VIRGINIA,' WESTERN. 



745 



there more rapidly than in any other part of Vir- 

 ginia. The proposition to erect this portion of 

 Virginia into a new State created considerable 

 discussion. The views of the Attorney -General 

 of the United States, (Bates,) together with a 

 statement of the plans of the Government rel- 

 ative to the seceded States, were thus ex- 

 pressed in a letter to a member of the Conven- 

 tion in Western Virginia : " The formation of a 

 new State out of Western Virginia is an origi- 

 nal, independent act of revolution. I do not 

 deny the power of revolution (1 do not call it 

 right, for it is never prescribed ; it exists in 

 force only, and has and can have no law but 

 the will of the revolutionists.) Any attempt 

 to carry it out involves a plain breach of both 

 the Constitutions of Virginia and of the Na- 

 tion. And hence it is plain that you cannot 

 take such course without weakening, if not de- 

 stroying, your claims upon the sympathy and 

 support of the General Government, and with- 

 out disconcerting the plan already adopted 

 both by Virginia and the General Government 

 for the reorganization of the revolted States and 

 the restoration of the integrity of the Union. 



" That plan I understand to be this : When a 

 State, by its perverted functionaries, has de- 

 clared itself out of the Union, we avail our- 

 selves of all the sound and loyal elements of 

 the State, all who own allegiance to and claim 

 protection of the Constitution, to form a State 

 government as nearly as may be npon the 

 former model, and claiming to be the very 

 State which has been in part overthrown by 

 the successful rebellion. In this way we es- 

 tablish a constitutional nucleus around which 

 all the shattered elements of the commonwealth 

 may meet and combine, and thus restore the old 

 State in its original integrity. 



" This, I verily thought, was the plan adopted 

 at Wheeling, and recognized and acted npon by 

 the General Government here. Your Conven- 

 tion annulled the revolutionary proceedings at 

 Richmond, both in the Convention and the 

 General Assembly, and your new Governor 

 formally demanded of the President the fulfil- 

 ment of the constitutional guarantee in favor 

 of Virginia Virginia as known to our fathers 

 and to^us. The President admitted the obliga- 

 tion, and promised his best efforts to fulfil it. 

 And the Senate admitted your Senators, not as 

 representing a new and nameless State, now 

 for the first time heard of in our history, but as 

 representing ' the good old commonwealth.' 



"Must all this be undone, and a new and 

 hazardous experiment be ventured upon at the 

 moment when dangers and difficulties are 

 thickening around us? I hope not; for the 

 sake of the nation and the State I hope not. I 

 had rejoiced in the movement in Western Vir- 

 ginia as a legal, constitutional, and safe refuge 

 from revolution and anarchy as at once an 

 example and fit instrument for the restoration 

 of all the revolted States. 



" I have not time now to discuss the subject 

 in its various bearings. What I have written 



is written with a running pen and will need 

 your charitable criticism.' 1 



The Convention in session at this time passed 

 an ordinance creating a State. This was to be 

 approved by the people at an election on the 

 24th of October. Provision was also made for 

 the annexation to the State of any adjoining 

 counties which might desire it. This ordinance 

 was approved by a majority of nearly one hun- 

 dred to one. It was proposed to call the netr 

 State, Kanawha. Its population would bo 

 about 282,000. 



Public affairs, however, remained in the posi- 

 tion in which they were originally placed. 

 The new organization was regarded as repre- 

 senting the old commonwRlth. On the 2d 

 of December, the Legislature again assembled. 

 The Governor recommended the repeal of the 

 stay law, and the confiscation of the property 

 of secessionists. He congratulated the people 

 that they had contributed their full quota to the 

 army of the United States, which was about 

 6,000 men. He added : " We have been re- 

 peatedly told that Western Virginia -would soon 

 be overrun and subjugated by the Confederate 

 armies, our property confiscated and ourselves 

 driven from our homes or subjected to the 

 penalties of treason. Wise, Floyd and Lee 

 were in their turn to accomplish this work. 

 They have attempted it, and have owed their 

 own safety to the rapidity with which they 

 have retreated before our forces." 



After the proclamation calling for troops by 

 President Lincoln, military operations assumed 

 great activity in the bordering State of Ohio. 

 General George B. McClellan was invited from 

 his duties in connection with the Ohio and Mis- 

 sissippi Eailroad, by the Governor of Ohio, and 

 appointed to the chief command in the State. 

 Under his directions the volunteers were or- 

 ganized, and preparations for a campaign made. 

 Early in May. the forces were ready to co- 

 operate with "the two or three regiments organ- 

 ized in Western Virginia, to oppose the advance 

 of Confederate troops. The occupation of 

 Western Virginia, which had voted against the 

 Ordinance of Secession, and its control, was 

 early an object with the Confederate Govern- 

 ment. To oppose them, General McClellan 

 pushed forward, under the orders of the United 

 States Government. 



On the 26th of May, he issued the following 

 proclamation to the people of Western Virginia, 

 from his head-quarters at Cincinnati, Ohio : 



To the Union lfen of Wtft(rn Virginia: 



VIRGINIANS : The General Government has long 

 enough endured the machinations of a few factious 

 rebels in your midst. Armed traitors have in vain 

 endeavored to deter you from expressing your loyalty 

 at the polls. Having failed in this infamous attempt 

 to deprive you of the exercise of your dearest rights, 

 they now seek to inaugurate a reign of terror, an_d 

 thus force you to yield to their schemes and submit 

 to the yoke of traitorous conspiracy dignified by the 

 name of the Southern Confederacy. 'They are destroy- 

 ing the property of citizens of your State and ruining 

 your magnificent railways. 

 The General Government has heretofore carefully 



