The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1913-05-23
WHEN LINCOLN
|S|GNEO MEASURE
Senator Wiley Tells Of
This Interesting Time
and Event
THAT MADE n. virginia STATE


ing 10 ksecutivs Dee;e;ea.
Fifty yesrs go President Lincoln issu-
Ell . proclamation to make effective in
% dsys from April ~, iSts3, an act OF
oongreD admitsins the new state Of West
virFinis 10 the Union "on an equal
footing with ths original states In all re-
spects Whatever
This ct had been apprcvci by the
Ptsidsnt on December 81, 1852, upon
the oondiilan thss the state constitution
should be changed i'm certain, respects.
One change required had been the phrase
ology Of Q provision for the gradual
emancipation Of slaves Ehis having
teen made, submitted to the people and
favorably voted on, lincoln procee,icsl
10 proclaim ths new state.
The Presidsnt and his advisers n {.
found the question Of constitutionalit,
in admitting West Virginia hard one
70 settle In their mlnds.
Lincoln at fSst wss not sure that ncv
state could u made out Of an old on.
without the parent states consent. VII,
xinia was I'm the Confederscy, and it,
consent could not lie obtainesf.
An interesting story Of the president q,
be appeared 70 anxious West virginien.
while deliberatine on the question Of al
hitting the new state was afterward, told
BY Daitmsn T. Wiley, one Of the fip,
two senator's from West Virginia. Rum.
ors having reached the West virRnian,
in Washington sha. Lincoln Intended t.
veto their statehood bill and had sske,.
the advice Of his csbine. in the matter. .
delegation composed of Senator Wiley,
william q. Brown, sr., member Of con-
gres from Finswood, W. Va, md Gov.
Francss q. risrpoins-all hosdine -ef1sc
provisionally-started out in the after
noon of December 81, the last day O,
which the president could oct on the bill,
10 interview the member Of bic cabinet,
and II possible ascertain how the majori
ty had advised the president.
"TRrMPs THE TRACK"
They found Postmaster General Mont.
gomcry Blair against the bill. Secretary
Salmon p. Chase of the Treasury was for
il, and he said he had % advised Lin
coin. lie said Secretary Of War Edwin
NJ. Stanton had also expressed himself
favorably.
Not being able to find all the cabinet
members and those they saw being even
ly divided, the delegation wene TO thu
president.
Lincoln told them of his doubts, and
that he had "sot the nepbers Of bh
cabinet TO write their views"
Reaching into bis. desk he brouglit oul
q bundle Of papers apd said:
81 will read what ea'h one writes, bu'
not mention the authors name," wbicI
he proceeded TO do. Senator Willie,
thought he was able 10 gucss the arnhor,
by the language each usH. Finally, ar
opinion was read that he felt must hav,
been written ~ Lincoln himself, and h.
took heart, a. IL wss an argument m a.
vor of forming the state.
At its conclusion Mr.. Brown rmark
ed: "weIl, Mr.. President, that is III.
best opinion you have read"
Lincoln replied " . Whimsical way
You think thss'one~ tsumps the trick
do you" q .
Lipoofn;sndea shs :is,sssjev by saying
Wet, sentiersn, thaEen npfl II q, ,cioci
soniignt TO deesdsAhis srd, il you 'cem
here eshy in the morning ycu WIN know
what have done. So '...
The West virsinians. passsd an sixious
night and New Years morning arrived
at the whir House 90 early that tb,
doors refe MT yet opsn.. No wstcbInar
was In sight. Thsy ,tonnd . sin,iow thai
could be ersisedr- :t,as Of Ire party va,
boi.'cd up and helped up the o,hef two
The party wsns 70. ,hf prsilepfs ofIic.
upstairs and stsste,i, there wn ~.
.ponse Of come N lt.vss from Lin.
coin, who, early a. IL was, was sitting o.,
his dssk With Piisssotpspep around him,
which he vas -sxsninips. He turned
his head to~ssdsfhs. .fbe three men ..
they walked In and ssId "Nen a We,
yirsinis; f-upposa this viii please you,"
and he brid-us ahs bill duly signed.
"PEAsASTRY0R THE WEST"
In tbis - ne c eilssinstsJ one o. TIE
most important eiyi< Ietsas cf sss. w~.
West Virgins wss the o6ty sssssesessod
during the struggle from cse a tbs seoe-
ded states. In The process q making &
. eepsrase commonteslth many new al1l
puszlihs problems had arisen.
Geographically and politically, tse
Wet virviniaps for some ycsn before
Tho wsr had practically rrssrded them
siscs ss . sspsrsU o6nnrnIsy from
their ncisb5ors IN Tie central, eastern
and tS3exster section of ohd vreinia-