Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-06-21
The Legislature Of Virginia,
SENATE
TUESDAY, June 30, 1866.

support. His views and wishes and the duties
| expected OF the memb ~ would be made known
| in thu message soon to be read.
The PRESIDENT then declared the body or
gani2ed and ready for business.
| The Secretary OF the Commonwealth, Mr..
LEWIS, acting US clerk called the roll, and the
10 lowing members answered present hessrs.
| POWELL, MERCER WHITIHCRsT and LEMosEY.
The following were absent hessrs. THOMAS
B. BROWN aud THOMAS II. TENNIS.
Mr.. LEMOSEY rose TO q personal explanation.
/ At the last session in Alexandria lSe had been
recorded upon the journal as having resigned,
/ and that his resignation had been entered upon
the joui nal as accepted
| kr. MERCER submitted resolution correct
ing the acceptance of the resignation of Mr. LIE.
MOSEY, and eXpunging II from the journal.
The resolution was adopted.
The motion being made to proceed to an cleo
ton OF officers
Mr.. MERCER nominated for clerk w vii.
lis, of Elizabeth City, who was duly elected.
Mr. LEMOSEY nominated Mr.. +. V. sutton
for Sergeant.atarms, and he was unanimously
i chosen.
Mr.. MERCER nominated Mr. James L. Tag
| lor, of the Eastern Shore Of Virginia, for Door
/ keeper, and he was chosen without opposition.
Mr.. MERCER moved, by resolution, that the
i President of the Senate be authorized and re-
| quested to appoint one or more pages to the
| body.
The Senate acquiesced and the President ap-
pointed William II. Bigger, a page TO the late
Legislature
Mr. MERCER moved that the House be in
| formed that the Senate is organize and ready to
proceed TO business.
The PRESIDENT appOinte Messrs. MERCER
and LAMOSEY to constitute that committee.
Mr.. LEM0SEY nominated Mr.. II. +. Walker,
| of the Republic newspaper, for Public Printer.
Tbs PR sSlDENr said that election required
Joint ballot of the two Houses.
The election Of officers concluded, they were
called up 10 subscr DO to the usual oath OF Of
lice and the oath OF allegiance - the Unhed
States.
Mr. MERCER here arose, and said that he had
inst been informed that several OF the gentlemen
elected TO the positions did not feel themselves
free to take the oath of allegiance and as they
could not take t cOnscientiously, they declined
the Offices.
Mr.. X. ,. Walker was then elected temporary
CLERK, TO aid in the OrganiZat IN, and Miles b.
Eggleston, Doorkeeper. The officers were sworn
in, and the business proceeded
committee beng appointed to wait on the
Governor and inform him OF the readiness Of the
Senate 10 receive any communication he might
have to make, Mr.. Lewis, the Secretary OF the
Commonwealth, soon appeared and announced
the following message OF the Governor, which
was read by the Clerk
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Gentlemen Of the Senate and
House Of Delegates Of Virginia
Nothing but pressing eXgency, In my opin.
ion, could induce me 10 call you together in eX-
traordinary session at the present time, when
only ten days remain of the term for which you
were elected At the time OF the adjournment of
the last session the country was still disturbed
by the domestic violence which had existed
for nearly four years. 1t was impossible for me
to foesee or you TO know its sudden termination,
and TO provide for the state of affairs now exist
ing. find further legislation necessary TO meet
the emergencies which have arisen. | regret
that cannot preface my message with the set
phrases of my predecessors during the halcyOn
days of the Republic, cOugratuating you upon
the enjoyment, by The people of our Common
wealth, of 9" Peace aud Prosperity"
Our Site has been made the seat of domestic
violence. In the conflict a large portion OF our
public wOrGs have been destroyed or rendered
useless. our banks are worthless 10 the State
our literary fund il gone The business part of
our beautiful capitIl city Is in ruins Other
cities aud villsges, once tOurishlng, have been
stripped OF their ornaments. Many fine man
s,Ons have been rendered tenantless W lille others
have been consumed Dy devouring flames. Whole
agricultural Districts where once were the com
Portable homes OF Virginians now present
waste of desOlatiOn. The land is beloved with
the graves of American citizens. Tens of thou.
sands of our own people have found an untimely
end and We everywhere behold the habiiiments
of mourning.
the force of the violence in the battlefield is
now exhausted. Many of those who participated
active IN tue su iie whose lives are spared have
returned to their homes. Numbers who fed TO
other states 20 avoid the fury of passion and
strife Of battle have slso returned
Thanks to a merciful God, Peace, blessed Peace
has come again to our beloved old Common
wealth.
Doubtless it would be blessing to the people
of the State could each one blotfrOm his memory
every act of the past four years; but this is i'm
possible; the laws OF mind remain unchanged >
and Il is our duty as ali enlightened people 10
adapt ourselves to the circumstances which sur
round us Learn wisdom by experience and turn
to advantage all that is left in our power for fu.
tuIe happiness and prosperity.
A few months before the Inauguration of the
acts to which have referred, AMI while peace
and prosperity regned, am satisfied that the
great mass OF the people were ardentlY attached
10 the old Union and the Flag Of our Fathers
This opinion Is abundanty proven by the senti-
meut expressed in the Presidential canvass of
1860, and the popular vote for members Of the
State Convention IN 1861.
| shall no. here enter into discussion of the
causes of secession, but will state some of the
political results Of that act, and in doing so
shall freely quote from one of my former mes.
ssges.
Ia April l36l the State Convention passed
what was called an ordinance Of secession, pre-
tending to absolye the people of the State from
the duties and Obligations Of citizens of the Uni
ted States and thereby to destroy our nationality
They attempted to transfer the allegiance of the
Ueope TO a pretended foreign nation. This ac-
ton was opposed by the loyal men OF the State
as unlawful and revolution Try, holding that the
Constitution of the United States was adopted
by the people OF the United states, and could
ONLY be altered or amended by them, acting In
conformity with its own provisions for its amend
ment OF alteration.
The Executive officers OF the State having
! Joined the insurrectlOnists, the loyal people of
the state were thrown upon their original rights
as citizens of the State aud of the United States.
They called a convention composed of the mem
bers elected TO the General Assembly, on the 4th
Thursday of May, 1861, and in addition thereto
doubled the number Of delegates that each coun-
ty WAS entitled to in the popular branch of the
Legislature The capital of the State being in
the hands of the insurgents, the Convention as
sembled at Wheeling on the 18th day of June
1861, to take into consideration what was best TO
be done for Virginia.
Among the first ordinances which they passed
was TO declare the offices of Governor, Lieuten.
ant Governor, aud Attorney General vacant, on
account of the incumbents of said Offices having
taken an oath TO support what they deemed
foreign government and the Convention pro1
coed, to elect officers TO fill their places for the)
term of six months and until the loyal people of
the State, by order OF the General Assembly,
should elect their successors.
{ The Governor, thus elected, Immediately mott.
fed tho President of the United States of the do.
nestle violence existing in the State and of his
inability to suppress 1t, aud called for military
assistance, in accordance with the provisions of
the Constitution of the United States.
To this call the President of the United States,
through his Secretary OF War; responded, both by
promising and sending military aid, also expires.
sing his knowledge Of the acts and purposes of
the Confederation. The Executive of the State,
thus recognized, Immediately called together the
General Assembly of the State. Messrs. Hunter
and Mason, the United States Senators from VIZ.
GINA having also Joined in the rebellion, the
Legislature thus called proceeded to elect two u
S Senator'S to fill their places. The Senators thus
elected were admitted 10 seats In the U. States
Senate,
\ The Wheeling Convention mae but single