Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-05-17
Meeting insApgusta County.

SPeecheS Of Hons. 4. II. II. Stuart and John
B. BaldOin- piirSinia to be Restored to
tho UniOn-- Yieaps Of the. Former Gentle
ma" as to the Rights of CItizens-RssOTu-
tion' Adopted-A Convention Wanted.
We received yesterday the following pro J
eeedings Of a meeting held in Augusta couu-
ty. They were sent through to US as far as
the Baltimore road by hand, and afterwards
by mail. We presume that we are indebted
for them to the Chairman and Secretary Of
the meeting:
STAuNroN, May 9, 1865.
Editors IHtelEgenceT: ;
Z In pursuance of public notice which
had been extensively circulated, a large
and respectable meeting of the people Of
Augusta county assembled at the Court
House, on Monday, 9Th Of May, to take
measures looking to a reorganization of the
government of Virginia, in conformity to
the constitution and laws of the United
States. i''' . 30
~ On. motion of Col. William A. Bell, Hon.
Alex. b. n. Stuart was called to the Chair.
and DR.. Thos W. Shelton aud W. q. q.
Lynn, we're Rppointed Secretaries. On
taking the Chair, Mr.. Stuart spoke as fol-
lows: IIg.-uu
FeEEotD. Citizens: We have met together
to-day oldeeide what course we ought to
pursue under the peculiar circumstances
by which weiars surrounded. ~ ...f
The war which has ragged throughout our
land for four years past, aud has left 90
many evidences of its desolating power, tn
part of il, has at length ceased. The vet.
erau armies of Lee and Johnson have ca
pitnlAted and g. similRr doubtless
aWaiss, It It hRssnot already befatlen the
Confederate force west of the Mississippi.
The President OF the Confederate States,
and his cabinet have been constrained to
abandon the seat of government, without
any reasonable prospect. of being able to
establish themselves and resume the exer-
else Of their functions in any of the South.
ern States.
The Governor of Virginia has also With
drawn himself. from the Capitol, taking
the State Government.
There has thus been q, virtual sbdica-
tion of the Confederate government, and a
suspension of the functions of The authori-
ties of the State.
In this anomalous condition of things,
when those officers who were chosen to
represent the people, and to be the guardi.
ans Of their rights and interests, have lost
the power to do so, it becomes the duty! oi
the people to speak for themselves and to
determine what measures may be best for
the advancement Of their safety aud vel.
fare.
All must admit that the war is ended,
and that there Is no purpose to resume
military operations. The recent surrender
of Gems. Lee and johnson, embraced much
the larger number of the experienced aud
skillful officers of the Southern army, and
the articles of caPitulation, subsequently,
entered into, have placed almost the entire
tIorganized dimilitaryyforc east of. the Missis
sippi, under obligations not to take ur
arms against the United States until rega.
larly exchanged. .r IL
We are thus in the extraordinary condi.
| ton of people deprived of the benefit ot
any regular government, either civil oil
military. The tendency Of such a,state o.
things is to disorder and anarchy IL
some instances msrauding parties of armed
men have plundered our citizens and acts
of violence have been committed, which
are calculated to create sense,of insecu
rity amongst our people.
sgUnder these cirCumstances,-- we, are as
sambiedHo consider what couree we shall
adopt to secure the best protection of per-
son and property, and the largest measure
of our rights, both personal and political
which may be practicable. i5f
1t has been suggested that our wisesI
course is to do nothing, but to await the
development of events. lido not approve
this suggestion. think we should en-.
deavor, as far as we can, to give shape and
direction to our own destiny. If we fail,
Ie will ef least save ourselves the reproach
of not haviUg made an effort to DO co.
Those who advocate policy merely pass:
i've, seem to act on the idea that we have
lost all our right, and must accept such
form of government as may be imposed
on us. p This notion arises from the fact
that those who entertain Il confOuna tht
idea Of Power and Right, which are two
very different thtngs. a vfctotious party
may have the power to impose an obnox.
ious form of government on it's defeated
adversary, but 1t by no means.follOws thai
it has theright to do so.
In my Judgment, it is proper that thu
people Of Virginia should express in public
| meetings-thei' only mode left to them o
giving authentic expression to their senti
ments-their recognition of the fact tha
the war has cessed-fnally ceased-tha
the attempted revolution has finally failed
and that there is no purpose. on their par
to renew it. -..,...5
When it is thus made manifest that th
people accept,th fHte,e, which in the for
tunes of war is our's, and that they are pre-
pared to recognize the authority of th
Constitution OF the, United States, from tha
moment .our relations to the United State
government are materially modified, an
l rights which may have remained in abey
ance, during the continuanceo Of hOstllitiel
are immediately revived in full force an
vigor. tg
when the war is at an end all those pow
La nIoinnna "a Rar no Z ara and aa natLaI