The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-05-18
Res,.ra,ion Of yirginia-speeeh by
Hon. A n. III. Stuart.

inst. 10 take measures for the reorganl-
cation of civil government in Virginia.
Hon. Alex II, H. Stuart was chosen chair
man and upon taking his scat spoke as
follows:
FelIow- Citizens: We have met together
today to decide what course we oight
to pursue under the peculiar circumstai-
ces by which we are surrounded
The war which has ragged throughout
our land for four Years past, and has left
so many evidences of Its deso'dting pow
or, in part Of il. has at length ceased.
The veteran armies Of Lee and Johu'e m
have capitulated, and similar fate
doubtless awaits, if it has not already
befaIlen the Confederate force west OF
the Mississippi The President of the
Confederate States, and his cabinet have
been constrail ed to abandon the seat of
government, without any reasonable pros
pect of being able to establish themselves
and resume the exercise of their innc-
tions in any of the Southern States.
The Governor of Virginia has also with
drawn himself from the Capital, taking
with him most of the principal officers OF
the State Government.
There has thus been virtual abdica-
tion of the Confederate government, and
suspension of the functions of the au-
thorities of the State.
In this anomalous condition of things
when those officers who were chosen to
represent the people, and to be the guar
dians of their rights and interests, have
lost the power TO do so, it becomes the
dutyof the people to speak for themselves
and to determine what measures may be
best for the advancement of their safety
and welfare
All must admit that the war is ended,
and that there is no purpose TO resume
military operations. The recent Snrren-
der of Generals Lee and Johnston, en-
braced much the larger number of the
experienced aud skillful officers of the
Southern army, and the articles of capitu-
lation, subsequently entered into. have
placed almost the entire organized mill
tary force east of the Mississippi, under
obligations not TO take up arms against
the United States until regularly eX-
changed.
We are thus in the extraordinary con.
dition of people deprived of the bene-
fit of any regular government either
civil or military. The tendency OF such
state of things is to disorder and anar-
chy. In some instances marauding par
ties of armed men have plundered our
citizens and acts of violence have been
committed, which are calculated to create
sense of insecurity amongst our people.
Under these circumstances, we are as
sembled to consider what course We shall
adopt to secure the best protection OF
person and property, and the largest
measure of our rights, both personal and
political, which may be practicable.
1t has been suggested that our wisest
course is to do nothing, but to await the
development of events. | do not ap-
prove this suggestion. think we should
endeavor, as far as we can, to give shape
and direction to our own destiny. If we
fail, we will at least save ourselves the
reproach of not having made an effort TO
do SO Those who advocate a policy
merely passive, seem TO act on the idea
that we have lost all our rights, and
must accept such form of government as
may be imposed on us This notion
arises from the fact that those who en-
tertain il contoaad the idea of POWcy and
Ri0ht, which are two very different things.
A victorious party may have the power
to impose an obnoxious form of govern
ment on its defeated adversary, but it 10y
no means follows that it has the right TO
do so.
In my Judgment, it is proper that the
people of Virginia should express IN pub
lie meetings tho only mode left to them
of giving authentic expression to their
sentiments their recognition OF the fact
that the war has ceased-tinally ceased
that the attempted revolution has
finally failed, and that there is no pur.
pose on their part to renew it.
When it is thus made manifest that
the people accept the fate, which in the
fortunes of war IS ours, and that they
are prepared to recognize the authority
of the Constitution Of the United States,
from that moment our relations 10 the
United States Government are material
ly modified, and rights which may have
remained in allegiance, during the con
tinuauce of hostilities, are immediately
revived in full force and yigor
When the war is at an end all those
powers claimed as war powers, and as
matters Of military necessity, must cease
with il
The restoration OF peace will bring up
for discussion and decision, many novel
and complicated questions. The expe
rience and the precedents derived from
the history of other nations will furnish
very insufficient guides, in their solution,
becasse the history OF the world affords
no case that is parallel to ours. In 9TH
or countries the relation of the citizen or
subject, to his government, is ample and
direct He OWES allegiance to but one
government. Under our complex sys
tenn every citizen owes allegiance to two
governments Before the war, every
citizen owed allegiance TO his State, rs
well as to the United States. He was
bound to defend both 1t was thus
double or a divided allegiance, with the
line Of demarcation not very distinctly
defined When, therefore, conflict Oc-
Cured, it was not always easy TO de ter.
mine the path Of duty, or 10 pursue IT,,
for what was obedience 10 the one might
be treason against the other.
The war having terminated, and the
Confederate Government having poten-
TALLY ceased 10 exist, we are released
from all claim Of allegiance to 1t, and re-
mitted TO or rights as citizens o. Vir-
oinia. What may be the eXteut of those
rights, or how far any individual may
have forfeited his rights, may he ques
tion 10 be determined hereafter. III the
mode prescribed by the Constitution Of
the United States. One thing, however,