Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1865-01-06
FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY s.
Petitions Pro and Con.

III CTcuia!loU IL LUIS ll@'1, 'i~''''A''' d
nnmerously signed, asking Gen. SionGh the
IT. $. Military Governor 81 this city, TO inter
fere IN relation 10 the civil administration OF
affairs here. We have not been furnished
with a copy Of that petition Tor publication,
but we learn that it asked that the citizens
he relieved of an excessive taxation tor the
support of civil government, which 1t was
alleged twas useless under present crcn'n-
stances; inasmuch as the jurisdiction OF the
civil government extended over but four or
five counties-Norfolk and Portsmouth hag-
inc been exempted from these taxes, by the
military authorities in those places-and that
the support of civil government upon such
comparatively small community was very
oaerous, especially while the salaries OF 'he OH
GERS we're very large, and supposed to be higher
than those of any other state, save California,
&C., &c., How many were the signers to this
memorial, exactly, we do not know, nor what
action has been taken with regard to it. The
following is the copy Of counter memorial
addressed to the Congress Of the i. s., and
advocating continuance of the civil govern
ment, which is now in circulation tor signatures:
To the Honorable the Senate and House OF
REPRESENTATIVES of the United States IN Con-
oress Assembled: The undersi gned, memorial
lists loval citizens Of Virginia and OF the
United States, would respectfully represent
That there has been no period since the rat
ifcatiop of the Federal Constitution 81 the
State of Virginia, when a State government
loval to the Constitution and Government OF
the United States, has not been IN existence
within her limits, representing population at
least equal to that of more than one OF her
sister States of the Union. AS soon as 1t was
ascertained that the executive officers or Vr
einia at Richmond, bad forfeited their clam
to the allegiance of the loyal people OF Vlr-
ginia, by their adhesion to, and completely with
The reasonable action Of the so called Conted
crate States, that portion of the loyal people
Of the Commonwealth who were in condition
that enabled them to assert their rights under
the Constitution of the United States, pro.
ceeded in accordance with the Constitution and
laws Of Virginia, to Fill the vacancies occasion
ed by disloyalty and rebellion. In this action
they were not only advised and encouraged by
the Federal Administration but protected by
the military power Of the National Govern
ment. So prompt and efectnal We're the pro-
ceedings of this portion OF the Union men OF
Virginia, in giving expression to Their de7otlon
to the CONSTITUTION and the Union, that our
pineteen days elapsed from ne time at which
the State authorities in Richmond abjured
their allegiance, before the representatives OF
the loval constituencies had filed the places
vacated by treason and rebellion, with men
whose efficiency and devotion to the National
cause amply vindicated the wisdom Of their
selection. That the restoration Of the State
government, in the manner and form in which
it now exists, was in accordance with the views
and wishes Of the National Administration, Is