Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-09-17
VIRGINIA


VIRGINIA
Message Of Gov. Letehes.
The Virginia Lsgi lature met 10 rpe.
cial ses.ion at Bichmond, on Sept. Z.
Gov. l. tcher sent 10 message, by no
mean. a. formidable 10 length ~ some
Of the documents which have formerly
issued from lis pen. lie sa,s:
"rhe var has now been progress for
more than two yesrs and . half, snd
has been pro. ecuted against ~ With a
tenac,ty unparalleled in al past st'uk-
xles between coniendiug parties. 1t
has been conducted upon the avowed
principle Of suijagating %, either by
lorce Of arms. Or ,s.ting upon our peo-
ple the horrors Of famine. Heoce It is
that, fooled and de'eated again and
again upon tre field Of battle, they hive
adopted the policy Of dcsoIating our
farms, dcs,roy,ng our crops, burning
our d.+ll,ogs, stealing aud carrying
a~ay our property, leaving our w've-
aud children to perish by the slow tor
turs of starvation. 1t IA NJ longer war
for the preservation Of the old Union. a.
Il vas originally claimed to be, but II
has degenersted into q war for the
emanc,p~ tim Of our slaves; and this
purpose the adm n;stsat'oo at Washing
o., propose to accomplish, even with
the determination Of the ~hte rae OF
Al. ayes, sexes and conditions Of the
southern Confederscy, sh il be the Re.
suit. We have no alternative, thee
tore, but to defend ou,uelves with all the
powder, .nrgy and ability we can
q .mmaud. We must succeed, If we
woull b" fee and independent people,
worthy Of the i'ln,'ri.us ancestry from
which we descended, To succeed we
must have UNION, harmony, concert. c,n-
c, iatior, courage, energy and deteru in
ed resolution Oh the part OF rulers and
people. We must cultlvsrc one toward
one another tho noble virtues OF pra-
dcnce, Liberation, charity aud forbear-
snce.
"The subject frst in Importance, so far
az the Goa mtn~ cath is concern d, is
the best means OF provid Dig an adequate
70, &c for the local defence If the stale
against inva ion or rails, and for the
execution OF the laws in case resort TO
force shall at any time become neces airy.
The entme military force Of the State
has been absorbed by the CONSUMPTION
law, and we are thus left, in q time OF
greatest peril with no militia organiza>
ton for the defence Of the Common
wealth. This want can be and must b.
supplied with az little delay a. prActica-
ble."
Gov. Leetcber proceeds TO urge organ
ization of all males between tue ages Of
| 10 and 60 who are not in the Conieder-
ate service, not excepting foreigners or
relipiopists whose CONSCIENTIOUS scruples
have exempted them. Then, after laud-
ing the determination expressed by the
women Of the present day, and compar-
ing it to that exhibited by their mothers
in tho Revolution, he says:
"There are in oil communities come
people whose eyes always fall upon the
da,k side OF tho picture, and who are
supposed to su0cumb at even the indi-
cations of disaster. Itw uld be remark
able if NC had not some such among u
but it is gratifying to kno~ that the mum
Der is very small, even 10 thosc portions
Of our State which have been ove,ruu
By the enemy. The spirit aud courage
Of the Target mass of the people has
never tagged. E.oh new wrong has in
spired new resolution. Each new OUT
rape has nerved them for more desper-
ate and determined struggle TO- the
csrse. Virginia vent into this conflict
after the most serious and calm cOnkid
erst;on-with the firm reso w to 20 her
whole duty l." herself and Confederate
s,s,ers-to take the whole consequences
however terrible they might be. Her
pc die have never qua'led, nor have the,
uurmu, INJURED under the repeated
wrongs aid aggress'ons hey have sui
tered. She was not the Fl st to enter
this Struggle nor will she be the first
to sue tor peace, uDless thst peace be
acc mpanied ny unqualified rer"gn'.
ton OF the independence ofthe Southern
Confedcracy."
The repeal Of the Law passed ny the
General Assembly at it's last session, tha'
no Confederate issues Of date prior I,
April 6, 1893. should b. received in
payment Of State taxes is urged:
"This aot," says the Goveuer, ''iooks
very much like reputation, to some
extent, of the obligations assumed bs
he Government and it is NOT, there
fore, euppris,ng that auch legislat'oos
shOnld have caused some uneasiness in
the public mind, and have aided in bring
ing ab ut depricia' ion and . want Of
confidence in the ultimate payment OF
these obligations"
After d..cu-s'pg matters Of purely To-
cai interest, the message proceeds to
eulo size General Floyd. He says:
sGeueral Floyd was 90 ordinary man.
lie was blessed with rare Intellectual en-
dowment.. He possessed great energy
annd physical endurance. His inform-
alton was varied extensive AID valuable.
As 40 orator be had few superiors-ss
. statesman be was equal to any man Of
his day-also ~ . pafiot devoted to bia
county, aud bis country's cause, his
services N this war attests bis merits.
He was equal to any position to which
he vas called-As . delegate to the Gen
eral Assembly, as Governor Of this State
- Secretary Of War under the old Gov
ernmcnt, as.Brigadier Generai eom,nsu
ding the Confederate troops, or - Ma