The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-06-20
TWENTY YEARS OLD.
1HE BIRTHDAY OF WEST VIRGINIA..


Of ,Ss-rhs States Birth.
To-day Is the twentieth anniversary Of the
organization Of the government OF the State
OF West Virginia. Many Of the men active
in the erection Of the new State out OF a part
OF the territory OF the Old Dominion are
still living and In the full possession OF all
their faculties, with promise OF many more
yearsot active usefulness. Butte q portion
OF the younger resident, Of West Virginia It
will no doubt be strange 70 read the ttsLs
which were tAkIn In the easy days Of the
Rebel ion 10 preserve Western Virginia from
the faint OF treason. The Convention at
Richmond passed the ordinance OF secession
April II, 1901. and twas ratified by q vote OF
the people in the following mouth. The
pRople OF Western Virginia, however, over
IWheIminely defeated Il. Soon after the cleo.
tion the Richmond government proclaimed
the ratifi alton Of the ordinance, and Gen.
Wise was sent with force OF men 70 the
Kanswha Valley and Gen. Pegrarn AID 9th:
ers with other forcls into other parts Of
Western Virginia for the purpose OF subject:
ing the Union men or driving them out Of
the State. While they remained here the
Coniederatts and sympathizers had things
their own wpy, and loyal citizens were
obliged to dee 70 Ohio or other loyal States or
submit TO arbitrary arrest by the military
authorities. Their reign was brlef, however,
and Gea. McClellan's army soon drove them
back across the mountains badly whipped.
AsrAKp AGAlssr SECESSION.
The predicamant In which the loyal cit.
xans OF this section would have been placed
| had the rebellion succeeded, and taken out
OF the Union part OF Virginia SO closely
cement Sd by ties OF business and social inter
course with. the free states surrounding: was
keenly felt In the counties along the Ohio,
and especially here in tie Panhandle.
| A Meeting was held In the Court
House at wellsbufg shortly after the
convention at Richmond, which was
addressed BY Brooke county's delegate,
Camp bell TAR, ESQ., and BY Hon. John g.
Carlisle, the delegate from Harrison county;
both OF whom had taken 0 strong stand
against the adoption Of the ordinance ofssces'
sion, Mr.. TSrr doing this 50 earnestly as 70
provoke the bitter enmity Of the secessionists;
who vowed vengeance, and he barely escaped
from Richmond with his lie. Both OF
these GENT men advised an organized
resistance to the secession movement, and
In accordance with theie advice committee
consisting OF Messrs. Campbell TAR, Adam
Kuhn, Jos. ph Apologize and David Flem-
ing was appointed to 70 TO- Washington and
procure arms and ammunition. They called
on Governor Curtin, OF Pennsylvania, on
their way to Washington, and received
promise OF aid II necessary. At the Capital
thty called on Hon. y. M. Stanton, then
United States Acknowledgement, and per
sonal friend OF several members OF the COM
mittee. He at once took them to Secretary
OF War Cameron, and procured the required
arms, going security for their proper use.
Two thousand rifles and suitable compile.
ment OF ammunition were furnished and
brought to Wellsburg. Soon after their ar
rival news was received that rebel cavalry
was about to make q raid on Wellsburg, CAP
ture these arms and rob the bank. A force
was organized 10 resist this raid, with Gen.
lI. II, Ouyal in command. The cavalry did
not appear, however, and the arms were
afterward sent to this city for distribution.
me r1pr STHP TOWARD REoRGANIzIsa THE
20 'i'g sTATE.
On the 14th OF May, 1882, an immense
mass meeting was held at Washington Hall,
In this city, 10 discuss the stul ton and the
way out OF It, II was resolved that the at-
thorities at Richmond had vacated their OF.
fees by their contempt OF the Constitution,
and 4 convention was called TO meet In
Wheeling on the 18th Of June. This
convention was presided over by Hon.
Arthur l. foreman, and Judge; g.
l.. Cranmer, Of this city, was It's secrer
iary. It adopted q bill OF rights
and reorganized the State Government de,
claring ali the Offices held BY adherents OF
the Richmond authorities vacant. and APP
pointed the following persons 70 the places 10
thus made vacant Governor, J.. y. PIER
nont: lieutenant Governor, Daniel Polsley;
Attorney, General, James s. Wheat, Secretary
OF State, L. A. Hagans; Treasurer, Campbell
TAR; Auditor, Samuel Cranej AdjutanhGens
eral, Fl. ]. Samuels. Messrs Peter q. Van
Winkle Daniel Lamb, James W. Paxton, W.
A. Harrison and William Lszsar composed
the Governors Council"
This reorsan zation was completed by the
converting Ola Legislature, which elected
John 8. Carlisle and Waitman T. Wiley
United States Senators, and these gentlemen
were recognized as the Senators from Viz,
giuia and admitted TO seats in the SENATE.
fhis State Government was also recog.
nized by the authorities at Washington in
other wsys as the legal government
The convention reassembled August y, and
continued In session until the 25sb. Just
before the adjournment Mr.. Farnsworth, OF
Upshur county proposed the formation OF
nav State This idea INST with considerable
opposition, but few weeks later the con
yeiition was reconvened by the Governor,
and BY a vote OF so to % passed an ordinance
creating new State, 10 consist OF nine coun-
ties absolutely, and certain others on condt.
lion that the people Of those counties voted
to become part Of the new State.
&c., THE NEW STATE. II
The new State was FIAT called "Kauawha,"
but this was subsequently changed to West
Virginia. The constitutional convention
met In Wheeling, November 20. Hon. John
Hall, Of Mason county, presided. The Con-
stitution made by 1t was rst hea by the PEG.
pie, and on June %, 1852, in the United
States Senate, the Committee on Territories
reported q bill to admit West Virginia to
The Union, In which gradual emancipation
was provided for. This bill was hna ly passed
an amendm cont tanned In itratifsd by the
Legislature and the people, and On election
was held, by which Hon Arthur !. Boreman
was chosen Governor; J. Edgar Boys secre. |
tary OF State; Campbell TAR, treasurer
Samuel Crane, Auditor; Ephraim !, Hall,
Attorney General; James 81. Brown, K. L.
Berkshife and William A. Harrison, Judges |
Of the Court Of Appeals.
These officers met in this city, and on June
20, 1883 twenty years ago to-day, formally |
dec AIRED the Government Of the new State
organized.
The twenty years since tkat day have been |
eyenttul ones, and the signs indicate that the
State 10 now entering upon an era even more |
riferwith changes than that just closed. But
West Virginia will probably never expert.
ence another year 30 fall OF events bearing
anlmpoItan relation to her history as 1858.
THEwASH.JEPF COMMENCEMENT.