The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-03-18

IMMEDIATE ACTION URoEp.
"Yes, but Governor, how do you make
this apply to the admission Of West Vir-
ginia?"
~ will explain. rhe bill pasSed both
houses OF Oongrtsg, Then attention was
concentrated on President Lincoln, 1t was
all constitutional, 60 sRid Ito friends. its
enGmies said the contrary. Tho same
difference OF opinion existed In the Csbl-
net. On the day before the time expired
for the signing OF the bill by tho President
the excitement in Wheeling was intense.
just alter dinner A. W. Campbell, then
editor OF tin INTRLLloENcRg, L. NJ, Norton
and ]. w. Paxton came into my Office.
Mr.. Campbell in great earnegLness said to
me, we have come to get You TO gend the
strongest telegram you eau write to the
President urging him to tign the bill ad.
hitting the new State. | replied that ]
did not think u would do any good that ]
ha6 already sent I've dispatches, aud
did not thinka third would help the cause
They All replied with great eatnSslpesq
that they thought II would, and insisted
that rhodId send another. l confess
thought the Cauae might be injured by be-
ing TOO inpoltundte, but aGybody who
knew Campbell, Norton and Paxton, knows
that they were not men easily put Of II
their lninds we're Aet on ,an object.
AN uSPUBMsHEp DISPATCH TO LINCOLN
| replied, "Well, I will send it." Said
Campbell 1--WE want it tseat nov" ! re-
piled, "yery well, you write and 1 will
dictate" 60 the dispatch was prepared and
ran about as follows:
oPreSldni L.tieOln!
II am in great hope you will Blgn. the
bill 10 make West Virginia q new State
Tho loyal troops from Virginia have their
hearts set on It; the loyal people IN the
bounds oi tho now State have their hearts
Sst on IL; and II the bill falls, God only
knows The result. l fear general demor-
aljsation and ] must not be held respon.
Blble.
Mn, LINCOLN TELLS ABOUT IT.
"The dispatch was snt-Campboll took
Il to the 0fllce. heard no more about IL
until the 9th of April, 1885, tho day on
which Mr. Lincoln returned from Rich,
mond after II fell. At the conclusion oi
a long interview that day the President
said 10 me, Il believe / never told you
ths. turning point with me, about signing
the bill 70 make West Virginia q new
State, II replied, mo you have not told me.
Then lie gave me substantially tue atatg'
ment Judge Blair gives about the opinion
OF the Cabinet and tue pressure Of the
delegation In Congress. But, said he,
do YOU remember that telegram you sent
me the day before the time expired for
sIVninp the blll?' 1replied / that | remem,
bsTed Il perfectly. Mr. Lincoln said, that
WA The iuIning point In my mind In sign.
ing the bill. said TO myself, here, this
is not q constitutional question, IL Is a
political question. The government has
been fighting nearly two years for its ex.
istence, The friends Of tho bill say ii will
stfengthen the Union cause and will
weaken Ito cause OF the Rebels. Iii q
Step and is political. will not trouble
lnyseli further about the constitutional
point, 60 determined 10 sign the bill,
And am satisfied With the conclusion
poNE 70 HRLP rHR UNION.
"Now,0 continued Governor Plerponti
ut am quite sure thatnelthsroi the gsntle'
men who suggested the dispatch had any
expectation Of changing the Presidents
mind on the constitutional point They
wanted q strong dispatch. Campbell said
~ George, Governor, make Ii 90 strong
AZ Won can. looked the subject fairly ID
ihe face, with the consequences that
would follow II Il failed, and wrote ef.
scliy 40 | thought, ! had not regarded Il
ns a political question. But President
Lincoln on reading the dispatch, with bid
uuIck apprehension, saw that We were
liphtlnR ioT tie life oi tile Natioh-.hete
are 70, 0OO brave Union soldiers from West
VirVinIa, 100000 OF 100000 loyal people,
sil IA friends who think II will help our
estse And iDjure the enemy, The objeol
lions were only technical, His deClSion
wSs formed, Hence II 10 that | say va
builded better than We knew, and this Il
ia feason why ! would write The history
without mentioning any name: itWas tue
sbthusiaSIr Of 10000 Union soldiers In The
l6sid bacfed BY 10000 Union peopl,
within tlie bounds Of the new State tha
moved Mr, Lincoln, whose prophetic ey'