Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-05-27


of which ii Treats--No Other Work
On the Same Subject Without II q
Great Deal of Valuable History Would
be Lost.
Wheeling lntelligeneer
Outside OF few text books little has
been written about the history, or rath-
er the stirring events that led TO the
formation of West Virginia. The part
that this state played in the great con-
flct Of 81 '66 has been sadly neglect
ed, rich as It has been in material Of
dramatic interest. There is one vol
ume extant, Loyal West Virginia.
which gives fair insight into the
military operations in the state, and
recites the valor Of the sons of West
Virginia on the field of battle, but
there has been nothing written that
would give any adequate idea OF the
trial and struggles of the civilian heroes
often exposed TO perils as great as
the soldier in battle-who fought tho
civic and legal battles that won state
hood for Us, until Professor William
p. Wiley gave as Formation of the
state OF West Virginia, which has re-
Gently been issued by the News Pub
fishing Company, OF this city That
Professor Wiley set a hard task for
himself Will be realized when it II
known that his much respected aud
senefated father, the late Senator
Waitman I. Wiley, was one OF the
chief protagohists In the drama.
From such consangnineous writer
one wonld expect, naturally enough, II
not prejudiced certainly partial view Of
his fathers prominence In the creation
Of the new state, but that he has given
rs fair and just story OF s'the days
that tried mems souls Is no mean
compliment to his slSilla as writer In
the SUPPRESSION OF any undue exploita-
ton Of his able progenitors participa-
ton Ia an achievement In which every
man was first among equals. :
Interest Is added 60 the work by the
character sketches OF the pioneers ia
the movement that separated the
western counties Of Virginia from the
aOld Dominion all OF them being
happily phrased and with due appreci-
alton OF their Importance, with naught
set down in malice. Were they alive
II Is possible they could have enriched
Professor Willey's modest volume with
some personal testimony or anecdote,
but these matters were taken with
them to the grave. However, tue
author Of s'F'ormation Of West Vir-
ginian had rich mine TO draw from
In the private diary or his father, and
well has he used this material. Only
two other men could have SO aided him
"A. W. Campbell, who was then the
editor Of the Intelligencer and Francis
III. Pierpoint, both OF whom died with
out transmitting the rich stores OF
their knowledge to paper. So what
ever faults may be discovered in Prof
essor Willey's work must be attributed
to the unattainable information that
has been sealed In the tomb and not
credited to any desire on the authors
part TO mislead the reader or misrepre-
sent the dead, taken rather as errors
OF Judgment, not of heart.
Every young man in the state, who
has only hazy or indefinite conception
OF the political history OF his native
state, should read this graphically writ-
ten story, for TO such persons 1t will
be as interesting as educational and
uplifting; besides imparting reyer-
ence for those tall cedars that stood
In a forest OF passion, tossed by the
storm Of hatred, and who suffered the
blasts Of chat awful tempest for their
sakes, and to whom they are indebted
for the blessings Of prosperity and
happiness they are enjoying to-day.