and with no hope or desire for a reconstruction of the old Union in any manner that shall unite the people of Virginia with the people of the non-slaveholding States of the north.

(Signed) "JUBAL A. EARLY.”

On June 15, 1861, the following nominations as colonels were confirmed: Jubal A. Early, James L. Kemper, Eppa Hunton, R. E. Colston, P. T. Moore, George W. Richardson, William W. Gordon, Roger A. Pryor, Arthur C. Cummings, Robert T. Preston, Samuel Garland, Jr., Richard C. W. Radford, Wm. T. Willey, D. A. Weisiger, A. P. Hill, J. G. Hodges, J. B. Gibbons, Thomas P. August, Charles A. Crump, M. D. Corse, and J. W. Ware.

On the 17th of June the nominations as colonels of the following were confirmed: R. E. Withers, J. M. Brockenbrough, Charles Smith, Samuel V. Fulkerson, E. C. Edmunds, R. Milton Cary, John R. Chambliss, Jr., R. M. Conn, William C. Scott, and A. C. Moore. On the same day the appointments of Colonel Thomas T. Fauntleroy, as Brigadier-General of Provisional Army, and Colonel Benjamin Huger, Brigadier-General of Volunteers, were confirmed.

On the 19th of June the convention adopted, by a vote of 92 to 0, "An Ordinance for the adoption of the Constitution of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States of America."

The nominations of the following as colonels of volunteers were confirmed: Jesse S. Burks and A. T. Bledsoe, June 20th; Alfred Beckley, June 26th; Benj. S. Ewell, John A. Campbell, and William Smith, June 27th; F. I. Thomas, June 28th, and Richard Thomas Zarvona, July 1st.

On the 26th of June Mr. Goode, of Bedford, moved the following resolution: "Resolved by this Convention, That the President of the Confederate States, and the constituted authorities of the Confederacy be, and they are hereby cordially and respectfully invited, whenever in their opinion, the public interest or convenience may require it, to make the city of Richmond or some other place in this State, the seat of the Government of the Confederacy."

The resolution was adopted on the 27th by a vote of 76 to 16. John Janney, Robert Y. Conrad, Jubal A. Early, John F. Lewis, Alex. H. H. Stuart, and W. C. Wickham were among those who voted in the negative.

On the 27th of April the President laid before the convention a communication from the Executive of the Commonwealth (John Letcher), nominating Major Thomas J. Jackson (afterwards the famous General "Stonewall" Jackson) colonel of volunteers. On motion of Mr. Goode, of Bedford, the nomination was unanimously confirmed.

On July 1, 1861, the convention took a recess until the 13th of November. Immediately after the passage of the ordinance of secession most of the members west of the Alleghany mountains retired from the convention, but the Journal does not record that any of them resigned.

On the 13th of May, before the ordinance of secession was ratified by the people, a convention assembled at Wheeling. The delegates to this convention were not elected in the regular way. They were appointed by meetings which, as

rule, did not compose a majority of the voters.

The call for this convention

The Committee on Creden

was not sent to the secession districts of the State.
tials reported delegates from 26 out of a total of 140 counties.

The convention declared that the passage of the ordinance of secession at Richmond was a usurpation of power; that the citizens of the State should vote against said ordinance; that the people should vote for members of Congress, and recommended the appointment of delegates on the 4th of June, 1861, to a general convention, to be held on the 11th of the same month. The convention met in Washington Hall, Wheeling, June 11, 1861. Thirty-six counties were represented in the convention.

On the 17th of June the convention adopted a "Declaration of the People of Virginia," demanding a reorganization of the State government, and declaring all acts of the Richmond convention tending to separate the Commonwealth from the United States null and void, and that the offices of all who endorse said acts of the convention, "whether legislative, executive or judicial, are vacated."

On the 19th of June the convention passed an ordinance for the reorganization of the state government, and directed that the Legislature of the State should assemble at Wheeling on the first of July following. This ordinance empowered the convention to appoint a Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Attorney-General, and a Council of five members. It also prescribed an oath to be subscribed to by the members of the Legislature which was to meet July 1, 1861.

The convention, on the 20th of June, elected Francis H. Pierpont Governor and Daniel Polsley Lieutenant-Governor. A few days later the convention elected an Attorney-General and a Council.

On the 21st an ordinance was passed directing the Legislature to elect a Treasurer and a Secretary of State for the Commonwealth.

The convention then adjourned to the first Tuesday in August ensuing. The first General Assembly, in conformity to the Wheeling convention, met at Wheeling on the 1st of July, 1861. On the 9th of July the Legislature elected John S. Carlile and Waitman T. Willey to represent Virginia in the United States Senate. These senators and three members of Congress elected in May were recognized by the Federal Congress, and were allowed to take their seats as the representatives of Virginia.

Under a proclamation issued by Governor Pierpont judges were elected by the people for the several circuits to fill vacancies created by the incumbents participating in, aiding, or abetting the rebellion, or failing to take the oath.

The convention, according to adjournment, reconvened at Wheeling on the 6th of August, and on the 9th passed an ordinance declaring the proceedings of the Richmond convention null and void, and likewise all acts and proceedings of the General Assembly of Virginia, which convened at Richmond at its several sessions, were declared illegal, null, and void.

On the 20th of August, 1861, the convention passed an ordinance to provide for the formation of a new State out of the northwest territory of Virginia. The Governor was to proclaim the result of the vote for a new State on or before October 15, 1861. On August 21 the convention adjourned, subject to the call of the Governor or president of the convention, provided that such call was made by the first Thursday of January, 1862, otherwise to be considered adjourned sine die. The total vote on the question of forming a new State was less than 20,000, but less than 1,000 of these were cast against the new State

movement. At the same election delegates were elected to a convention to meet at Wheeling, November 26, 1861, to frame a new Constitution. The convention accordingly met, framed a Constitution in which the name “Kanawha,” adopted by a former convention, was changed to "West Virginia."

On the 18th of February, 1862, the convention adjourned.

The new Constitution was submitted to the people for their ratification or rejection on the 3d of August, 1862, and again less than 20,000 votes were polled, but a large majority were cast in favor of the Constitution.

Congress, on the 31st of December, passed an act giving its assent to the admission of West Virginia into the Union on condition that the following clause be first stricken from its Constitution: "No slave shall be brought, or free person of color be permitted to come, into this State for permanent residence," and that the following should be inserted in lieu thereof: "The children of slaves born within the limits of this State after the fourth day of July, 1863, shall be free; and all slaves within this State who shall at the time aforesaid be under the age of ten years shall be free when they arrive at the age of 21 years; and all slaves over ten and under 21 years shall be free when they arrive at the age of 25 years; and no slave shall be permitted to come into the State for permanent residence therein."

The convention reassembled at Wheeling on the 12th of February, 1863, amended the Constitution as above required, and adjourned on the 20th of the same month. The Constitution as amended was submitted to the people for ratification, and adopted by about 17,000 majority out of a total vote of less than 20,000, after which, on the 19th of April, 1863, President Lincoln issued his proclamation declaring that at the expiration of sixty days thereafter the new State of West Virginia would be admitted as one of the States of the Union.

According to adjournment, the convention which adjourned at Richmond on the 27th of June reconvened at the same place on November 13, 1861.

The convention, by resolution, proceeded to amend the Constitution of Virginia as framed by the convention of 1850-'51. On the 5th of December the convention adopted a new Constitution for Virginia.

On the 6th of December the convention confirmed the following nominations for colonels submitted by the Governor :

J. E. B. Stuart, John B. Baldwin, Beverly H. Robertson, John McCausland, Francis H. Smith, Robert C. Trigg, Wm. H. Harman, George W. Randolph, Charles W. Field, Francis Mallory, S. H. Reynolds, William D. Stuart, William R. Terry, Lewis A. Armstead, Edmund Goode, William E. Jones, John Echols, Harrison B. Tomlin, Armstead T. M. Rust, and Dabney H. Maury.

On the same day, in response to a resolution of thanks for his impartial and dignified conduct while presiding over the deliberations of the convention, exPresident John Janney said in part: "To have presided over such a body of gentlemen, is a distinction of which any man might well be proud. I shall cherish the recollection of it to the latest hour of my life. Gentlemen, the clouds are lowering, the tempest is brewing all around us; the forked lightning is seen, and the muttering thunder is heard in the distance. By the blessing of Providence upon the arms of our brave defenders, the storm may yet be averted; but, if not, and it shall burst with fury upon us, don't turn your backs to it-turn

your faces. Don't give up the ship, and never despair of the Republic; all will yet be well, if each one of you will adopt for his motto, with the change of a single word, the last signal of England's greatest naval hero: 'The South expects every man to do his duty.''

There were a great many resignations of members during the sessions of the convention, some of whom resigned to enlist in the service of the Confederate

army.

Capt. John Quincy Marr, of Fauquier, commanding the "Warrenton Rifles," was killed in battle at Fairfax C. H., June 1, 1861, and James V. Brooke was elected in his place.

Valentine W. Southall's death was announced on the floor of the convention November 18, and Thomas J. Randolph was elected to succeed him.

E. R. Chambers was elected in place of Thomas F. Goode, resigned. Richard H. Lee was elected in place of Alfred M. Barbour, resigned; Muscoe R. H. Garnett in place of Richard Cox, resigned; John N. Hendren in place of John B. Baldwin, resigned; John B. Young in place of Williams C. Wickham, resigned; W. G. Brawner in place of Eppa Hunton, resigned, and Jacob W. Marshall in place of J. N. Hughes, killed in battle on Rich Mountain, July 11, 1861.

On the 28th of June William G. Brown was expelled from the convention, and on the following day James Burley, John S. Burdett, John S. Carlile, Marshall M. Dent, Ephraim B. Hall, Chester D. Hubard, John J. Jackson,* Jas. C. McGrew, George McC. Porter, Chapman Stuart, and Campbell Tarr were expelled from the convention.

Subsequently, Joseph H. Pendleton, of Ohio; Joseph D. Pickett, of Brooke; Jefferson T. Martin, of Marshall; Stephen A. Morgan, of Marion; John M. Heck, of Monongalia; Robert E. Cowan, and C. J. P. Cresap, of Preston; John A. Robinson, of Taylor; William P. Cooper, of Harrison, and Edward D. McGuire, of Wood, were elected by the convention in place of some of those expelled from the body.

On the 16th of November Col. John Echols, of Monroe, who had entered the Confederate service in the spring previous, resigned his seat in the convention, and on the same day Waitman T. Willey, of Monongalia, was expelled. On the 19th Jeremiah Morton, of Orange and Greene, resigned.

It does not appear from the Journal of the convention that every vacancy was filled.

On the 6th of December, Hon. R. L. Montague, of Middlesex, who was elected President of the Convention, November 16, 1861, to succeed Hon. John Janney, resigned, before announcing the adjournment of the convention, made the following response to the resolution of thanks submitted by Mr. Price:

*Appointed Circuit Judge of the United States District of West Virginia, August 3, 1861, by President Lincoln, which position he still retains, at present presiding over the Northern District of West Virginia.

The Journal of the convention contains the following resolution, adopted June 29, 1861:

"Resolved, That the commission of John J. Jackson as Brigadier General of the Militia of Virginia, be and the same is vacated and annulled.”

+Popularly known as "The Red Fox of Middlesex," and father of Hon. A. J. Montague, present Governor of the State.

Gentlemen of the Convention:-I have propounded to you the last question; I have taken the last vote; and I assure you that the emotions which now fill my bosom are of no ordinary character.

A public man cannot receive, and ought not to desire, any higher reward than the approbation of those whom he serves. That approbation, by the resolution which you have so kindly adopted, you have generously expressed, and for that I return you my sincere and unaffected thanks. That, gentlemen, will be to me one of the proudest incidents of my life, and one to which I shall ever rect with the most pleasing and grateful recollections.

Gentlemen, you have performed a great work. No body of men that ever assembled in this Commonwealth, or perhaps on this continent, have gone through similar revolutions and accomplished a task of the same magnitude that you have. You have dissolved one government, and upon its crumbling ruins you have erected another on a surer, a stronger, and, I pray God, a more enduring basis. When the sound of war was heard at a distance, without preparation, without organization— when you saw that all the energies and resources of a once powerful government were to be used for the destruction of the institutions of the South and the subversion of the sovereignty of our sister States-without waiting to argue the question, but, remembering that you were Virginians, remembering the cherished principles which characterized Virginia's history, and which, in fact, were the offspring of Virginia's own great sages and patriots-you rushed to the rescue, and turned the bloody tide of war upon the pure bosom of your own blessed mother. History will record the act as amongst the most noble, disinterested and patriotic that ever distinguished a brave and generous people. Generation after generation will sing your praises and pronounce your memories blessed. It is an act whose merit will enhance with every passing year, and the high estimate of which will increase as the blessed fruits of that great revolution develop themselves in the growth, wealth and power of the nation thus called into being.

Having accomplished this great work, you adjourned, and again reassembled to revise and reform the Constitution of your own State; and this you have done nobly and well. With a wisdom and patriotism which seem peculiarly characteristic of revolutionary eras, you have chosen to engraft upon the Constitution of Virginia many of those noble principles which made glorious the memories of those who first founded them. Truly can we apply to the strange coincidences which mark the events of the two revolutionary periods in our history, the trite maxim, "Like causes produce like effects." By some influence, which I can only trace to the fiery ordeal through which we are now passing, we find ourselves again recurring to those great principles which were the offspring of the first revolution. Gentlemen, we have accomplished this good work and now we separate, to meet no more, forever.

No matter what may be our future career, no matter what may be our future destiny, all of us, who are here assembled, will never again meet in this hall. It is a sorrowful reflection, but no less true. Let me hope, however, that the lot of each will be rendered happy in the consciousness of having done well his part in the realization of the good fruits which the work here accomplished will yield. I extend to you all the parting hand of a sincere friendship and respect. My association with you, gentlemen, shall be to me in the future a source of sincere happiness, and I shall ever recur to it with a most grateful remembrance.

Now we are about to separate some to enter upon the performance of other