which
the two houses Of the Legislature ad-
journed within the building and organ
izsd tho Government Of West Virginia.
There were great many people among
usjuSt then who regarded the whole spec.
tacle in the light Of q farce, and who
prophesied that!inia short time those en-.
gagged in 1t would find themselves In an
unenyiable position before the rightful
government Of Virginia at Richmond by
virtue Of the success Of the Confederate
arms. The days Just then were sufficient,
ly dark to give color to their words, and
many loyal men feared at times that their
prophecies might perchance come true.
It was Just before the ever memorable
battle oi Gettysburg that the State was
inaugurated, and her tate hung on the re-.
suit Of that eyentful conflict, as indeed
did that of the nation itself. We took
occasion to say eleven years ago today
that "onr new State which we insugu-
rate to-day will be destroyed, tho liberty
It protects overthrown, and heshopes 1t
inspires blasted, Il the Federal govern,
ment Is not able TO sustain itself. Our
fate and the fate OF our National Union
must be the same. We go on together tc
prosperity, or We go down together tc
ruin."r -,s.s..L III. .,,s....,.5T
Governor PR1RPoIET remarked 10 bis
valedictory In eloquent and pathetic
terms upon the dangers that enyitoned US
all at that time. He took occasion to re-
fer to the fact that the armed enemies Of
the Union and Of the State were even
then on our southern border and threat
ening this city, the Capital Of the State
Just born. But he did not quail at the
thought. True and tried then, as through
out the conflict he rose with the inspiration
oithe occasion and spoke these nemora;
ble words:
"Freemen Of West Vifginial take from
Us that flag, which represents our right
and tho rights Of the American citizen
throughout the nation, tear it down, sub
stitute the bars and stripes which repre-
sent slavery az the foundation OF thei
governmenl-that deprivation Of th
laboring man Of his rights-and wha
has the world left worthy Of freeman
ambitionP
Those Of i1s who remember the day W
speak Of, andwho know how ,oppressiv
was the constant anxiety that pervade,
the hearts Of all Union men at that dat
can appreciate tie change that haStakel
place In the condition Of the State ofWes
Virginia in the eleven years that have pass
edaway. Not the least remarkable chang
that has happenedis the change Of ad
ministration, by which those who wer
In power then and for years afterward
are noWout otpower. And yet no chang
could have been more natural. Il result
edinpart from the violence Of the part
splritbegotten By. the war and the abua
ofpower that attended II, and in pal
from the natural Affiliations Of thousand
Of our Union people with the souther
element in the Slate alter the close Of Ii
contest Il beeIne incredible that
change 90 marked & that which has &C
tually occurred since 1868 could tai
place. The war feeling on, both sids
has almcst wholly disappeared. !;
spirit Of liberalltyis abroad in the Stat
such as never existed even be
fore the war. Through u
ordeal Of the war, and the reaction
since occurring, all classes OF people hs,
been educated up to aIhigher plane Of ci
izenship than they ever. occupied befor
There never was 90 much pOliticalc6atil