Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-15
LETTER FROM GOV. PIEN-
POGT-TaE STATE bLEC-
IONS.
BY TIE GOVERNOR.
Executive DEPARTMENT,
ALEXANDRA, May 9th, 1865.

ALEXANDRA, May 9th, 1865. }
To the Voters ofths First, Second and Ssrenh
Congressional Ditr cts Of Virginia
The House of Representatives of the last
Congress of the United states decided MOI
10 admit 20 4 seat Il Congress mcmoe'
fom any state declare to be in insurrec-
ton. uniesS a msio iJy OF tho District h.
propo..d 10 represent had an opportunity t.
yofe At his election. IL il not probable this
Congress will relax that rule. A majority
of M. First, Second aud Seventh Congress
,iopal Districts OF this State are IN disor-
g.rised condition, not having been yet or
1aniled under the Restored Government Of
yirvinI, by the election of county officers,
I kpsv of no l,val mode by which the cleo
ton of members of Congress and member.
OF the General Assembly could be cert fed
IN unorgabized COUNTIES, because there were
no proper officers who could give legal GER
tiacstes of their election. l submitted the
subiec; 10 the AttorLev General Of the Com.
nonwealth for his opinion; he has furnished
Lac the following:
THs CONNONwE OF VIRGINIA, }
ExECpllyI d PARTNENT.
AItxANpKIA, Va May lsI, 1865. )
To His ErcsH,ncy, >. Il. Pep nj, Governor
Of TTgiA.G:
SIR: Your note Of the 2sth instant, ask
ing TOR nv opinion in relation 10 elections
for members Of Congress, Safe Senstors
md members Of the General Assembly IN
counties unorgauizrd in the State, under the
Restored Government Of Virginia, has been
received.
am of opinion that no election can be
,eld for the officers named in your note eX
cant in counties organized under the Re-
srred Government, for " ant Of prot er ON
c.rs 10 hold III I'm. By act Of the Gen RAJ
Assembly, passed January 3lst, 1852, 1t l.
enacted" Tnat Ia all cases OF election for
election districts, or Senatorial or Congress
,iupsl Districts, the Commissioners super
Intending the election at the Court House OF
the several counties or corporation forming
,ucb distric - shall, within three days alter
sueh election is concluded, deliver a ceru-
lied statement of the result Of the election
in said county ITO be ascertained IN tue man
ner now prescribed By IaSl To the CLERK OF
Tho Comfy Court OF Sucn county, whose
drtv II shall be as soon a. he may be- able TO
rac1rd such result IN a book Tor that pur-
nose to be kept in his Office, and transmit a
certified copy of such result, (which SHAH
ba written IN words and not in hgures) to the
Clerk of the County Court OF tue county
first named in the law describing such dis
trict," sc.
These and other requirements, for want
of nroper officers, cannot be complied with
in counties uIOrganiZed.
In the Constitution, page 70, section l,
passed By the Convention which assembled
A. Alexandria IN the 18th day Of February,
1854 In an ordinance for the establishment,
of the restored government, il is provided
that s,for the reorganization Of eacn couuty
in this Commonwealth not now organized, u
hall be the duty OF the Governor to issue
o,s proclamation dc laliDg all the offices
,,srein vacant, civil and mil AIRY, sccompa-
id by a writ of election, directed To one
ar more commissioners, Lot eSNeedlng
rnree. All or any OF said commissioners
nav act. and they shall have power TO 20
m and everything that the sherln ana
county cour. have now 10 Go, IN holding al
lection for c uaty offices, according 10 Nv
v In force, or that may hereafter DO en-
acted"
.,i. Sion.rs have all the lower that TIL 81 en-
# aud county court nov have IN holdins
an election tor county officers, leaving the
unavoidable inference that hey shall have
no NJ wers beyond those expressedly named,
according to a well known maxim, thar "ihe
oppression Of the one proposition is the ex-
c.usion of the other" Therefore, although
tnese commissioners have full powers 10
conduct an election for county Offices, yet
o provision is made for the election oil
members of Congress in counties without
organization.
Very respectfully,