July 28, 1862
Editors Intelligencer:
Gentlemen:Please give the following proceedings of a meeting of the citisens of Wetzel county, an insertion in your daily, and confer a favor on the loyal men of Wetzel.
At an adjourned meeting of the citizens of Wetzel county, held at the court house, on the evening of the 23d inst, the following preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted.
Whereas, The infernal and accursed re- rebellion, which has deluged our beloved country in blood, and has caused thousands and tens of thousands of widowed hearts to ache with pain, that knows no alleviation, and orphans to mourn in the desolation of despair, has blasted for years the prosperity, political, commercial and social of the happiest people and best Government that God in his mercy ever gave to man, and has and is continuing the attempt to destroy the best refuge of the down-trodden humanity of earth, and where, the perjured villains and traitors who have instigated and are conducting this most atrocious of all villanies have set at naught every rule of civilized warfare, and have resorted to atrocities which would disgrace perdition itself; and whereas, brave men who have already volunteered and are in the field in the defence of our homes and country, have been deemed insufficient to successfully and speedily crush out this hell born conspiracy; and whereas, our well beloved and patriotic President has in his wisdom thought it necessary to call for 300,000 more men to aid our brethren already in arms in their most holy work of sustaining our Government and its glorious old flag; and whereas, the people of Wetzel county, with an idolatrous love of the good old land and Government which our fathers gave us, and in so far as they may be able, are determined to transmit the priceless legacy not only to their children but to generations yet unnborn [sic]. They, therefore, believing it to be a solemn necessity and imperious duty devolving upon them, do resolve
1st. That it is the duty of every American citizen who is not a traitor or sympathizer with traitors, and who is not disabled by age or physical inability to render any and every service within his power to aid his Government in its struggle for the maintenance of its existence.
2d. That in order to further some concert of action to aid the Government in obtaining the quota of men that should be furnished by this county, we recommend that meetings be appointed at every suitable and convenient place in the county, and that suitable and proper persons be appointed to visit these meetings and address the people with an especial view of obtaining volunteers for the defence of our country.
3d. That whilst we admire the patriotism of our neighboring States and counties in responding to the call of the Government for men and means, we believe that we are their equals in love of country and home; that we are descended from the same glorious ancestry and are heirs of the same glorious heritage with themselves, and we are determined not to be behind them in furnishing our ration of men and means to crush out forever this infamous combination of perjury, conspiracy, treason and rebellion.
4th. That a committee of three suitable persons be appointed in each magisterial district to select the time and place of said meetings and to urge upon the citizens of their respective districts the necessity of attention to the meetings and of their hearty co-operation in this all important matter.
5th. That three suitable persons shall be appointed as speakers for the county, and that it shall be their duty to visit the district meetings and address their fellow citizens upon the exigencies of the country, its necessities and their duty.
6. That the proceedings of his meeting be published in the Wheeling Intelligencer Wheeling Press and Virginia Plaindealer.
On motion of Dr. Young the following gentlemen were appointed the District Committees, viz:
1st District:G. W. Bier, Dr. Young and Robert Reed, Sr.
2d District:F. G. Steel, F. Burgess and D. Debolt.
3d District:S. Carney, Isaac Miller and D. Anderson, Jr.
4th District:J. P. Ferrell, Thos. Hoge, and Wells Kinney.
5th District:John Alley, L. M. Lowe and H. Alley.
6th District:P. G. West, E. W. Hays and A. Wyatt.
7th District:J. R. Shreeves, J. W. West and H. Joliffe.
On motion, Doctor Young, K. W. Lanck, Esq., Reuben Martin, Esq., and William Walker, Esq., were appointed as speakers to address the District meetings, to which, by request, James G. West was also added.
On motion, the Secretary notified the District committees of their appointment and request them to proceed immediately to select suitable places for this District meetings.
On motion of G. W. Bier the speakers appointed time of holding said meetings.
On motion, adjourned.
Thos. McQuown, Pres't.
Joseph Clarke, Sec'y.
In accordance with the 5th resolution, the undersigned will address the citizens of the county as follows:
1st At Daniel Anderson's, July 30.
At Burton's Station, " 31.
At Littleton, Aug. 1st.
At Fork's Fishing Creek, " 2d
At South Fork on night of " 2d
At the Court House, " 5th
Jacob Young,
R. W. Lancke,
Wm. D. Walker,
Reuben Martin.
James G. West.
[Press please copy.]
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: July 1862