The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1863-09-15
Message of Governor Letcher,
of Virginia.

| We make room Tor the following eAtract
from the Message of Governor LEToHER
recently delivered to the called session
the Legislature of Virginia:
| The war has now been in progress to-
more than two years and half, and ha'
been prosecuted against us with feroclt!
unparalleled in all past struggles betweeI
contending parties. 1t has been conducted
upon the avowed principle Of subjugating
us either by force of arms, or by visiting
upon our people the horrors of famine
Hence it is that foilad and defeated again
and again upon the field of battle, they have
adopted the policy of desolating our farms,
destroying our crops, burning our dwell
ings, stealing and carrying away our prop
erty, leaving our wives and children TO
perish by the slow torture OF starvation.
1t is no longer war for the preservation
of the old Union, as it was originally pro-
claimed to be, but it has degenerated into
a war for the emancipation of our slaves;
and this purpose the Administration at
Washington propose to accomplish even II
the determination of the white race, of all
ages, sexes and conditions, of the Confed-
eracy, shall be the result. We have no al
tentative, therefore, but to defend our
selves with all the power, energy and abli-
ity we can command We must succeed, II
we would be free and independent people,
worthy of the illustrious ancestry from
which we descended. To succeed, we must
have union, harmony, concert, conciliation,
courage, energy and determined resolution
on the part of rulers and people. We must
cultivate one towards another the noble
virtues of prudence, liberation, charity and
forbearance
THE coNsCRIpTIoN.
The entire military force of the State has
been absorbed by the conscription law, and
we are thus left, in time Of greatest peril,
with no militia organization for the defence
of the commonwealth. This want can be
and must be supplied with as little delay
as practicable.
How.
Let force, to consist OF all able-bodied
persons between the ages of sixteen and
sixty, not in the Confederate service, be or
ganized, corresponding with the force now
organized in the cities of Richmond, Pc
tersburg and Lynchburg.
WHERE.
My opinion is, that if the city Of Rich
mond can be defended more certainly fifty
miles from it than Immediately around it
or in it, that locality is the proper place for
its defence, and the local militia should be
required to the defence there.
THE FOREIGN POPULATION.
This organization should be made to sm
brace the foreign population who are located
among US. This foreign population may be
said to consist Of three classes: First, those
who have been regularly naturalized, and
who are therefore citizens embraced by our
laws relating to the public defence; second,
those who are domiciliated among us, and
have been living in our midst and prosecu
ting various branches of business, and who
left their native land with no purpose or
intention of returning toit; and lastly, those
who are temporarily sojourning among US.
The first class are in service under our mi
litia laws, and the second class should be
required to 90 into service for public de-
fence of the soil on which they reside. The
latter class, who are sojourners, engaged in
no regular business, should be exempt.
WHY ALL SHOULD BEAR ARMS.
In this war, all classes who reside among
us should be required to perform duty of
some sort, if they are within the military
age If they are unwilling to bear arms
there are various other duties connected
with the army and the general defence
which they can perform, and which they
should be required TO perform. They are
property holders to large extent
therefore in all that concerns
other citizens, and should be required to
perform their part. In some countries
this class of persons are required to aid in
the instruction of forti6cations, aud | see
no Just reason why they should not be re-
qured to do so here This branch of de
fence must be maintained by someb ody; and
if their religious convictions will not allow
them to 90 into the ranks for the defence
and maintenance of the common cause, why
cannot they do this?
1t will not do to say that they are op-
posed to war, and can do nothing that will
tend to its prosecution, 1.-THE law is based
upon the principle that they are bound to
do something otherwise they would not
be taxed the sum of $500 each:
DESERTIoNs.
Besides these provisions, stringent regu-
lations should be adopted to prevent deser-
tlon or strangling from service without
leave. 1t ought to be made the duty of the
local militia to arrest any officer or soldier
found abroad from his corps without a fur
Tough, and cause him to be forthwith re-
turned TO his position or delivered to the
nearest Provost Marshal.
WHAT REvERsEs SHOULD TEACH.
No army can expect continued current
of success. We may, nay We must expect
TO meet reverses, and we must be prepared
for them. Instead of discouraging, they
should only stimulate us to increased eff
forts-should call forth redoubled energy
should bind US more closely together, and
inspire us with more determined spirit
II