Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-01-14
For tks Ea0yi7e

-" I" ~fg'ffC'.
MEssas EDITORS: The QUESTION Of thing tie
vacan cies in the House OF D~lngatrs, OCCASION
ed By the treason Of members elected last
spring, in some Of the c~ounties Of The North.
West, is, I presume, now finally disposed Ct,
and, / am truly sorry 20 helisyr, d slcsed Of IN
q manner well calculated 10 ~:0cressa the dis
pondeDcy accustomed among the true and loyal
men Of that section, hy the failure Of the ca,n-
paign of General Lee and at the same time 10
increase the confidence, and add to the inso
lence and oppression Ct the "6cgls govern-
ment," set up by Carlisle. PreTpoin; { Co.
will not attempt 10 argue the Constitutional
difficulties, raised by members, in the way q
filling those vacancies. That hiss haen SO ably
done in the memorial on that su' jsct publish
ed in your paper oi Saturday, that those who
still persist in urging those or ctiprs would
not DO convinced Though one rose fT"ia the
dead" and, moreover, 'ntn convinced against
their will, arc Of the same opinion still"
am not disposed tc censu:c, or even hEd
fault, with nen acting under representative
responsibility Int I 90 lhirk he action Ct
the House On Friday last, the most j.tal ID lie
hopes and prospects o. our people in tfet ui,-
fortunate, and, US fea7, deomod portion Of tho
State, of anything that has occurred since tie
escape CT R:secrauz from befJre General Lee,
on Sewcll mountain ard | was yainad to hear
8 member (AIr. Shetfty) express & doubt, 10
the discussion of the question on Friday, whcth.
er We would ever again have possession u! the
North Vest / will not here presume 10 sup
pose that "the wish vas father to the thought"
but ] cannot refrain from saving that the ut>
terance Of the thought fell upon my ear like lile
tread of hostile footsteps IN Tho distance. pro
duc!ng the most painful sensations, the bsro
idea that Virginia is to be disintegrated is TOO
appalling to be thought OF. lnuch less uttered
By q Representative i'll her legislative halls
But fear such is to be the result, The nigh
sounding profession Of gentlemen to the en-
trary Notwithstanding.
What will be tho feelings OF Inc true a;d
loyal people of the North. west, who have
been struggling for the preservation Of the
State and Tor the grsa; CAUSE of the South
against the most crushing despotisn ever ex
ercised over any peop's, when they are told that
the Legislature o.! the State has refused. 10
recognize them as. belonging 10 Virginia, sud
when the shout Of the abolition horde goes up
from one end Of Tankeodom to the c:her, that
their triumph is compete in Western Virginia
that the East has abandoned that portion OF
the State By refusing to ALLOW them my chance
for representation in tina General Assembly
Such will be the claim Sc; mp by the Northern
press end people, and sacA the impression
produced all over the civilized world; for De
it remembered that it is not only the defeat Of
the proposition ahich was before tho House
on Friday, but every proposition that has been
before the Legislature 10 give the Northwest
q chance for representation he's been signally
defeated. What, no1, sire the loyal people Of
the Northwest 10 DO: Arc they to stand out
against the bogus government theTo st the risk
Of life, property and everything they hold dear
on earth, refuse, SIS they have ali along dono,
to recognise TINT government, With every pros
pect of being spurned by this9 know thst
people well enough to know that if they could
get away from there, they would sacrifice all
their property, the accumulation Of long years
of toll, before they would yield their assent
- DIAL, p,-.l1;o,n r,,1a hut {hou - nv