Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-12-19
FROM WASHINGTON.

WEDNESDAY,, Dec. 10, evening.
This day has been marked by great event
in the House, the passage Of bill, by forty
majority, for the admission OF northwestern
Virginia, as a new State of the Union. The
people Of that portion Of the old State Of Vir-
gnia are loyal having furnished sixteen reg
iments to the army Of the Union; they have
a right to demand some sort of government
for their security, and right also to demand
the protection and favor Of the federal gov
eminent. Were these to be denied to men
who have already sacrificed a large portion
OF their property, and are now offering their
lives for the I'm on, surely they, Of all others,
would have reason for rebellion. Never
theless the question is not without great diff
culties: first, in the restriction Of the oonsti-
tuition, that no new state shall be formed from
another without the consent Of the legislature
Of the latter and second, in the obstacle it
may occasion in the reconstruction Of the
Union To the first, the answer is that the
only legislature Of Virginia which has been
or can now be recognized by the federal gov
eminent is the government in being at the
date of the secession Of Virginia, and that that
Legislature, or rather so much OF it as was
loyal, did meet and give its consent to 'he
formation Of the new state and, moreover,
it has already been recognized by Congress,
in the admission Of Senators and Representa-
tives Another answer is, that the old and
rcbellious state Of Virginia, while in rebel
lion. iorfeits the old constitutional rights;
and the new state must be regarded either as
the state Of Virginia, Jas it has been until
now, or as an independent state, made such
by the secession OF Virginia. Why then, not
let the new state stand as Virginia The
answer is that upon reconstruction Of the
Union her people would be oyerslaughed by
old Virginia and compelled to pay-the debt
which seeding Virginia has contracted for
the rebellion The loyal Virginians demand
relief from that burden, and they see no other
mode so good as being rid Of the old state
government. In fact, it is not true of them
that d" old Virginia never tires" They have
been tired Of tyranny for forty years, having
been denied their proper weight in the gov
o..u.,r, .rd ,boi, rrono- share in internal
improvements, while they have been taxed to
.naror, the drooes and slave breeders of
o,',.r, VIRGINIA The answer to the second
,....,i,r 10 wit. as an obstacle to the re-
eo,s,ruc,io, n the Union--is that it is a
good point for new bargain. II old Virginia
,,i.bos IN he 6rst.class state. let her come
b,cL int, the uoion and do iustiee to Western
N,,-.,;ci, Trtbo slave breeders wish to fall
b.nos,b conts,nnt let them hang as the tail
81 tho southern coufsderacy. The vote was
nearly a party vote, though a few Republicans
voted aeains, the bill, end few members
from slave states voted for it.
&c, Sv1vFsryR CBuRcH1LL, L. $. army,
d;ed in this CITY on Sunday evening last, aged
On ,osr. He was a native Of Vermont. and
.. c.,nenter labored upon the drst state
honso bpilt at Montpelior. He was appoint.
ed LIST Lieut.. Of the Sd artillery in 1912; in
spector general with the rank of Major in
1913; major brevet in 1928 major o. his
old regiment in 1882 inspector general with
the rank of Colonel in 1871 ; and in ls47 be
was brevetted Brigadier General for merito-
rious conduct at the battle Of Buena Vista
By long and severe service he become deaf
and feeble, and in ls6l was placed on the re-
tired list, Gen. Churchill was valuable