Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-10-13
How Virginia Went Out of the Union
President LimeoIn's successor.

From the Richmond inquirer, Gets
There was meeting of officers of the con-
scripjion i'll Virginia, at Richmond last week,
at which Col j. b. Preston, chief of the bu-
Teau Of CONSUMPTION, in response to repeated
calls, rose and entertained the meeting with a
few patriotic and stirring remarks. He spoke
of the responsible duties devolving upon the
officers OF CONSUMPTION in the contederacy.
Like the noble Roman Of old, who occupied
the Curuie chair in front of the Roman SEN
ate, he sat in the chair OF the Curule chair of
the confederacy, and would endeavor to dis
charge his duties faithfully, notwithstanding
that men had undertaken to brand him and
his officers as "scavengers. He referred
briefly to the course Of Virginia from the
commencement OF the war, speaking i'll elo-
queut terms OF the ''mother Of states and
statesmen" He closed by offering the follow
ing sentiment:
Virsinia-Iu the struggle for human liberties she
has illustrated TWO centuries in history,
This sentiment was responded to by Gov.
fletcher. He said his term OF office would
shortly expire, but his eXertIons for independ-
ence should not end with his gubernatorlal
term. lie could enter the army-it not allow
ed to go as a private, possibly he could get
position quartermaSter or cOmmlssary !;
and he didn't know, but he thought either
POSitAOh was piNttJ SOollil' tlhlCo' liz
spoke at some length in regard to the posi-
ton Of Virginia previous to the assembling
OF the convention. lie opposed the assem-
bling of that convention account OF the
dissension and party division in the north
west. The convention, however, did assem-
bic, bat the state did not go out by the ac-
ton OF that body; she went out by his reply to
Lincoln when he telegraphed for troops.
Ii was his refusal to furnish LIN
coln with troops that carried Virgin
ia out of the old Union. When he re-
fused that was IL direct separation. He was
told lie had no constitutional authority to re-
fuse this demand Of Lincoln. He knew that,
bat he looked to the convention to give him
the authority. lie had done what no other
man in Virginia had-he advocated secession
square and tair during the guDernatOrial cam
paIgn OF 1853. In regard to the present
struggle, he SAID lie had good reason to believe
1t would last It's long as the American revolu-
hop did (Folces-"Neyer, neyer.D Well,
gentlemen, you will see. Some Of you say it
Will last through LlncunS term OF office. So
IL VIII; but Lincoln will be the next presi-
deht oi the federal governmental not by tair
MEANS he will by foul. There will be A dis
pule Ill regard 10 Inc electoral vote, and Lin.
com Will step into Office again by usurpation
Lincoln, Il snort tlnle since, in the course of
CG'i\ SISHtioi VIII III. lamDIln, said ne had
been commissioned by God to restore rhe
Union, aud ne meant To do ii. His failnr.
thus lar mad been Tor the want of comne,.nt
generals, not for the want Of brave soldiers
Lincoln inquired Of Dr. IL. '.what was the
opinion of the southern people in regard to
the war;" The doctor replied, "rhey think
it will last through your term OF Of
flee" ''Ah," said Lincoln, do you think
my term Of office closes wIth these four years ?
No, sir, there will be IA dispute in regard to
the electoral vote, and | shall be president
another term, God has directed" Yes,
gentlemen, continued the governor, we are in
for a long and bloody war and we must fight it
out, and we will fight it out, finally conquer
ing glorious independence. The south can
never be su1jugateI. 1t is better that every
man, woman and child be sacrificed than that
the south suuuld fail in this contest.
The governor took his seat amid loud ap.
plause.
In response to repeated calls, Colonel
Shields then addressed the officers. He al
luded to the arduUus duties necessarily de-
volVing upon them. He eXhorted them never