Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-04-20
GROWTH or WEST VIRGINIA
Established In June. 1ssi--WheeIIne
Selected as capIsal--state Gov.
eminent lnauaurated h 1859

So4teSe and It's great work ii the etla1-
cation OF the mountain peoples. the
Berea Quarterly, Just issued. contains
brief but admirable article by Prof.
Robertson telling OF the separation of
West Virginia from the OLD Dominion,
the secession from secession, which
gives West Virginia a wholly unique
position among the states Of the
Union, Few OF the present genera.
tom are aware OF the dramatic cir-
cumstances which led to this separa-
ton of one state into two distinct
state governments and as West vir~
vinie is notably within the pitts.
iburgh region, The story VIII he pc
culiariy instructive here iii che retell.
ing by condensation OF he article OF
Prof Robertson.
There Is a com~limensary forewnrl
by Admiral II r Chadwick, who
states that his forefathess were part
OF this mountain land from l776. and
one Of his grandfathera. WHO he'd the
ancient Office cf County Lieutenant Of
Monongalia county and whose charge
extended into the vast and vavne
Northwest WIS captain at the hat.
tie of Point Pleasant. which many
have asserted Was the arst battle az
the War OF the Revelation
Prof Robertson ssys taat The state
Iof West Virginia "was born Of the
apirit of liberty which II found
among those who live In the hills
II was the result OF a picturesque M
rising more spirited than that Of
Ethan Allen and the Cweea Mountain
Boys Of Vermont. And II was one OF
the decisive makewelghts In the
scales OF the Civil War. The Alsa-
tian designer who drafted the seal
for the newly-born state displayed q
fitting comprehension az the case
when he inscribed upon vt the phrase
Montani Semper -Mountaineers
are always Free
Differences Of Long Standing.
/ Prof. Robertson writes that II was
a part OF the strategy OF the Southern
leaders to invade the neck OF land be-
tween the northern part OF West yir-
ginia and Lake Erie and thus dis
member the North by separating the
East from the West. The secession
from secession the alliance OF the
western part OF the mountain region,
with its sturdy fighters with the Union
cause, defeated this plan and the adj
mission OF the new state TO the Union
had a far-reachin@ effect on the for
tunes OF the South which otherwise
might have penetrated 70 Lake Erie.
Prof Robertson asserts, however
that the act OF separation was not
only an incident OF the Civil War, but
the final outcome OF contrasts and
+, differences which had separated the
eastern and western parts OF Virginia
from the earliest times Of settlement
differences or environment Of popu-
lation, OF social and Industrial inter
! ests.
Eastern Virginia was occupied by
: IAN English population Of the higher
r class, increasingly accustomed to a
| life of comfort and the exercise OF
\ authority. Western Virginia was the
! home OF a population composed OF
! Scotch, ScotchIrish. Germans and
: English, who came somewhat later
/ and pushed to the frontier. They
. found good water and good hunting
and enough tillable land for the first
/ generation
! The population of Eastern Virginia
: belonged prevailingly TO the Church
OF ENGLAND, with its centralized or
,ganization, while the population OF the
mountain section in the West was
non-corformist, Including Presbyter
= fans, Methodists, Baptis;s aad Qua
kers, organized on a democratic basis
THE educational ideals OF Eastern yir
ginia were more centralized and arts
{ tocratic. The University OF Virginia
though founded in the interests OF
democracy, was tending to become thu
Oxford Of America, place for The
education of gentlemens sons. who
came 10 be Instructed by teachers oil
r their own class. The educational
: ideas OF Western virginia were demo
: cratic, aiming to give the greatest
+. good TO the greatest number
= In political policy Eastern Virginia
was satisfied with the rulo Of the mi
nority and retained devotion to state
sovereignty which grew ont OF he,
: self-snfiicie1cy. Western Virginia
sought rather the expression Of the
VIII OF the people as a whole and IA.
vored the Federal G0yarnment he
cause II WIS dependant on a higher
source than itself for Development and
; prosperity Thus graphically the PRO
fesser limits the Hne OF demarcatlon.
sharp and potential, from the BEGIN
ming, between the East ana West. and
shows that It WAS with no great
wrench of the affections that the adj
vhantage was taken OF the act Of So
! cession OF Richmond and new state
was carved by conventions early m
the DAYS Of the war snd provisional
government established which speed
H. =.