The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-08-29
JUDGE MASON
GIVEN OVATION
AT REUNION
Made Address
Last Night

WHEELING, aug. 2s,-The evening
session ofthe Society Of the Army Of
West Virginia at the State fair grounds
was attended by even larger gather
ing that characterized the afternoon.
Gen Vance presided again. while the
principal speaker OF the evening was
Judge John W. Mason, of Fairmont.
Following bis talk acampfre was held
and stories Of war, camp life and bat
ties were recounted, while incidental
to the evening the Melster band rem
derd programme of the old, time war
melodies that aroused the greatest Of
enthusiasm.
Judge Mason, who as boy entered
the army, recounted incidents of the
war, as he recalled ii, and then gave
descriptive talk which was greatly
appreciated by the veterans, relating
to the breaking away Of the counties
of West Virginia from the old State,
the formation of the new State and
making its star secure in the flag.
Conditions which led to the threat
ened secession Of the south from the
north were discussed briefly and then.
the condition as. IT related directly to
the now West virginia was taken up.
The speaker told of the convention in
Wheeling which decided the counties
of Northwest Virginia should remain.
loyal, thenof the forming Of West vir-
ginia from the western counties. The
legality Of the formation Of West vir.
ginla was discussed at length. Judge
Mason stating that those who doubted
were in the wrong as the new West
Virginia took the place of the seeded
old Virginia, and that through congress
the place Of West Virginia was made
secure. The selection of Governor
Pierpont, whom be characterized as a
grand old man, wa the wise act Of the 1
assembly, and he guided the formation
of the new state safely. There were
no funds, no way of raising them, and
Governor Plerpoint placed the first
money in the treasury by giving his
own personal note for two checks Of
$4,000 each, which were placed in
Wheeling banks, and the State later
redeemed them. Governor Plerpolnt
was really not governor Of West vir.
ginia, but governor of Virginia.
Organizing State.
The unstable condition that existed
then was told Of, as the State had two
governments, the new and the seces-
sion governments. 1t was matter of
choice and the northwest chose wisely
and compelled all their officers to
swear allegiance to the constitution of
the United States government. With
this decision the chances Of lawless-
ness were lost, the new State was
made secure, and 1t at once launched
into the work of putting troops in the
field. They were true soldiers, the
best the country produced, and the
speaker went on to tell of the raising
of tn First Virginia, with Col. Kelley
in command, of the arrival here of the
Twentieth Ohio and the TEenty-afth
Ohio, and tribute was paid Captain
.Fordyce, and an incident Of his COM
ing to Fairmont with handful of men
and the fleeing of the rebel editor was
recounted. Captain FordyCe's men
took charge and got out the paper,
copies of which exist yet, 1t being half
union and half rebel, as when the
rebel staff fed it was half printed
Continuing, he told Of the Fourth westl
Virginia, Of which Gen Vance was in
command, the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh,
Eighth, Ninth, Tenth Eleventh,
Twelfth and Fourteenth we're each
touched upon, and Col. johnson, of the
latter, eulOglzed. A glowing tribute
was also paid Thoburn. The number
of soldiers the State put In the field
va commented upon and the promt
nence they achieved mentioned.
The readjustmeut Of alters in |
West Virginia and a number Of other
war incidents concluded his address
and Judge Mason was given quite an
ovation.