Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1861-06-21
TO THE PEOPLE OF NORTH-WE EST
ERN VIRGINIA.
By THE Governor CT VIsGISrA.
A Proclamation

By THE Governor CT VIRGINIA.
-. A Proclamation.
The sovereign people Of Virginia, s.abi-
ased, and by their own free choice. have,
By majority Of nearly one handred thou
sand qualified voters, severed the ties that
heretofore bound them to the Government
of the United States. and united this Com
nson'wealth With tire Confederate States -
That our People have the right "to insti-
tute new government, laying its founda
ticns on such principles, and organizing its
powers in such form as to them shall seem
most likely to effect their safety and happia
ness" was proclaimed by our fathers, and
it is a right which no freeman should ever
relinqu;sh. The State Of Virginia has now,
the second time in her history, ASSERTED, this
right, and it is the duty OF every Virgiaian
to acknowledge her act when ratified by
such majority. and to give bis willing CO.
operation to making good the deelaratioa !.
All her people have voted Each he's ia
ken his chance to have bis personal views
represented. yau., as we'll as tie rest of
the State. hare cast your vote fairly and
the majority is against you. !. It is the duty
Of all good citizens to yield to the will of
the State. The bill Of rights has proclaim
ed ''that the people have right to uniform
government and, therefore, chat 40 gov
eminent separate from or independent Of
the government Of Virginia ought to be G.
rected or established within the mits there
O." Tie majority thus declared, .thera~
fore, have right to govern. But notwith
standing this right, thus exercised, has
been regarded by the people Of all sections
Of the United States as undoubted and sa-
cred, yet the government at Washington
now utterly, denies it, aud, by the exercise
Of despotie power, IS endsayorjng to coerce
our people to abjeet submission to their al
thority. Virginia has asserted her indie
pendence. She will maintain it at every
hazard. She is sustained by the power Of
ten of her sister Southern States, ready and
willing to uphold her cause. Can any true
Virginian refuse to render assistance p
Men of the North West.vI appeal to you,
by al the considerations wEich have drawn
us together as, one people heretofore, to raj
~ to the standard of the Old Dominion. -
By all the sacred ties of censanguinity, by
tae intermixture Of the blood of East and
West, by common paternity, by friendships
hallowed by a thousand cherished recolec-
EioHs, by memories of'tha past. by the rel
les of the great men of other days. come to
Virginia's banner. and drive the Invaders
from your coil. There may Es traitors in
the midst Of you, who, for selfish ends,
hove tarned against their mother and would
permit her to be ANONYMOUSLY oppressed
aud degraded But l cannot, will i::os be-,
lie7e that majority Of you are not true
sons, who will give your blood and your
treasure for Virginia's defence.
i have sent for your. protection such troops
as The emergency enabled me to collect. in
charge of competent commander. have
ordered large force to 90 to your aid, but
[ rely with the utmost confidence upon your
own strong arms to rescue your iresides
and affairs from the pollution of reckless
and ruthless enemy. The State is inv lded
at several points, but ample forces have
been collected to defend her. =
There has been complaint among yoa
that the Eastern portion of the State has en-
joyed an exemption from taxation to your
prejudice. The State, by majority of 95.-
900, has put the two sections on an equali
~ in this respect BY display OF mag
nanimity in, the vote just given, The East
has, bya large majority, consented TO relin-
quish this exemption. land is ready to share
with you all the burdens Of Government.
and to meet all Virginia's liabilities. They
come now to aid you, as you came III former
days to aid them The men Of the Cohfed
rate States glory il coming to your reseue
Let one heart, one mind, one energy. one
power, nerve every patriot arm in com
mon cause. The heart that will not beat
in unison with Virginia now, is traitors
heart the arm that.vill notstrike hottie ia
her cause now, is palsied by towards
fear. !.
The troops are posted at IIuttonsville ~
Come with your own good weapons, and
meet them as brothers..
f~--~ Given under my hand, and
l. S. under the Seal of the Common
wv wealth, this 18th day of June.
1861. and in the 85th year of the Common.
wealth. JOHN LETCHER.
BY the Governor 4
GEORGE ". MUNroRD,
Secretary of the Commonwealth.