This would be "a new-made Union--the old majestic body cut and slashed by passion, by war, coming to form another government, another Union.

The Constitution gives us no power to do what we are asked to do." Mr.

The question here is which shall the Government of the United States recognize as the true and lawful Legislature of Virginia?" He contended that it had already been settled, by the admission of members of both branches of Congress under…

If the remaining portions of Virginia are under duress while this consent is given, it is a mere mockery of the Constitution." Mr.

The State, as a separate distinct body, is the State of a majority of the people of Virginia, whether rebel or loyal, whether convict or free men.

But according to my principles operating at the present time I can vote for the admission of West Virginia without any compunctions of conscience--only with some doubt about the policy of it.

None of the States now in rebellion are entitled to the protection of the Constitution.

We may admit West Virginia as a new State, not by virtue of any provision of the Constitution but under our absolute power which the laws of war give us in the circumstances in which we are placed.

I shall vote for this bill upon that theory, and upon that alone.

I will not stultify myself by supposing that we have any warrant in the Constitution for this proceeding.

Let there not be two Virginias; let us remain one and united.

Do not break up the rich cluster of glorious memories and associations which gather over the name and the history of this ancient and once glorious Commonwealth.

Assuredly there was no ground for distressing Virginia by penal enactments that did not apply equally to every other State of the Confederacy.

Common justice revolts at the selection of one man for punishment from eleven who have all been guilty of the same offense.

But Texas was allowed to emerge from the contest without the forfeiture of an acre, and Congress, so far from withdrawing the land grants by which other Southern States were to be enriched, took pains to renew them in the years succeeding…

Upon Virginia alone fell the penalty, which if due to any was due to all.

The burden was already as heavy as she could bear in her entirety, and dismemberment so crippled her that she could not meet her obligations.

Regarding her only as entitled to the rights of a public enemy so long as she warred upon the Union, we may confidently maintain that she is entitled at least to as just and magnanimous treatment as the National Government extends to a…

But the high sense of justice which has always distinguished the United States in her public policies would not permit the despoilment of Mexico.

We negotiated therefore for the territory needed, and paid for it a larger price than would have been given by any other nation in the world.

Our government in addition to the money consideration of fifteen millions of dollars which we paid for territory, agreed to exonerate Mexico from all demands of our citizens, and to pay them from our own Treasury.

The organic law would not have been strained, legal fictions would not have been invented, contradictory theories would not have been indulged, if a great national interest had not demanded the creation of West Virginia.

They would have been brushed aside and disregarded with that cool indifference by which all great legislative bodies prove how easy it is to endure the misery of other people.

West Virginia indeed got only what was equitably due, and what she was entitled to claim by the natural right of self-government.

West Virginia is to be congratulated, and her creditable career and untiring enterprise since she assumed the responsibilities of self-government show how well she deserved the boon.