The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1865-06-20
lFrom the Richmond Republic, May 2s]
Governor Pisrpont's Policy.

pont IN THIS city, iNlrglnla erter5 upon q
new epoch in her history. SThe fall of
Richmond on the Sd OF April, and the
surrender Of General Lees army, pro.
duced an interregum of the civil admin.
istration, which is now terminated.
Civil rule has been substituted during the
period Of martial law. This has been
administered with moderation and sue.
cess by military officers, who have won
The esteem and admiration OF the peo.
pie by the admirable order and discipline
which they have preserved, and the ur-
banity with which they have discharged
their functions.
The military rule will continue for
some time to come. 1t is not desired by
the community that it should be sus-
pended, The people have felt the ad.
vantage of military discipline too sensi-
bly, to be willing as yet to give it up.
But, although martial law will con,
tinue the Governor will have much to
do in the work Of organization. 1t is
his purpose, we believe, gradually to pro.
vide for the organization of the coun.
ties. This will be followed by writs of
election for members of the General AS
semb)y in such counties. When the
counties comprising any Congressional
district shall have been organized, then
the election of a Representative in Con.
grees from such district will be authoriz-
ed The work will thus be done gra.
'lually aud in detail. The people will
have it very much in their own power
to hasten or rctard the progress Of it
Wetrust that the people throughout the
Commonwealth will meet the earnest
wishes of the Governor, aud by their CO.
operation hasten to secure to every coun-
ty the benefits of law and government,
and bring the whole State into full rela
tons with the Union
We have been favorably impressed
with the character Of the Governor.
He feels his task tn be difficult and EN-.
barrassng. A fierce spirit is growing
mp at the North, under the develop.
ments Of the trial which is going on Mt
Washington, which renders the task of
reconstruction exceedingly dificnlt. A
powerful party demands that the States
of the South shall be denied their rights
as States, and be reduced to the condi.
tion of Territories, ruled by officers ap.
pointed by the. federal Executive, and
supported by the military power.
1t demands that in organizing them
into States, the widest and most indis.
criminate latitude should be given to the
right of suffrage, except that it.. would
deny the right TO those who have been
parties to the rebellion.
The conservatives, on the other hand
desire 10 preserve the States in their
constitutional integrity, and to organize
loyal civil governments in all of them. in
harmony with the Union. This conser.
vative party is, therefore exceedingly
anxious that Governor Pierpont should
have tho cordial support and co.opera.
tion of tie mass of the Virginia people.
If he should fail to receive such support,
it will be proclaimed by the radicals
that there is no loyaltyii Virginia; that
there is, therefore, none in the other
States of the South lately engaged in
rebellion, and that the scheme of treat
ing them as States and entrusting them
with the power Of organizing govern.
ments Of their own, is dangerous and alb.
surtl.
1t will be at once seen how delicate
and difficult a task is this experiment Of
re.establishmg State government in
Virginia. The difficulty is not with re.
ference to any opposition It may receive
from the people of Virginia bnt with
reference to the dlstrust which is so
strongly manifested by the North in re.
gard 70 Southern loyalty. Whatever
objections some of the people might feel
towards any featuresof the present State
government, or to the regularity of any
ofthe steps by which it has been estab.
lished, it is plain that they cannot be-
urged with prudence at the present
time. This government is in fact, the
only link which connects our Common.
wealth with the federal government and
Union. If that falls we fall at once into
A ~ III. n - L.