The Booker T. Washington Papers, Vol.2, page 70, 27 June-26 July 1877, U. of Illinois Press

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The BOOKER T. WASHINGTON Papers zens of Wheeling promised the legislature that if the capital was returned to Wheeling they would build a statehouse superior to the one at Charleston. On Feb. 20, 1875, the legislature made Wheeling the capital. To put an end to the floatingceapital question the legislature passed an act on Feb. 2T, 1877, submitting the issue to a vote of the people. In Me election held on Aug. 7, ~ 877, Charleston received a majority of the votes east. The capital question, while of considerable local importance at the time, apparently passed quickly as a significant issue with most West Virginians. The capital remained at Wheeling until May I, ~ 885, when it was moved permanently to Charleston. BTW was one of a number of citizens from Kanawha County who desired to see their own region grow as a result of the capital's location at Charleston. BTW's role in promoting Charleston was in several ways characteristic of his later life. The capital question offered the opportunity for him to engage in a local community issue designed to aid and uplift the people of Kanawha County, white and black. Furthermore, the issue was not highly controversial in a partisan political sense. Citizens of Kanawha County were expected to support Charleston, the county seat. It was simply a question of getting the maximum voter turnout. BTW was a spokesman for the black citizens of Kanawha County in an issue on which the white citizens were in total agreement. Even when BTW spoke outside of Kanawha County he was still doing what was expected of a partisan of Charleston, and he apparently confined his tour to the surrounding counties, which also had an interest in having the capital'' nearby. Predictably, Kanawha and Greenbrier counties voted overwhelmingly for Charleston. Kanawha County gave 6,~40 votes to Charleston, 4a to Clarksburg, and ~ to Martinsburg. Greenbrier gave ~,902 votes to Charleston and 5 to Clarksburg. 2 William P. Campbell was reported in the :880 census as a twenty-one-year-old black schoolteacher in Charleston, W.Va. 3 Probably William Davis, BTW's former teacher, then in Charleston. 4 Stepto Tinsley was reported in the 1870 census as a day laborer in Maiden. In 1880 he was listed as a forty-eight-year-old black servant of Joel Ruffner in Charleston, W.Va. 5 Fleet Porterfield was listed in the 1880 census as a mulatto laborer, thirty-four years old, living in Charleston. In 1870 he reported his occupation as cooper. ''Charleston, W.Va., July 18, 1877] COLORED VOTERS, ATTENTION ! ELECTION, AUGUST 7TH: B. T. Washington will address the colored people on the Capital question at the following times and places, viz: At Lewisburg, July 18th, at night; White Suiphur Springs, July lath, at night. Let all attend. Charleston West Virginia Courier, July :8, :877, 4. 7o