Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/602

 678 WEST VIRGINIA WEXFORD denouncing the ordinance of secession and providing for a convention of all the counties of Virginia adhering to the national govern- ment. An election of delegates having been held on the 26th, the convention, representing 40 counties, assembled in Wheeling on June 11, repudiated the acts of the convention and authorities in Richmond, and on the 20th elected as governor of the " reorganized state of Virginia " Francis H. Peirpoint, who at once entered upon the duties of that office. A lieu- tenant governor, an attorney general, and an executive council of five were also appointed. The legislature assembled in Wheeling on July 2, elected two United States senators, and on Aug. 20 passed an ordinance providing for an election to be held on Oct. 24 to decide upon the formation of the new state of Kanawha. The people by a large majority declared in favor of this measure. At the same time dele- gates were chosen to a constitutional conven- tion, which assembled in Wheeling on Nov. 24, and framed a constitution, which was rati- fied by the people on May 8, 1862. On May 13 the consent of the legislature was given for the formation of the new state, the name of which had been changed on Dec. 3, 1861, to West Virginia. By an act approved Dec. 81, 1862, congress provided for the admission of West Virginia into the Union, upon the rati- fication by the people of the proposed amend- ment to the constitution abrogating its provi- sion that no slave or free colored person should come into the state for permanent residence. This amendment was ratified, March 26, 1863, and on April 20 President Lincoln issued a proclamation declaring that the prescribed con- ditions had been complied with, and that the constitution should go into force in 60 days from that date. The state then comprised 48 counties ; four new ones have since been organized. The subsequent admission of the counties of Berkeley and Jefferson was con- tested by Virginia, but a decision has been rendered by the supremo court of the United States in favor of West Virginia. State offi- cers were elected on May 28, and on June 20 the state government was formally inaugurated, with A. I. Boreman as governor. Gov. Peir- point now transferred the reorganized govern- ment of Virginia to Alexandria, Richmond being still under confederate control. The seat of government of West Virginia was in Wheeling until April, 1870, when Charleston, pursuant to an act of the legislature of Feb. 26, 1869, became the capital. In 1875 Wheel- ing was again made the capital. A new con- stitution was framed in 1872, and ratified by the people on Aug. 22. Military operations in what is now West Virginia were, with few unimportant exceptions, confined to the year 1861. Gen. McClellan assumed command of the federal forces there early in the summer, and in July was succeeded by Gen. Rosecrans. The confederates were driven from the state after numerous engagements during the sum- mer and autumn, the most important being those at Philippi, Beverly, Rich mountain, Cheat mountain, and Carnifex ferry. During the war West Virginia furnished to the fed- eral army 30,000 troops, equivalent to 27,650 for three years. WETMORE, a S. E. county of Dakota, re- cently formed and not included in the census of 1870; area, about 700 sq. m. It contains two small lakes, forming the source of Smith creek, which flows into the Missouri. WETTE, Wilhelm Martin Leberetht de. See DE WETTE. WETTSTEDr, or Wctstein, Johann Jakob, a Swiss scholar, born in Basel, March 5, 1693, died in Amsterdam, March 23, 1754. lie became a minister of the national church in 1713, trav- elled over Europe to examine various manu- scripts of the New Testament, and in 1730 pub- lished Prolegomena ad Novi Tettamcnti Orceci Editionem aecuratissimam. He was denounced before the council of Basel as an innovator by persons who feared that the received text of the New Testament would be unsettled, and deposed from his ministry, and a decree was issued against his projected new edition. He retired to Amsterdam, and the Remonstrants or Arminians appointed him professor of phi- losophy and history. The decree of the coun- cil of Basel was reversed in May, 1783. His edition of the New Testament, with a critical commentary, was published in 1751-'2 (2 vols. fol., Amsterdam). The readings which he preferred were first embodied in the text of the London edition, published in 1703. Gries- bach used his annotations. WETZEL, a N. county of West Virginia, bordering on Pennsylvania, and bounded N. W. by the Ohio river ; area, 860 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 8,595, of whom 11 were colored. The surface is very hilly and the soil fertile. Iron ore, bituminous coal, and limestone are found in abundance. The county is traversed along the N. E. border by the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. The chief productions in 1870 were 87,170 bushels of wheat, 198,111 of Indian corn, 66,122 of oats, 19,209 of potatoes, 119,- 393 Ibs. of butter, 23,392 of wool, 47,850 of tobacco, and 2,947 tons of hay. There were 1,629 horses, 8,864 cattle, 9,545 sheep, and 5,595 swine. Capital, New Martinsville. WEXFORD, a N. W. county of Michigan, drained by the Manistee river and its tributa- ries; area, 625 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 650; in 1874, 8,011. The surface is diversified by prairie and woodland, and is interspersed with several small lakes, the principal of which are the Otisgo lakes in the S. E. part. The chief productions in 1870 were 4,806 bushels of wheat, 2,585 of Indian corn, 8,190 of pota- toes, and 242 tons of hay. There were 44 horses, 77 milch cows, 148 other cattle, and 53 swine. Capital, Sherman. WEXFORD. I. A S. E. county of Ireland, in the province of Leinster, bordering on Wick- low, St. George's channel, Waterford, Kil-