Worried about the future of West Virginia, Governor Boreman (pictured) and Radical Republicans tried to stop former Confederates, mostly Democrats, from gaining power. Strict laws took property from them and made former Confederates sign loyalty oaths to vote or work as officials, lawyers, or teachers.

Support for the Confederacy in Western Virginia had been nearly as strong as it was for the Union. These laws kept anywhere from 15,000 to 25,000 people from voting. By the late 1860s, several years after the war ended, many had come to believe these harsh rules were unfair.