The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-04-22

warrant, or constitutional right DO all the va.
rous public funclionaries of Western Virginia
assume to direct the machinery of govern
ment' If single precedent might establish
a rule, | might confidently point to the pro
vlsona government Of that State, in connec.
tion with its recognition by tho Federal All.
thority as fully settling the principle for which
| contend. Neither the Executive nor Con
gress can justify its action on any other
ground than that Of assuming that the gov
any other principle such exercise Of power
would be unconstitutional, and in the highest
degree revolutionary and despo,ic. The Pres
ident, in his message to Congress, at the
opening of the extra session, evidently took
that view Of the case. IIe says:
"The course taken in Virginia was the most re-
markable, perhaps the most importunt. A conven-
ton elected by the people Of that State to consider
this very question Of disrupting the Federal Union,
was in session Mt the capital Of Virginia when Fort
Sumter fell To this body the people had chosen a
large majority of protessed Union men. Almost i'm
mediately after the fall Of Sumter many members of
that majority went to the original disunion MI
nority, and, with them, adopted ordinance for
Withdrawing the State from the Union. Whether
this change was wrought by their great approval of
the assault upon Sumter. or their great resentment
at the Governments resistance to that assault is not
definitely known. Although they submitted the or.
dnance for ratification TO vote of the people, TO be
taken on 4 day then somewhat Inore than a month
distant the convention and the Legislature (Which
was also in session at the time and place. with
leading men of the State, not members of either i'm.
mediately commenced acting as if the State al-
ready out ofthe Union. They pushed military prep
arItions vigorously forward all over the State
They seized the United States armory at Harper's
Ferry and the navy-yard at Gospor near Norfolk.
They received perhaps invited, into their State,
large bodies of troops with their warlike appoint
ments. from the so-caled seeded States. They
formally entered into a Treaty of temporary alliance
and cooperation with the so-called confederate
States and sent members tc their congress at Mont
gomery. And finally they permitted the insurrec-
tionary government TO be transferred to their capitol
at Richmond. The people Of Virginia have thus
| allowed this giant instruction to make its nest
within her borders, and this Government has no
choice left but to deal with it phere it finds it. And
il has the less regret, the loyal citizens have, in
due form. claimed its protection. Those loyal citi.
zens this Government is bound to recognize and
protect as being Virginia.
| call special attention to some of the
points 80 clearly and logically made by the
President 10 the extract from bis message
that have quoted. 1t was "the convention
and the Legislature" "with lading men Of
the State, not members Of either" that com.
merced acting as if tho State were already
out Of the Union. II was the convention Of
the people that adop'e! the ordinance. 1t
was "the people of Virgins" that "thus al
lowed this giant insurrecton to make a nest
within her borders" Yes, it was in Virginia,
that State so conspicuous, ilIns,riou', and clo.
rious in revolutionary history, and in whose
bosom rosted tho sacrel remains Of Henri,
Msnroe, Madison, jefferson, and Washing.
ton. that the cons stituted authorities. the lead
ing men and the people--unmindful OF the
blood Of their fathers, forgetful Of their duty
to their country, ca eless of the Just rights Of
posteritv, and regardless Of the claims Of uni
vcrsal humantv-struck at the vtals Of the
Republic, united in resistance to the Federal
Constitution, and turned over their State
government to the embraces Of an enemy.
The President seems TO have carefully sur
veyed and accurately comprehended the ac'
tual condition of affairs, and to hav1 arrived
at the conclusion that Virginia by her own
act and violation had eytinguished her gov
ernment. Hence he did not propose TO re-
vive, sustain, or protect it. But he anuoun-
ced in emphatic language the fixed determ.
nation Of this Government to protect tho "loy.
al citizens. So much, at least, was due to
the memory Of the the Virginia Of better and
purer DAYS. Nor could he do otherwise !:
these loyal men are entitled bv the organic
law to I'll tho privileges and mnunties OF
citizens Of the several States. Congress sym.
pathized and concuued with tho views Of the
President, and cheerfuly united in the at.
tempt to give them effect. But how' Not
by sustaining the old government, but by re.
cogniziug Picrpont insteal Of Lecher, and
the newly created authorities at Wheeling in.
stead Of those at Richmond. 1t was, in fact
and in the law, the erection of new govern
ment. To deny this would be m admission
that Virginia has at ono and the same tme
two distinct, antagonistic, State governments,
which would be inconsistent and absurd. II
the original State government was not in
point of law extiuguished, then there is no
government at Wheeling, aud the State is not
properly represented in Congress
Let us not be deceived nor confoundel by
nan es. Virginia is ono Of the States Of the
Union, but not the Virginia Of olden times.
Observe that speak not Of the land, the riv.
ers, the mountains, tho territory; | refer 10
the government, The corporate organization
that sgnifes, in our political language, the
State. She cea.el be a member uf tho
Union-not territoraly, but as State. In
other words; by her own acts she lost her po.
litcal orcan,zotion. How did she get back
and become rein.talcd on An equal footing
with the loyal members? Sir, she came in no
way and Ivy no means whatover-she never
came Al ali. But the present, tho young Virgin.
ia, the heir, if You please, of the Old Dominion,
came through government de moro, spring
ing from the people, Inchoatc and provisional
at first, but made regular and complete 10y
the recognition Of the Federal Government.
She followed in the same path that had been
previously opened and beaten by California
The acts Of recognition in tho two cases DIFF
fered somewhat in form, but not in results
shall not now consider whether the aamis.
sion Of those States into the Union was regu.
lar or not; perhaps both mi hit have been re.
jected; perhaps it is well that each was admit
ted. My present purpose is to show that
both the executive and legislative branches Of
the Government have admitted aud asserted
by their own acts that the original govern
ment of Virginia passed away; that the Con
stitution Of tho United States is supreme over
its possessions; and under it the Federal Gov.