The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-07-14


cisiOn Of tho tribunal selected by ouI
representatives i'll Congressis respected
and obeyed =; that our liberties arc safe
and that our country is marching on tc
an era Of still greater prosperity, pat
riotism and intelligence.
And turning now to matters which
more nearly concern ourselves, AIN
reminded that on tho 2lst day of the
last month, tho State Of West Virginia,
the young child ofthc storm. .-outcred
upon tho fifteenth year Of her existence.
10 many Of those around the, to whom
tho formation of the new State seems
but as o matter of yesterday, this dec.
laratiou will be surpris, for the
rapid flight Of timc takes no heed oI
the wishes Of men. But as yesterday
our State was an integral portion Of
the glorious old Mother Of States =
to-day We are q star in tho constella.
tion, invested with all tho dignity and
power, in tho great councils of the M.
tiou, that attaches to any ono Of tho
gallant thirteen colonies that formed
the original compact Of Union. And
here let me say, that every West Yir.
sinian has just reason to DO proud Of
the Advancement and prosperity Of bis
State. When We were torn, with utter
violence as it then seemed, from the
sidc Of tho Mother State, our popula.
tion was sparse, our wealth insiguid.
cant, and our resources entirely undo.
velOped: Now wo hayo population
Of over six hundred thousand souls;
our wealth compares favOrably with
that Of any Of the other States; our
resources arc being rapidly developed,
and capital is seeking profitable invest
ments among our mountains aud
valleys. Aud better than all else, wc
have on every hillside and in every
dale that most glorious Of all our in.
stitutions, tho PUBLIC FREE School,
l am not hcrc to praise one political
party or the other, but I am hero to
say: "GOd bless oil men, and all
parties, who wero heretofore aud are
now identified with tho success Of tho
movement for the education of all our
peoples" and l know that the senti.
ment will be gladly echoed by every
voice in this asscmblagc. 1t is said
now that Ohio has taken tho place Of
Virginia in producing great mon ; aud
it may bo true but if it bo true, |
tell you that from tho public free
schools of that great State springs the
distinction Of her people. From the
little school houses on tho crossroads
emanatcs tho light and intelligence
which has placed tho Buckeye State
first amoug her sisters. And just as
surely rs wC foster tho system in West
Virginia, We shall follow in the foot.
steps Of Ohio, and greet her across the
beautiful river which divides her ter
ritory from ours, with roll Of our
sons and daughters, equally as distiu-
guishcd for their virtue, honor and in-
telligcnce, as any that sho has yet pro.
duccd.
Let your minds revert. ifyou can,
to tho +th Of July, 1917 tho time Of
tho formation Of tho county iu which
you liSc-iu which most OF you were
born-aud in whose soil many Of the
loved ones who have gone before lie
buried. Then our county was almost
q wilderness, and your hardy ancestors
had to plCGs and conquer al the trOub-
les incident to q new and unsettled
country. But now, increasing intelli-
gGncO has given you new modes Of la-
bor. You arc living under q system
so highly favored that your ancestors,
could they rise from their tonlbs, would
not bc able to recognize the ""s.Iuty u
which they toll i-ad died. The ea,
). ~ nan las felled the might
MRtE eSc' spread us green
mantle S: our our tSaEtR:'%yi .he oultiva.
ton q 50 products of tho soil has
made our county to bloom aud blossom
as the rose built up our great roads
turupikcs ; and even now as I speak,
the sides Of somo oil our grand hills
bleed, and the hearts Of somc Of our
beautiful valleys thrill, with tho near
coming Of that graudcst Of all cur en-.
terpriseS, the Weston aud West Fork
Railway! Tho construction Of this
great civilizcr through our county, and
the innumcrablo advantages which will
n -. . L