September 8, 1864
Grand Ratification Meeting at the Court House ? Lincoln and Johnson. ? A grand ratification meeting was held at the Court House last evening. The meeting was very large and the utmost enthusiasm prevailed throughout the assemblage.
On motion of Mr. John Hubbard, Mr. James Wilson was called to the chair and Mr. John E. Wilson was appointed secretary.
The President stated that the object of the meeting was to ratify the nomination of Lincoln and Johnson and to take steps towards the organization of a Union Campaign Club. He regarded the coming political campaign as one of the most momentous that had ever been fought in this country. The campaign had been opened by Sherman at Atlanta and Com. Farragut at Mobile and the death knell of the so called democratic party had been rung. ? West Virginia must not forget her friends. We must organize and go to work at once.
On motion of Mr. Hubbard a committee of five was appointed to draft resolutions and recommend a plan for the organization of a Union Club.
At this juncture Gov. Boreman was called but he was not in the house.
Mr. Lorenzo Danford, of Ohio, was then called upon and made his appearance amid much applause, being introduced by the President as having served long and gallantly in the army of Tennessee. He proceeded to discuss at some length the Chicago platform and the various means proposed to bring about peace, all of which he characterized as humiliating and shameful in the highest degree. He said the copperhead party was nothing more than a rebel Aid Society. The mouths of their orators and their journals were full of excuses for the rebellion and abuse of the Government and the loyal people. In their platform they have no word of comfort for our army and no word of censure for the giant rebellion which of the loyal people are straining every nerve to crush. They had no war paint on their faces when they came out of the wigwam. They cry peace, peace, to all the land and good will to rebels and traitors. The rebellion had received more aid and comfort from this Chicago Convention than it has ever received from any other source. Mr. D. said he did not known what West Virginia would do if McClellan should be elected. The Copperheads do not recognize this State. ? They say it ain?t on the map and if they get the power it never will be. They say it is all unconstitutional and you will have to go back to the old desolated mother State. In conclusion the speaker made an urgent appeal to the loyal people to stand by Abraham Lincoln as the only hope of the country.
Mr. John Hubbard, from the committee on resolutions and organization, made the following report which was unanimously adopted:
Preamble and resolutions proposed by the Committee on Resolutions.
WHEREAS, the Union party of the United States through its delegates assembled at Baltimore, have presented to the people of the United States, for their suffrages at the ensuing election, for President and Vice President, candidates in the persons of Abraham Lincoln and of Illinois, and Andrew Johnson of Tennessee; and, whereas, the time is approaching when the people will be called upon to decide for themselves and posterity, whether this nation shall retain her position in the front rank, with the other nations of the earth, or be humbled at the footstool of rebellion, and traitors be permitted to wrest from them their inheritance of a ?more perfect union,? headed down to them in charge ?that the blessings of liberty may be perpetuated to them and posterity;? and, whereas, the modern ?so called? Democratic party, has placed candidates for President and Vice President, in the field upon a platform, which we believe means a dishonorable peace with rebels in arms, and who if successful in the coming election, will fail to maintain the integrity of the Union, and the only government holding out good hope to man, the doctrine asserted by the ?Fathers? in the Declaration of Independence that ?All men are created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights, amongst which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.?
Therefore, be it
Resolved 1st, That we cordially and heartily ratify the nomination of Abraham Lincoln for President, and feel satisfied that the head which has guided the ship of State through three years of the war so triumphantly, will prosecute it still with vigor to the end, and will establish Peace and Union on a basis honorable to the nation and lasting in its effects.
Resolved, That in Andrew Johnson, our candidate for Vice President, we have a Statesman tried and found true in the time that ?tries men?s soul?s? ? Loyal to his State, and loyal to the Union.
Resolved, That the nominations made by the Grafton Convention for the State officers of West Virginia, are eminently worthy of our support, and that the excellent administration of Gov. Boreman will ensure him the unanimous support of our loyal citizens.
Resolved, That we endorse the recommendations made of our townman, C. D. Hubbard, Esq, for representative in Congress from the 1st district; assured that his unswerving fidelity to the Union, both in the Richmond Convention and throughout his subsequent career, is a guaranty that he will be a true representative of the loyal State of West Virginia.
Resolved, That while the nominations of the Chicago Convention are those which the American people can never ratify, so long as they are true to their honor, yet let them be the signal, to summons every freeman to his duty, and laying aside all personal dislikes, all private aims or purposes, we will rally once more to the rescue, and succor our old flag, and with our country?s good in view, elect our standard bearers in the coming election.
The committee also submitted the following, which was adopted:
Resolved, That a Union Club be formed to be called the Central Union Campaign Club, the executive officers of which shall??THE REST OF STORY NOT HERE?
September 10, 1864
Union Campaign Club. - The officers and Executive Committee of the Union Campaign Club, appointed at the mass meeting on Wednesday evening, are called to meet this evening at Hayes & Co.'s wareroom on Quincy street. There are only seven weeks now in which to work, and it is important that an organization of the Club should be effected at once. Let every member be present.
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: September 1864