86 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



road, and eventually with the Pennsylvania Central, west of Harrishurg, via 

 Charleston, Buckhaunon, Phillijjpa, Independence, Kingwood, and Brandon- 

 ville, or by some parallel line connecting Preston county with Charleston. It 

 is intended to strike the Pittsburg and Connellsburg road at the mouth of 

 Casselman's river; thence, by Somerset or Bedford, to Huntingdon on the 

 Pennsylvania Central. It would develop a region rich in all the minerals of 

 the State, passing over coal and iron mines almost every step of the route, in- 

 fusing life into all the veins of industry, and rendering plethoric with wealth 

 this youthful and vigorous Commonwealth. 



POLITICAL ORGANIZATION. 



On the 13th of May, 1861, twenty-four days after the adoption of secession 

 by the convention at Richmond, delegates from twenty-five counties met at 

 Wheeling and passed resolutions in condemnation of the traitors and the treason 

 of Richmond, and providing for a convention of all the counties adhering to the 

 Union. 



On the 11th of June, representatives from forty counties assembled at Wheel- 

 ing, on invitation to all loyal men of Virginia, and declared independence of 

 the action of the State convention, announced an interregnum in the State 

 government, and took measures for the establishment of a provisional govern- 

 ment. 



On July 2d the legislature, duly elected, convened at Wheeling, and elected 

 United States senators, passed a stay law, and voted $200,000 for carrying oa 

 the war, and the same amount for the operations of the State government. 

 October 24th the action of the legislature was approved by the people in a vote 

 almost unanimous. 



A convention met at Wheeling, November 26, 1861, and framed a State 

 constitution, and on the 3d of May, 1862, that constitution was approved and 

 adopted by the qualified voters of the proposed State. On the 13th day of 

 May, the legislature of Virginia gave its consent to the formation of a new 

 State within the jurisdiction of Virginia. 



On the 31st December, 1862, the President approved the act of Congress 

 for the admission of the State of West V^irginia into the Union, to comprise 

 the counties of Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Mart^hall, Wetzel, Marion, Monongalia, 

 Preston, Taylor, Tyler, Pleasants, Ritchie, Doddridge, Harrison, Wood, Jack- 

 eon, Wirt, Roane, Calhoun, Gilmer, Barbour, Tucker, Lewis, Braxton, Upshur, 

 Randolph, Mason, Putnam, Kanawha, Clay, Nicholas, Cabell, Wayne, Boone, 

 Logan, Wyoming, Mercer, McDowell, Webster, Pocahontas, Fayette, RaleigK 

 Greenbrier, Monroe, Pendleton, Hardy, Hampshire, and Morgan, to -uhich have 

 been subsequently added Berkeley and Jefferson, making fifty counties, includ- 

 ing a total area of about 24,000 square miles. 



This act took effect in sixty days after the proclamation of the President 

 stating tlie fact of its ratification by the people, and the adoption of the fol- 

 lowing in place of the clause in the Virginia constitution respecting slavery : 



"Tlie cliildien of slaves born within tlio limits of this State after the fourth clay of July, 

 ejo-hteen hundred and sixty-three, shall be free; and that all slaves within the said State who 

 shall, at the time aforesaid, be under the ag-e of ten years, shall be free when they arrive 

 at the a{^e of twenty-one years ; and all slaves over ten and under twenty-one yeais shall 

 be free when thej^ arrive at the age of twenty-hve years ; and no slave shall be pernjitted to 

 come into the State for permanent residence therein." 



CONCLUSION. 



In conclusion, the writer would observe, in justice to himself, that he Las 

 endeavored to make as full and impartial an exhibit of the resources of West 

 Virginia as circumstances would permit in an article designed to be only su- 

 perficial and preliminary. In the absence of official documents, records, of 



