Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-06-29

SIR I: In accordance with my promise Il
you, made some days ago, 1 herewith
transmit you condensed statement or his
tory of the restored Government of vir
ginia, hoping you will have the kindness
to give it place in the columns of you
paper, and sincerely desiring that othel
leading journals Of the country may copy
it. We, as loyal Virginians, are anxious
tnat our political history should be fully
understood, for itieeems to the writer thai
our political status is 10 better or more
clearl y understood outside of the State
than ls the complexion of political parties
in the great State of New York. i believe
1t ls not considered mark of ignorance on
the part of any gentleman outside of your
State not to uhdetstand the complexion
and phases of your various political or
ganizatiOus! Iassure you there is none OF
the complexitycounected with our history
that attaches to your local politics.
On the 18th day of April, 1861, the con-
Vention at Richmond passed What was call.
ed the Ordinance of Secessionfor Virginia,
Immediately upon the passage of that or.
dinance, number of the Union members
OF the convention from the western part
of the State, being threatened with per.
sonal violence on account Of their opposi.
ton to the ordinance, left Richmond and
returned to their homes. About the 22d
day of April, 1851, Hon. Jno. 8. Oarlile' in.
troduced resolutionsiu a public meeting
held in Clsrksburg, providing for the cali.
ing OF convention of the people. The
day for the meeting of this convention was
fixed for the 10th of May, 1881, and
wheeling as the place at which it was to
assemble. The resolutions providing for
this convention called upon each county
to send delegates. E9I'
The convention met in conformity with
this call, but after mature deliberation con-
sidered it premature to take any decisive
action further than to pass strong resolu-
tlons denouncing secession, and recon.
mending the people to vote against the or.
dinance passed ct Richmond, which was to
be submitted to them for their ratification
or rejection at the general election to DO
held on the fourth Thursday of May of that
year. 1t also appointed a committee of
seven members as a committee of safety,
and ordered an election of members to an
other convention. This convention was
to be composed of double the number of
members to which each county was entitl-
ed ss regarded members of the Legislature.
The members of the General Assembly,
opposed to secession, and elected at the
ensuing election, were also'to be members of
the convention, The convention thus pro.
vided forWas ~ meet at the City of Wheel.
ing on the / 1th day of June, 1851, "to take
into conSideTGtion EOhGt SOdS best to Be done
for VTgiHid."7 The Committee of Safety
was to appoint a Central Committee for
each county to superintend the election
aud make return of the delegates elected,
other than those elected to the General
Assembly.
On the llth day of June, 1861, the con-
vention thus provided for convened in the
City of Wheeling. 1t was organized by
the appointment of q temporary Chairman,
a Committee on Permanent Organization,
and Committee on Credentials. The Com
mitteo on Permanent Organization report
ed. among other things, that each member
of the convention, before taking his seat
permanently, should be required to take
the following oath:
III solemnly swear Tor aGirm) that I will
support the Constitution OF the United
States, and the laws made in pursuance
thereof, as the supreme law of the land,
anything in the Constitution and laws Of
the State of Virginia, or in the Ordinance
of the Convention which assembled at
Richmond on the 18th day of February,
1861, to the contrary notwithstanding; and
that will uphold and defend the Govern
meut of Virginia as vindicated and restor-
ed by the Convention which assembled at
Wheeling, on the l1th day of June, 1861"
About thirty counties were represented
in this convention, the residue of the State
being Over-run by rebels already in arms,
and all the members save one took the
above oath, and he went to Richmond.
On the 18th day of June the convention,
after reviewing the action of the Secession
Convention at Richmond, and the action Of
the executive and other oficersofthe State
elected by the people, who had attached
themselves to the cause of the SO called
Confederate States, adopted the following
among other ordinances: [
"We,i therefore, the delegates here as.
sembled in convention to devise such meas
ures and take such action as the safety and
welfare Of the loyal citizens of Virginia
may demand, having maturely considered
the premises !; and viewing with great con-
Germ the depiorable condition to which this
once happy Commonwealth must be re-
daced unless some regular adequate remedy
is speedily adopted, and appealing to tht
Supreme Ruler Of the Universe for the rec.
titude of our intentions, do hereby, in the
name and on the behalf Of the good people
of Virginia, solemnly declare, that tht
preservation Of their dearest rights and lib,
critics and their security in person and prop
erty, imperatively demand the reorganiEa
tloh of the Government of the Common
wealth, aud that all acts of said convention
and executive, tending to separate thii
Commonwealth from the United States OF
to levy and carry on war against them, arr
without authority and void and that tht
officers of all who adhere to the said con
VeRtion and executive, whether legislative
executive or jndiciali are yacsted."
By another ordinance the convention
provided that SO Governor, Lieutenant
Governor and Attorney General for III
State of Virginia, shall be elected by thi
1 convention, to discharge tha d ties and ex