Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-02-03
viryinia..G ovetnor,s lEessaEs.

:. v4yinia..G ovsfnor,s Messaxs. So 5. -;
GOV. Smith sent ma special, message to the Leg
islatureof Virginia on the 9th January, urging an
orgsnisation Of the militia ff State deenes md pro
posing .yyss. ~ ii =
1st That the reserved forcs OF the State should
BE- orolnized BY the Governor, and, when compile
ted 70 be reported to the Assembly for such cbange
as it may see fit to make. -
I'd. Thatfhe Governor shall not move said force
beyond the limits Of the State.
Sd Thatno portion fsach force shall be called ont
for Longer period than thirty days
4th. When practicable, said force shall be Is.
signed to duty in the several counties from which
it may be drawn. -
9th. The particular duties to which th;aforce may
be assgued are designated
9th. That the county courts and county officers
shSll aid in the enrolment
7th. That the Governor shall provide for the
proper discipline and order for said FORCE
9th. The bill being war measure, it is proposed
that it shall expire with the proclamation Of peace
only suspending, in the meantime, the general mi
The Governor in submitting these propositions
lectures the Legislature in the following extraordi.
nary style:
My predecessor convened you in extra session
tor the purpose of organizing our remaining mill
Ary resources. For two months you remained in
elaborate consultation without accomplishing the
main purpose for which you had been assembled.
. Re assembling on the 7th of December, the begin
ming Of thereguar session. the consideration of The
subject Was again resumed and yet after the lapse
J. Of nearly two months, nothing has been DONE In
the mesptime, other States have met for purpose
similar to our own and, in some two or 4hree weeks
4aye. with rare promptness and great magnsnimity,
passed the requisite act and adjourned. Is >Vir-
giiia less patriotic than her sister Statesp Is she
80 blind rs not to see the immiuence of the terrible
danger which threatens her humiliation Are her
representatives incapable Of performing the proud
duty Of wisely, brasely and devotedly enacting the
requisite legislation for her safety do not will
not believe it."
Members Of the House Of Delegates took fire at
such language and expressed themselves very freely
and boldly. :
Mr.. Pendleton considered. the communication un-
called for and insulting in its tone He said that
he in favor of maintaining friendly relations be-
tween the legislative and executive departments Of
the government; but that this communication was
altogether out of place, and was nothing more
or less than lecture leveled at the entire Legsla-
Nj. Shackeiford said that be did not concur with
Mr.. Pendleton, that the COMMUNICATION was dssre.
spectfulur insulting. He said that It was couched
in the usual characteristic language employed by
the Governor; that the Governor felt deeply uron
the subject and be had not the slightest idea that
the Governor intended any offence
Mr.. Anderson said that, If there was any thing
to take exception to in the communication of the
Governor, it was the truth contained in it. He
said that the Legislature had been derect in their
duty in not passing the bill long ago organizing the
State troops for home defence.
AZ -. - Al = ~ ~
ernor to- dictate to the Legislature of the State
that il Vas not proper for he Governor to cominu.
nieate his Recommendations in the peculiar style
enploYed by him. He thought that comfy and
good feeling should always exist between the, co.
ordinate branches of the government
Mr.. Burwell said enough time had already been
occupied by the debate to have read the bill. He
said that it was usual for crowned heads to accom-.
pany their communications with an outline of what
they had determined. He vas not willing to place
too much power in the hands Of the Governor. He
said that he could not find parallel to the message,
except perhaps one from Barkeley, under the Colo
The reauls 81 Has sssahitie1 did dot
depend upon any single man. but the CO operation
Of the whole people. He said there we're many
eaities surrounding the passage Of the bill but
that he was in favor Of having the bill read
x Mr.. Pretlow said that he vas of opinion that too
much of the time of the House had been occupied
| in discussing the message The House had been
charged with want of patriotism, and that be new
.er wanted to hear that document read again. The
Governor did not possess all the patriotism of The
State, and he was opposed to Executive dictation.
Mr.. Hall said that beswas sorry that the Govern
or of the Commonwealth had seen proper to lecture
the House. He hoped that the paper would not
be read again. The Governor ought to recollect
that IN reprimanding this House that we already
had too much law. He said that we had the most
miserable legislators in the world member OF
Congress had informed hir, that Congress intended
in mass &c. He (Mr. H. twarned him against tam.
pering with AngloSaxon blood. He said that he
ves in favor Of upholding the President and the
Governor, but they should not be permitted to in.
terfere with the liberties Of the people,:
The message and accompanying documents were
then laid upon the table, and not ordered to be
printed, by yeas 96. nayssl
The Richmond Ssstiaes thus notices the message
I and the action of the House of Delegates:
The people will see from the message, and the
remarks of several members upon it, that our leg
islators are standing ia: more upon their dignity
than their duty After remaining in session for *
many weeks, it is undoubtedly reproach to the
so far as their action is concerned, naked to he
enemies. Even the buoy hum of warlike prepare;
ton at the North fails to arouse them. Il is som.
consolation to see however, that they stand on the
extreme edge Of their dignity. We trust they will
now show their spirit for their State as well as fol
themselves.
Extract from letter to the Editor dated
- JANUARY 20, 1854.
THE people Of Forsyth are getting up memorial
to the Governor to have the Legislature convened