The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-12-14

Message Or GOV. EBTUWB1s Or
Gov. Letchss, of Virginia, Of rather the *
Governor Of that Stats the traitor has peen
Iursrseded BY she patriotic Pierpont. ana sne
Dek. Of 0ovefnment renewed 70 Wheesang-a
plata spoken man. Indeed it has been currently
that he IL in no esteem, f mot in actual
disgrace with the rebel President he 10 GER
tainly very candid in his lest message IN which |
he tells some facts regarding the preliuinaries
of the Secession movement which were quite |
We have faint suspicion that, |
With all his pretended zeal for tho recession
movement, be Is secretly sick Of It, and in tel
ling 90 infinitely what be has done and Intends 70
do il not unwillingly giving aid and comfort TO
the enemy. However this may be, somo parts
Of his message are interesting, and these We re-
produce: si isd4 tls.2
TIE skcEssloH OF virginia PaENsDrfArEp.
For this struggle, 90 suddenly commenced,
Virginia had for some time been making such
preparations ~ her means enabled her 70 make;
and although she was not 80 well prepared -
was desirable, still che was better prepared than
r,ost of her Southern sisters-better, perhaps,
than any one Of them. For some time anterior
70 the Secession, she had been engaged in the
purchase Of arms of different kinds, ammunition
and other necessary articles, and in mounting
artillery, in anticipation Of the event which
subsequently occurred.
GOVERNOR FLOYD AND TEE SIX P0UNDHRs.
On the 2sth day Of February, 1876, the Legs
lature directed the Superintendent of the Ar
morv to sell, under the direction Of the Execu-
tive. all such arms and accoutrements then in
the Armory as were not worth repairing This
order was construed by Governor Floyd to in
clude the iron six Founders then Ut the Armofy,
and by an order dated February 20, lS49, the
Superintendent was directed to sell them ct not
less than TWENTY-FIVE dollars each. Fortunately
for rs there were no bidders at that price, and
the guns remained in possession of the State,
and now each one Of those pieces is in the
field, and they have proved to be equal to any
guns of like calibre now in service. How small
a circumstance controls the greatest events
What embarrassments would have attended our
operations in this important struggle, if these
pieces had not been in our possession and ready
for transportation to the field. slt
WHY FORTRESS MONROE WAS NOT CAPTURED.
1t is to be regretted that Fortress Monroe ia
not in our possession-that it was not a. easily
captured as the navy yard and Harper's Ferry.
As far back as the 9Th of January last, I con-
suited with gentleman whose position enabled
him to know the strength Of that fortress, and
whose experience in military matters enabled
him to form al opinion as to the number OF men
that would be required to capture it. He repre-
sented it to be ont Of the strongest Notifications
in the world, and expressed his doubts whether
it could be taken, unless assailed by water as
well as by land and simultaneously. He stated,
emphatically and distinctly, that with the force
then in the fortress it would be useless to at
| tempt its capture without large force, thor
oughly equipped and well appointed. At no
time previous to the secession of Virginia had
We military organization sufficient to justify an
attempt to take it; and events since that occur.
renee demonstrate very clearly that with oul
military organization since, and now existing, Il
has not been deemed prudent to make the at
| tempt
| GOVERNMENT kUsKE1s BOUGHT TO ARM VIRGINIA
| Prior to the Secession of the State, indeed
from the commencement of my Gubernatoria
term, used all proper means within my reach
aided and supported by the military commission
| to prepare the State for defence.
In answer to this Recommendation, the Gener
al Assembly appropriated one hundred ant
eighty thousand dollars in bonds, to be expend
ed in the purchase Of arms, equipments and mu
nitions Of war; If We could then have pur
chased all the arms which we desired to obtain
our State would have been in better condi
ton to repel the assaults Of the Federal execu
tive At the tire we made the purchase of 6v,
thousand muskets from the Federal Government
we desired to purchase ten thousand additional
but tho authorities declined to sell them to us
although five times the number were then in tn
Arsenal at Washington.
VIRGINIA VOLUNTEERS IN THE FIELD.
It is impossible at this time to state the pre-
else number of volunteers and militia that Viz
ginia now has in the field, owing to the fact tina
the mastering at Norfolk, Lynchburg, Abingdon
Staunton, Winchester, Harper's Ferry, the Pe
tomac division, and other places, have rot mad
their returns to the Inspector-G Generals Office i
this city. From the light before me, estimat
the number at not less than seventy thousand
We have in service ffty.nine regiments of II
fantry, and considerable number of battalion
and companies in this arm of the service the
. have not been organized into regiments. w
have eight organized regiments Of cavalry, an
number of companies attached to differcr
commands, which, if consolidated, would max
probably three regiments more. We have il
! sued three hundred and fifteen pieces Of arti
. lery, nearly all Of which are in service in tn
field. One artillery regiment only has been o.
ganized, and that was organized at the instanc
, Of General McGruder.
EXPENDITURES OF TEE STATE.
The expenditures of the State for war purpt
ses since the 18th Of April last amount to MOI
: than six millions Of dollars. Her contribution
, been cheerfully furnished, and her past cours
!. gives assurance Of her determination to spare n
effort to insure success. She feels and know
and therefore acts upon the principle, that notl
ing short of the full and free recognition Of til
independence of the Southern Confederacy ca
give assurance of protection to persons or pr,
perry, and happiness and prosperity to her pc,
pie. Every consideration, therefore, that shout
influence people prompts US to repudiate a
compromises, to reject all advances toward re
construction. We must triumph in this struf
gle. In that alone consists our safety for th
present aud the future.
WHAT VIRGINIA HAS DONE FOR OTHER STATES.
, In addition to arming our own troops, we hav
issued arms to such unarmed regiments, batta
ions and companies as came from other State
to participate in this struggle. l have furnish
ed to our friends in Maryland three thousan
muskets: to Tennessee five batteries of six pour
der field pieces, comprising four guns each, an
have armed q number Of fine infantry regiments
to Missouri, two six-pounder rifed cannon an
five hundred muskets; to Kentucky, thirty.s
| hundred muskets, and have furnished arms
regiments, battalions and companies from Tel
as, Louisiana Georgia and South Carolina. VI
ry recently have furnished one thousand mu
kets to South Carolina, and some heavy gun
J, and five hundred muskets to North Carolina.
NORTHWESTERN VIRGINIA.
/ refer with modification and regret to tn
unpatriotic spirit which has been exhibited by
; portion of our people in Northwestern Virgins
: and to the tlis,oyal and revolutionary acts I
which they have resoPted to dismember th
Commonwealth, and to organize new Stat
within its limits. Their conduct is without jul
ti6cation or excuse. The professions and pied,
es Of the leading public men of that section, Of
repeated before, at the time and subsequent I
the passage of the ordinance of Secession, il
duced the belief that they would abide by tn
expressed will of q majority, as might be e1hil
tied at the polls. That will, fairly expresse:
was overwhelmingly in favor Of the ordinance
, and every obligation Of patriotism, every consil
GRAFTON Of duty and Of loyalty, the ties Of kline
: red and association, should have induced thel
{ to abide by, and acquiesce in this popular e,
preston Of sentiment While claiming the con
mon name Of Virginians, they have sought {
place brethren under the subsection of tyrsr
and dcspot, who, in utter disregard of the Cor
stitution, and laws passed in pursuance therco
has invaded the territory Of their native Stat
by hired soldiery, composed Of the reckless an
} abandoned, the dissolu,e and the depraved, gail
cred from the purlieus Of the cities and village
of the North, and the floating scum of Wester
vnts hal IL.