Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-01-07
NORTHWESTERN VIRGINIA.


To the Editor of the Wig:
am resident of Northwestern Virginia, and claim
to be citizen of the State of Virginia, with the rights
appertauing to a citizee and Ike Fair Play look to
qualifications to fill offices rather than to locality.
have read in your paper of to-day the article signed
Fair Play in which he says the Northwest has the
lions share Of the State Offices and showing that out OF
ten offices of them are from the Northwest, to Wa
J. n. Bennett and John Knote. Mr. Bennett received
his appointment originally from Governor Wise, and
Mr. Knote was elected last year by a Legislature In
which the Northwest had, by the showing of Fair
Play" little or no representation for he says the people
of the Northwest prefer send delegates to Wheeling
to serve in the Pierpont Legislature If Fair Play"
desires to present the Legislature gentleman to be
voted for as Senator, whose residence is either in
Piedmont the Southwest section of the State ne has
right to do So and ought to do so, without attempting
to throw Odium on another section Of the State He
speaks of Perponts dynasty government set up by
the people of the Northwest Doshe not know better?
If he does not he is not qualified advise. Does he
not know that in Camp Chase there is Eve hun
dred young men from the Northwest, that have been
arrested when their way to join the Southern army,
by fhe Yakees tand by Pierponts government for
really he has government, aud would not dare
to stay in Virginia twenty-!our hours il the
protection afforded him by Yankee bayonets with
drawn) Does Fair-play" not know that these Ave
hundred young men confined in Camp Chase would be
discharged at any hour il they would take the oath to
be true to the of the United States and
Pierponts Government, which "Fairpay" pretends 10
think they are very fond off Docs he not know that
thousands of young men passed the Yankee lines and
Joined our army and have been fighting the battles of
the South and that many of them fell at the battle Of
Fort Donelson? Does he not know that large part of
Inboden's Partizan Rangers, and of General Floyds
present command, are from the Northwest? And,
finally does he know that the 10th and Soth regiments
together with Hansbrough's Battalion, all from the
Northwest have been bravcly fighting under the mmor
tai Jackson (who, himself is native citizen of the
Northwest in all his great battles in the Valley, around
Richmond, at Manassas Sharpsburg, and at Freder
icksburg and are ready if necessary to defend the
property and home of "Farplay" before the lannon's
mouth, not in Northwest Virginia, but here tide
water or in Piedmont il the enemy shall be found there
Let me ask Fair-play" to look to the whole State Ikea
patriot and come the just and proper conclusion that
in that we all Vrgnians, and ready to protect and
defend the whole State Norfolk and the surrounding
country are now under the control Of the Yankees,
and l believe have military. Governor. They are
as much responsible for the Military Government
established in their midst, are the Northwest
ern people for tue establishment Of Perponts Govern
ment all done by Yankee bayonets 1t is true that
along the line ofthe Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and in
other places settled by Northern people, there is some
d;safection but nothing like Fair PLAY insnuAtcs
The native sons of Northwest Va, with us, much
SO as thoy are in the East. Fair Play TO think
there is little talent In the Northwest and Tidewa,er
country; this may be so. shall nosstispute With him
on this subject.
In relation to the Senatorial election it may be that
Fair Play and myself think alike about who ought TO To
elected intend to leave the Legislature to make its
own choice, and am pleased to say that have entire
confidence in their ability to select gentleman as Mr..
Prestons successor that will do credit to the State let
him come from what section he may.
NORTHWEST.