The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-09-10
MEETING
Preceding the Memorable Wheeling
Convention Very Largely
Attended.
by Henry Raymond.


In the argument before the
Supreme Court of the United States,
at it's October term, 1906, in behalf
Of the plaintiff in the case of yir-
ginia VS.. West Virginia, one of the
attorneys in referring to the forma-
tion of West Virginia is quoted as
saying: In May or June mass
meeting of twenty-five or thirty men
was held in Clarksburg and they
called convention to meet in
Wheeling"
The mass meeting referred to was
held on the 22nd of April, 1861, and
there are many now living in Harri-
son county who can testify, that in
stead Of TWEEN ty-five or thirty men be-
ing present the large court room
was crowded with an enthusiastic
body OF people, each one anxious 10
do his part to prevent a dissolution
of the Union. o. lS
In the "Rending of Virginia writ
ten by Granville D. Hall, who was
familiar with the events of that per-
iod on page 216 appears the follow
ing:
''The Clarksburg Meeting"
"A thousand to twelve hundred
people assembled at the court house
there, on short notice, whose pro-
ceedings gave instant cohesion and
direction to the thoughts and pur-
poses of Union men throughout
Northwestern Virginia"
In the History of West Virginia.
published by Virgil A. Lewis, on
page $42, it is stated that:
1T remained for call for united
action to come from Clarksburg, the
birthplace of Stonewall jackson.
Here on the 22d of April, 1861, near
ly 1900 citizens of Harrison county,
convened in compliance. with a call.
issued forty-eight hour previously
The meeting organized by electing
John Hursey. president. and ]. w
Harris, secretary"
At this meeting the Hon. John S.
Garlic, who had just returneI from
the exciting scenes of the Richmond
convention, which had on the 18th
of April, passed the Ordinance of
Secession, was the principal speaker,
and with mastery eloquence he por-
trayed to that, vast and appreciative
audience the grave crisis in public
affairs, and on his motion the fol-
lowing resolution was adopted:
Resolved, That it be and is here
by recommended to the public in
each and all of the counties COM
prising North Western Virginia, to
appoint not less than five in num-
ber, of their wisest, best and discree;
men, to meet in convention at
Wheeling, on the 18th of May next,
to consult and determine upon such
action as the people of North West
ern Virginia should take in this
fearful emergency
The meeting appointed delegates
to attend the proposed convention at
Wheeling and thus inaugurated tho
movement that finally resulted in
breaking Virginia in twain, and Gre
ating the State of West Virginia.
This meeting was held at time
of intense public excitement and un-
certainty, and in the midst OF a
civil commotion that threatened the
very life of the nation. and its ac-
ton resulting as it did, in changing
the political destiny of 375, ,0eO peo-
pie, ought not to be represented be-
fore our highest judicial tribune as
the work OF twenty-five or thirty
men, without being corrected in the
truth Of history-but rather stand. !.
as an interesting historical event
and the spontaneous uprising of Il
liberty loving people, who did not
propose to follow the mother state
in an attempt tt destroy the Union
BIG DANCE TONIGHT