Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-05-18
The pierpopt Government.

|
it has been selected by him as the proper
agency for the restoration of law and order
in Virginia, brief history of ii will be of
interest. In letter addressed to the Ma
ttonal Mteuigencer, March 4, 1865, JosEPH
SEGAR, well.known citizen Of Virginia,
traced the Picrpont government from its
inception to that date, and as the facts re-
cited by him are hardly subject of dispute,
We condense them here.
Soon after Virginia seeded, the people
of the northwest portion of the State called
a convention and organized government of
their own, as against the seeded and rebel
portion of the State, claiming that the loyal
people of Virginia are the people ofVirginia
and possessors of her political power. I'm
der the order of this convention new legis-
lature and governor were elected, FRANCIS
w. PIERpoNT having been chosen governor,
and in short time the new legislature as
sembled and put the reorganized govern
mcnt in operation. Governor PIERPoNT
applied, Immediately after his Inauguration,
W Ine L icsiuCul loT nliitiiy dIu w ouppicoo
domestic violence" and the President,
under the provisions of the constitution and
the act Of congress Of Feb. 2S, 1895, re-
sponded to the governors call by sending
United States troops to give the desired
protection. By this act of recognition, Mr..
SEGAR asserts the President determined
the legality of the new government as in the
Dorr rebellion" and cites Luther as. Bor-
den, 9TH Howard's Rep, p. /. Congress
also admitted to seats both senator's and
representatives from the new government,
consequently the recognition by the United
States Of the Wheeling government was
complete, and in June, 1868, West Virginia,
under act of congress and the legislation of
the Wheeling government, became sepa-
rate State, forty-two named counties con
sttuting it. OF course none other than the
counties named could form the new State.
But there were other counties that had
adopted the Wheeling government, and that
by the erection of West Virginia were left
without civil government. These counties
we're located in eastern and Piedmont Vir-
ginia. Geographically and commercially,
as well rs by the action of congress, they
were disconnected from northwestern Vir-
ginia. They had either to submit them
selves TO military government, attach them
selves to the rebel government, or, following
their fellow citizens of the northwest Or
ganize loyal government for themselves.
May 4, 1863, thirty three days be-
fore West Virginia became fully State
which day, by the laws of Virginia, was gem
eral election day, the voters Of these coun-
ties ofreorganized Virginia went to the polls
at the places appointed by law, and elected
governor, lieutenant governor, attorney
general, sheriffs and other civil officers, and
members of congress. On the 7th of De-
ccmbcr, 1863 the new legislature met in
pursuance Of the laws of the State and on
the first of January following Governor
PEERpoNT was inaugurated as governor
| The inferior officers were also duly installed
at the times and places designated by law.
On the 2lst of December, 1863, the leg
islature passed law calling convention to
amend the old constitution and on the 18th
of February, 1864, the convention assem-
bled, and many changes were made in the
constitution, one of them providing for the
abolition of slavery.
The legislature assembled in December
last pursuant to law, and continued in scs.
sion up to and after the date of Mr.. SEGAR S
letter, - March 1, 1865, and shortly previ
Gus to that date elected United States sen.
ators, he being one. The counties actually
represented in the legislature have a popu-
lation of 250, 900
1t will be noticed from Mr. SEGARs his
tory of the Pierpont government that it is
not at all affected by the West Virginia
organization. Indeed, had not the counties
which participated in the election of May,
1868, been at all connected with the Wheel
ing government, their action would have
been as valid in the election, if the principle
upon which the Wheeling organization
rested-that the loyal people of State are
the sole possossors of political powcr-be
accepted as correct. In the May election of
1863 there was judicious and faithful OBJ
servance Of law and the forms of law, that
being the day of general election according
to the code Of Virginia. The Pierpont or
ganization is an emphatic denial of Whit
ingism. II proceeded from first to last on
the assumption that Virginia was State
lawfully in the Union, and that her consti-
tuition and laws could not be changed by the
action of men in rebellion against the United
States government President JOHNSON,
therefore, in his recognition of it, is entirely
consistent with hisdecarations touching the
unimpaired validity of state governments in
consequence of secession or any act or acts
based thereon
Amount Of Cotton now In the
south.
The New York journolof Commences says:
'Sincc the fall of Mobile we have been able
to extend our researches at the South, and
we have now obtained what we consider re.