This comes from West Virginians who were not large slaveholders like the eastern virginians were. State of virginia before dismemberment. Of those 470,000, only approximately 18,000 were in what is now West Virginia. Meant fist rules 3 5 rule. If you consider the numbers that i have told you, 18000 and West Virginia, 14,000 in east virginia, it is easy tos he who is dominated this date legislator. So that was an issue with western virginians. The other had to do with taxation. The laws and virginia gave an on the property of slaves. Now western virginians would cross out this. The number one property of are of humannians beings. Western virginians, when they lost anything they pay full tax on it. They cry foul on that. Our social relations were all to the north and west. All of the commercial relations were to the north and west. All of the river ways, critics and streams creeks and streams flow to the west and we were separated by the grand alleghany mountains. All of those things taken together over many years came to a head. Along comes the American Civil War to reignite the tensions. It would be this group in wheeling that would jump on the opportunity. That is one thing our story has to teach everyone thats when you are presented with an opportunity you must take it, because if they had not, it simply would not have for out. So among other things that would occur in the courtroom at the customhouse, the formation of the restored government of virginia, the assignee of the declaration of the rights of the people of virginia, which we consider the declaration of independence, our name of the state was debated and chosen in this room. The shape of the state was decided in this room. The constitution for the new state was also written in this space. Toogether, we consider this be the very birthplace of West Virginia. The gentleman here have no had no idea this would work out. Governor of the restored government of virginia, he once referred to what has been called the fearful experiment. This gentleman knew if the war,deracy were to win the very likely they would be seen as traders to virginia. Traders in the 19th century, if you are found guilty of treason, you would be hung by the neck until dead. That is what they have to lose. When they signed the declaration their name toning the document just as the Founding Fathers at sign that their names to the declaration of independence mean everyone knew who they were. John fletcher, the confederate governor of virginia put out a call for the capture. Face inwhat they had to this fearful experiment. Was a lawyer from miriam county, West Virginia. Fairmont the city he lived in. He would have never thought of himself as a politician. He would have never thought of it of the civil war. Placed in a set of circumstances. He was unanimously voted by the body to be the governor. It was his idea. Settingone sense at home reading the constitution when he came across the article, the idea that they could use to form the new state. You are going to make a new state from the parent state, the legislature of the parent state has to give permission. What did they do . We formed our own legislature, which then gave it self permission. That is how it happened. You can say how does that work thankfully for our story the United States won the seven civil war and completely different. This is recognized by the supreme court. He was not happy to have the state could bill on his desk. Lincoln becomes a political decision to create the new state of West Virginia . He had a of six people. He took the question to his cabinet. He had a of six people. And they did. Against so his cabinet was equallys lit. It would be Abraham Lincoln the deciding vote to create the state of West Virginia. Ofgot the bill in the middle 1862. , thegned it on december 31 very last day that he could has signed it. It is important to note a few days later he would be shooting the emancipation proclamation. Followed by the emancipation proclamation is a oneto political punch. Then it will go to charleston, West Virginia. Then it will be for five years. They will bring it back to wheeling for the second time in 1875, and it will remain there for the next 10 years until 1885. Then it goes back to charleston. The river was known as the floating capital. West virginia followed the United States customhouse that was never his the capital of West Virginia but for 2. 5 years was the Capital Building of the commonwealth of virginia, and that means the whole state from charleston to the chesapeake, if you were loyal to the union then this was your government. This was your capital and this was your government. Are not you recognize the government enrichment. The richmond government did not recognize this government. The important thing is the United States of america recognized the restored government of virginia in wheeling as a legitimate government of virginia. Way, this is the only city in our nation that can say it was the capital of two different states. Wheeling gave birth to a brandnew experiment in american history, and american politics. So it is incredibly important story. This is important for our nations history. It is unprecedented. It has to do with the terrible tragedy of the American Civil War. Eight teaches eight teaches when you are presented with the opportunities, you have to take them. The cspan cities tour continues the visit to West Virginia city hall with a stop at the civil war flags and one captured confederate flag, the largest existing display of West Virginia civil or battle flags. Civil war battle flags. We are here on the west second floor of the West Virginia battle hall. We are proud to be the repository for all of the states surviving battle flags. They were in civil war battles carried by the West Virginia troops. We have 12 flags from the union troops, and we do have one captured confederate confederate flag. Wheree conserved them they will remain in perpetuity and safekeeping. We tried to marry them with murals on occasion. Our information for each flag will tell you where they came from, where they fought, and numbers killed. Killedtingly, the number by disease always higher than those killed in action. The flags with the swallowtail design used by true groups in particular, the artillery and calvary and of course back in big gun. Flags carried by of pollard bear. Chosen as anl was honor. He would stand in front of the regimen so everyone equally to the left and right could carry them and would carry them into the battle straight as the enemy. A surprise for the troops but communicated on the battlefield. Among the smoke and confusion of the civil war battlefield, if you get lost or confused, you look to the flag