Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-01-27
LINCOLNIANA,
How West Virginia Was Admitted
to the Unl0n.
A CHAPTER OF HURRIED LEGISLATION
In Which President Lincoln Bore an All I'm
pcrtant Part, as Related by an Old
Time Congressman from
This State.
Special 10 the Register.

WARRINGTON, ID. g., January 26.-Meetlne
Judge Jacob B. Blair, Of Wyoming Terri
tory, here day or two since, ] asked him
il be had not been one OF the Representa-
tives in Congress isom the old State of
Virginia when tie present State OF West
Virginia was admitted. Il was" he said,
"snd if may be permitted to say it with
out1aying myself open to the charge diego
tism. nobody worked any more assiduous-
ly to bring about the admission OF the new
State than / did. Long before the war
was committed to the proposition OF cary
ing out Of the territory Of Virginia lying
West of the Blue Ridge new State.
In 1851 I became a candidate for
Congress in the Pan. Handle District OF
Virginia, and while canvassing my district
I advocated this project. Naturally, when
I took my seat in the House OF Represen'
tatives, had the ambition to consummate
the plan l had advocated.
Without going into the history or causes
that led 10 the reorganization OF the State
of Virginia after its pretended withdrawal
from the Union, it will be remembered
that the restored government OF Virginia
was made the corner stone of the new State
OF West Virginia. A bill to that end was
pass ed by Congress in December, 1862 and
it was only necessary TO secure the az
proyal OF the President 10 give it effect.
Soon after the passage Of the bill
CONGRESS Adjourned for the Holiday.
but determined to remain, at least until
the fate of the West Virginia bill was de.
termined. Icalled upon President Line Din
frequently and oonversed with him about
it, advanced every argument could think
of to secuSe his approval. He was wa,
mighty good listener, but very
slow and cautious in committing
himself. He never, except upon one oc:
cayon, uttered a word from which ] could
infer what bis action would be in the mat
ter. At that time he asked me this ques
ton: "Is the bill constitutional" l told
him | thought that had ceased to be de.
batable question in as much as Congress
had most distinctly, and the Executive
Department of the Government had prac-
ticslly recognized the restored govern ment
of Virginia as the only legal and 6ons.itu,
tional government In that State. He msde
no reply to this, but his question satisfied
me that hSd no doubt OF
The Expedicncy OF the Measure,
but was seriously contemplating the con-
stitutional aspect Of the case. felt conf.
dent that be would ask the written opin-
ions of his cabinet upon this phase OF the
question, and Senator Wiley and myself
visited each cabinet officer to ascertain
their several views. We learned those OF
Oh ,hEr M SarratQFU
terror Smith, who Was absent from
the city. The score stood as follows:
Chase, Stanton and Stewart fer; Welles,
Blair and Bates against
Day after day passed away without any
action being tsken on the part OF the Presi-
dent, and / was unable TO ascertain IN any
way what cosciusion, II any. he had
reached. The 3lst day Of December, 1852:
the last day on which the President could
approve the bill, arrived. j had been at
the White House two days before and had
concluded not to call upon that day, but
An IrresfstibIe Impalse SetzeA He
about four in the afternoon, and few
minutes after hour found myself in the
long hall leading to the Presidents recep.
ton room. There was no one in that room,
a few moments saw President Lincoln
walk slowly across the hall into his own
room. Invent up to the door which he
had left open and saw him within seated
at q table reading. ] said to him: "Ar.
President, will you permit me to ash you
question: Without raising his eyes hon
the book, the chilling reply came: Il
would rather you would not" was 20
much interested In my mission that tie
rebuff had no effect upon me, and wont
on 70 say that unless the bill coald be ap-
proved admitting West Virgins to the
Union nY TWELVE O'clock THAf sIsHf the
measure would be lost to the people Of my
State.
This Seemed 60 RouSS Hin
for he looked up and recognized ne and
after some little talk he said he would like
to Zee the West Virginia representatives,
oil together later in the eBening. huHtsd
mp Senator Wiley an d nay colleague. Mr..
Brown, from the Preston District, and 70
went back together at the hour named.
We found the President rsidy to receive
us and when we we're seated he brought
ont the written opinions Of six Cabinet OH.
GERS; both rs to the constitutionaltty aud
expectancy OF sd hitting West Eirginia q,
lCozssusd IN Second P-.s,I