Year: 1866

Il


are called odd line Wings They were
opposed to secession and desired a peace
full solution of the difficulties between
the North and the South, >and earnestly


stroye to prevent the disruption of the


Union. But when the Federal govern


ment determined upon a coerciye policy,


they became united in sentiment nd


cast in their fortunes with tho South to
resist by force of arms what they honest
ly believedto be an encroachment upon
| their rights Nowthat the war is ended,


all other feelings,have given place to a


desire for o permanent peace. They
have sincerely and honorably renew


ed their oaths of allegiance to


the FedcrHl government and feel
bound by their manhood to faithfully
observe that oath But willie they have


spark of honor or truthfulness remain
ing, they cannot subscribe TO the test


oath the legislature of West Virginia has
seen fit to enact. They have hoped and


believed that that oath having been


adopted as war measure, would be re.


pealed Immediately upon the expiration


of the circumstances that gave it birth,


for it is a sound maxim Of civil law that


"Rafione cessaRte, cesSat Ler." Some OF our


people who have in various ways during


the progress, IF the war rendered aid and


comfort to the Southern cause, have


taken the test oath under what humbly


conceive to be a misrepresentation of its


meaning, II has been construed TO re-


late only to acts done since the passage


of the law, and it has also been held that


it applies only to persons who were in


favor ofsecession prior to the passage of


the ordinance by the State of Virginia


and it is claimed that from and after that
| time all citizens within the Confederate
| lines were under duress and their


actions Were not voluntary. BIT | do


not so understand the terms of the oath


and not single man in my knowledge,
| with but one exception, has taken the


oath understanding it in the correct and


manifest meaning OF its language


regard all attempts to explain away its


provisions in the manner have spoken


of as fraught with evil consequences


1t diminishes proper respect for the


highest obligations that can be assumed
and debauches and debases the con
sciences of those pursuing such course,
| 1t seems to me that fair consideration
of the condition of those counties com


posing the 9th district, at least of Green


brier, Monroe and PocahOntas would


lead to different policy towards them.
Their interests, their associations, and
| commercial relations have all been with
| Virginia During the war they were


necessarily attached to that State and all


the time within the Confederate lines.
| They have been incorporated into the
State of Wsst Virginia without ever
having been consulted and without even
at the time knowing it. They have
never had an opportunity OF exercising
| the right accorded to them by the Ordi-
nance of the Convention Of lc6l of voting
for or against the new State, and in fact,
up to thu termination OF the war they
were in ignorance OF its boundaries and
did not know whether or not they con-
stituted q part OF it. They have been
only nominally represented i'll the gov
ernment and can not be otherwise until
the law requiring this oath has been re


pealed.


Ths people OF these, counties are now
| in q state of doubt and uncertainty as 10
what is to be their fate,-whether they
are to be citizens OF West Virginia III
name only and without the rights and
privileges of citizens, or whether they
are to be allowed fair participation IN
the government through delegates whom
| tbey have chosen and who are III truth
representative mel They know that i'll
the past in the legislation OF Virginia,
the representatives from the North W,st
have always in body voted against
their Interests, and whether lingering
8 fhpm
remains, they do not know; whether their
interests are to be Ignored or Kindly
cared for as iientiLed with those OF the
State, remains to be seen. Candor com
pels me to say TINT from cur experience
in the organization OF the civil govern
ment. our expectations are not cheer
ing


When h0stiiIties terminated very
considerable portion OF the people in the
Western counties OF Virginia preferred
to be embraced within the New State,
and we had begun to congratulate our
selves that, being in State which from
its organization had been considered
perfectly loyal our condition was indeed
enviable. But change has taken
place IN the sentiment ot some OF those
people Those IN the Valley OF Virginia
NO longer desire to be citizens OF West
Virginia and it would not be surprising
if the people of the Western counties OF
this State are still allowed TO see their
neighbors in Virginia in the enjoyment
of those privileges OF which they have
been deprived, if they shonld eyinCe
desire to again be embraced within the
jurisdiction of Virginia Thus far, the
people ofthese counties have made no
complaint. They have thought that as
soon as the Legislature would meet that
these laws would be repealed, aud have
believed that they never were intended
to apply to them Hence, in electing
officers they did not in every instance
seek for men who could take the oath Of
office but voted for the men a their
choice, aud those whom they supposed
wonld in tact be representatives having
a common interest aud common opinions
with tbemselves,' and who could most
satisfactorily discharge the duties of their
respective offices.


The people of Greenbrier, Monroe and
Pocahontas have been represented as
disloyal The only evidence of their
disleyalty is found in the fact that the
civil government can not there be or
ganized without difficulty under the
operaton of the laws 10 which have re
ferred They are unwilling to commit
| the crime OF perjury, and that which
abould rebound 10 their honor and their