Proceedings of the Barbour County Convention.
April 23, 1863
In conformity to previous notices, a mass meeting of the citizens of Barbour county was held at the Court House at Philippi, on the 18th of April, 1863, for the purpose of consulting in regard to the public policy of the new State, and for the selection of suitable delegates to the ensuing Parkersburg Convention. The crowd was called to order and the object of the meeting explained by Spencer Dayton, Esq., after which Martin Myers, Esq., was called to the Chair, and Lewis Wilson chosen Secretary.
On motion, a committee of five was directed to be selected by the Chairman to report suitable delegates, and such instructions and resolutions for the action of the meeting as they might think proper; whereupon, Spencer Dayton, A. P. Wilson, Peter Zinn, D. M. Myers, and Michael T. Haller were named as the committee.
The committee then retired, and after a short time, reported the names of five delegates from each of the magisterial districts of the county, viz:
1st. (Court House.) - Peter Zinn, Hiram Pitman, D. M. Meyers, Noah E. Warder and Spencer Dayton.
2d. (Coves.) - James Harvey, Henry D. Martin, M. D. Haller, Wm. Coffman and Col. James Nestor.
3d. (Belington.) - Joseph Teter, jr., Jesse Teter, Samuel Lockway, Joseph Howes and Lt. Col. Wm. Price.
4th. (Mitchels.) - Joshua Glasscock, Jno. Robinson, Enoch Sayre, alex. Dawson and Minor S. Reynolds.
5th. (Burnersville.) - E. J. O'Brien, Geo. M. Yeager, John Maxwell, Wm. C. Trimble and James Ward.
The committee also reported the following resolutions:
Resolved, 1st. That as citizens of West Virginia, since our voluntary and determined disruption and severance from the abhorred slaveholders league of those who precipitated the Southern rebellion upon our country, and sought to make us the submissive tools of their infamous design to suppress human liberty and free institutions upon this continent; and since our repeated public expression and acts of dissent from the stupendous crime and folly of our brethren of Eastern Virginia, who strove to sever our allegiance from the best of governments and attach us with themselves in a border serfdom to a miserable obligarchy [sic] of felons and traitors, we have a renewed faith in the capacity of our citizens for self government; and believing as we steadfastly do that the re-enfranchisement of America, and the world, from the despotism of a blind andherence [sic] to ancient opinions and creeds of government, and to the usurped authority of tyrants, lordlings and enslavers, is to succeed the struggle in which our nation is involved, and crown with perpetuated blessings, the hopes of patriots and philanthropists, and aiming to act well our part in the great cause of human progress, we pledge our efforts that the government of West Virginia shall be administered in a spirit of wisdom, justice and moderation consonant to the examples and established principles and usage of our revolutionary fathers.
2nd. That our Delegates to the Convention to be held at Parkersburg, are hereby instructed to vote for the nomination of such candidates only as are unconditionally in favor of sustaining the Federal administration in its efforts to suppress the rebellion, and have heretofore favored and supported the New State.
3rd. That subject only to the forgoing restriction in the nominations they make, they be guided wholly by a broad, liberal and comprehensive regard for the people of West Virginia uninfluenced by sectional or local preferences and partialities.
4th. That any citizen of Barbour county entitled to exercise the right of suffrage at the coming election, who will abide by the principles and instructions contained herein, and being present, shall be entitled to claim a set in the said Convention.
5th. That the President and Secretary be added to the list of delegates, and a copy hereof, as credentials and instructions to them be furnished to such of said delegates as shall attend said Convention; and that the same be published in the Wheeling Intelligencer, Fairmont National, and other loyal newspapers of West Virginia.
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: April 1863