John S. Carlile
Encyclopedia
John Snyder Carlile was an American
merchant, lawyer, and politician, including a United States Senator. A strong supporter of the Union
cause during the American Civil War
, he represented the loyalist faction of Virginia
, which was eventually separated into two distinct states over his protests.
Carlile was born in Winchester, Virginia
. He was educated by his mother until he was fourteen years old, when he became salesman in a store, and at the age of seventeen went into business on his own account. He then studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1840, and began practice in Beverly
. Entering politics, he joined the Democratic Party
. He was selected as a delegate to the Virginia state constitutional convention in 1850. Carlile served in the Virginia State Senate
from 1847 to 1851. He joined the new Know Nothing
political movement in 1854 and represented Virginia
's 11th District in the United States House
for one term.
He was a delegate from Harrison County
to the Virginia secession
convention in 1861, voting no on the controversial resolution. He was a leader in the anti-secession movement, and was prominent in the Wheeling Convention
of June 1861. He was averse, however, to the formation of a new state (what became West Virginia
), preferring that Congress
should recognize the Unionist government at Wheeling
as the true state government of Virginia. On June 13, 1861, at the first session of the Second Wheeling Convention, Carlile presented "A Declaration of the People of Virginia," a document that called for the reorganization of the government of Virginia on the grounds that due to Virginia's decision to secede from the United States, all state government offices had been vacated.
He was again chosen to Congress in 1861, but kept his seat in the House of Representatives only from July 4 through July 13, when he was elected as one of two United States senators from the loyal faction of Virginia, and served until 1865. In the Senate, he was uniformly in favor of a strict construction of the Constitution
, opposing all measures recognizing that there existed a rebellion of states instead of individuals, and denying the right of Congress to interfere in any way with the slaves (Carlile being a slaveowner himself). He frequently met with President
Abraham Lincoln
in Washington D.C. to try to garner his support for his causes.
Following the war, he retired from politics and returned home to resume his law practice. He died in Clarksburg, West Virginia
, and was buried in the Odd Fellows
Cemetery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
merchant, lawyer, and politician, including a United States Senator. A strong supporter of the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
cause during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he represented the loyalist faction of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, which was eventually separated into two distinct states over his protests.
Carlile was born in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
. He was educated by his mother until he was fourteen years old, when he became salesman in a store, and at the age of seventeen went into business on his own account. He then studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1840, and began practice in Beverly
Beverly, West Virginia
Beverly is a small town in Randolph County, West Virginia, USA. It is situated along the Tygart Valley River and had a population of 651 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Beverly is located at ....
. Entering politics, he joined the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. He was selected as a delegate to the Virginia state constitutional convention in 1850. Carlile served in the Virginia State Senate
Senate of Virginia
The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 Senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia...
from 1847 to 1851. He joined the new Know Nothing
Know Nothing
The Know Nothing was a movement by the nativist American political faction of the 1840s and 1850s. It was empowered by popular fears that the country was being overwhelmed by German and Irish Catholic immigrants, who were often regarded as hostile to Anglo-Saxon Protestant values and controlled by...
political movement in 1854 and represented Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
's 11th District in the United States House
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for one term.
He was a delegate from Harrison County
Harrison County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 68,652 people, 27,867 households, and 19,088 families residing in the county. The population density was 165 people per square mile . There were 31,112 housing units at an average density of 75 per square mile...
to the Virginia secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
convention in 1861, voting no on the controversial resolution. He was a leader in the anti-secession movement, and was prominent in the Wheeling Convention
Wheeling Convention
The 1861 Wheeling Convention was a series of two meetings that ultimately repealed the Ordinance of Secession passed by Virginia, thus establishing the Restored government of Virginia, which ultimately authorized the counties that organized the convention to become West Virginia. The convention was...
of June 1861. He was averse, however, to the formation of a new state (what became West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
), preferring that Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
should recognize the Unionist government at Wheeling
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
as the true state government of Virginia. On June 13, 1861, at the first session of the Second Wheeling Convention, Carlile presented "A Declaration of the People of Virginia," a document that called for the reorganization of the government of Virginia on the grounds that due to Virginia's decision to secede from the United States, all state government offices had been vacated.
He was again chosen to Congress in 1861, but kept his seat in the House of Representatives only from July 4 through July 13, when he was elected as one of two United States senators from the loyal faction of Virginia, and served until 1865. In the Senate, he was uniformly in favor of a strict construction of the Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
, opposing all measures recognizing that there existed a rebellion of states instead of individuals, and denying the right of Congress to interfere in any way with the slaves (Carlile being a slaveowner himself). He frequently met with President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
in Washington D.C. to try to garner his support for his causes.
Following the war, he retired from politics and returned home to resume his law practice. He died in Clarksburg, West Virginia
Clarksburg, West Virginia
Clarksburg is a city in and the county seat of Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, in the north-central region of the state. It is the principal city of the Clarksburg, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, and was buried in the Odd Fellows
Odd Fellows
Odd Fellows is a name broadly referring to any of a large number of friendly societies, fraternal and service organizations and/or Lodges.-Societies using the name "Odd Fellows" or variations:...
Cemetery.