Mr. STEVENS. I deem it necessary to say a word. I mean to vote, for this JtResolution as I voted for the admission of WestVirginia. I mean to vote against the preamble, believing it all not a lie, but not the truth [laughter] wholly inconsistent with the ideas which the majority of this House hold with rerd to the State. When WestVirginia came here to ask to be made a State it professed to come with the consent of old Virginia, and of new Virginia. The consent of old ir in I was given by the Legislature got up during the rebellion sitting in heeling, and the consent of new Virginia was got up in the same city of Wheeling, and they came here pretending that the ad the consent of old Virginia, a 100,00opeople all along between here and the borders of WestVirginia, and yet not a man could go down even at that time to Alexandria without being taken for a foe and carried to Richmond. hat was the consent of old Virginia. Now, sir, any man who supposed that under the constitution that State was legally divided by the consent of old Virginia and the assent of new Virginia, was a very kind man [Laughter] and believed what he wanted to believe. He bad faith, because, as somebody has said here, “Faith means to believe a thing because it is impossible.” Now, then, I voted for the admission of WestVirginia; but at the time I, stated that I hoped, while I was going to vote for it, that no man would think me fool enough to do so on the ground that the provisions of the constitution which applied to the dividing of the States had been carried into effect. But I voted for it not unconstitution ally I voted for it in perfect accordance with the constitution, admitting a new State out of conquered territory. [laughter.] and I hold at doctrine. Now, sir, this assent of old Virginia to these 2 counties being annexed to WestVirginia was of the same kind. I am sorry my friend has found it necessary to put it upon any other round. What was the condition of the Legislature of old Virginia in 1863? Why, sir, over here at Alexandria, a little beyond it our lines existed. After WestVirginia was declared a State, the Governor of old Virginia, who had been elected by the vote of a few counties over the border, took his saddlebags and went down to Alexandria and said he was still Governor of what was left of old Virginia, and sat there and ordered a convention for the purpose of altering the constitution of old Virginia. 11 townships or thereabouts, some of them in that neighborhood and one about Fortress Monroe, where our troops were located, elected 17 men, by about 17 votes apiece, for one million and a quarter of the peeple of old Virginia. These 17 men came and held a convention at Alexandria, made a constitution, and proclaimedits adoption in the market house of that place. Before they got through I believe the rebel army came there and drove them off.