Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-06-13


cent installation Of Gov. Pierpoint at
Richmond, and also to the important and
perple1iug work that lies before him as the
Chief Magistrate of the Old Dominion
His transfer to the ancient capital city of
Virginia from AIexandria, marks not only
a new and most important era in his own
official career but in the whole history
and policy of the sttempt during the last
four years to restOEe she seceded and rebel.
liods States 10 the Union. We have said
that his position as the elected head of
the most popuIous and Influential southern
States lie only second, at this time, to that
OF the President of the United States
And so it is. The Governor stands con-
spicuousIy forth as the Instrument and
exponent of the national government in
the work of restoring Virginia and the
other seeded States, as States, to the
Union. The Presidents declared theory
that no State ever has gone or ever can
go out of the Union, and that all of them
lately In rebellion are to be brought back
to the fold, not as territories, but as
States, ia to be thoroughly and Representa-
lively tested through Gov. Pierpoint 1t
was because of the overshadowiDg impor-
tance of his mission and position that hiul
transfer from Alexandria was 80 long de-
layed, in order that his envoyship might
be fully mstured in the Cabinet councils
at Washington. To assume the Governor
ship of all OF Virginia, in exchange for the
Hierarchy OF a few counties along the tide
water, was not the only nor the chief fea-
ture OF the change. Within sight of the
capitol dome at Washington and under
the shadow of the bayonets of hundred
thousand friends, it was a small matter to
sit at Alexandria and act as Governor the.
oreticalIy for all of Virginia. tits another
thing to 90 to Richmond and 10 the midst
OF people who have been for four years
the focus Of the rebellion, and who regard
their legitimate Governor as at this time
fugitive from his rightful position, assert
and maintain claim to be the Chief Mag.
istrate of Virginia, and entitled as such to
be obeyed and respected in every comfy
OF the State. To the ninety nine hun
dredths of the people of Virginia Governor
PeirPoint was a perfect stranger at the
time of his arrival at Richmond. To-day
but very few of them have any idea how
or by what E olOr of claim as a civil COVER
nor he comes among them. Intellipen,
men in Richmond recently asked the writer
OF this article to explain to them the ma
ture of his claim. The people generally
suppose that the Governor is an imported
creature of the Federal government
brought into the state here at Wheeling ear.
ly in the war, and gradually worked around
Richmond-Wards via Alexandria. "A for
the history OF the restored COVER nment Of
Virginia, it is a sort of Chaldean mystery
to them. even when explained. How auv
man could be the Governor of Virgins
without their votes for the last four years
Is something they cannot understand
The Richmond papers have as yet had lit.
tie to say on the subject, apparently from
want of light themselves. 1t will only b,
when the whole subject is fully writer
mp and thoroughly detailed, that the peo.
pie will be prepared to appreciate as they
should, not only the personal and politica
history of Gov. Pierpoint himself, but o
the grand movement by which the soyer.
eighty of Virginia reverted from the nm
worthy hands of John Letcher back to III,
loyal people of tho State, aud theme,
again was delegated to the keeping o
their present loyal aud lawful Chief Mao
istrate. When the history of the restored
government is understood as 1t should he
by all readers of newspapers in Virginia
and when it has champions on every bus.
ings, as.it will have 10 few mouths Their
more than half Gov. PierpOiut's embar.
easements and difficulties will have beer
surmOunted. AT present he has to contend
with false public opinion
with false conviction that he ia il.
legitimately claiming and assuming Gubs.
natOral fuuctiOus-iu short, with a curr.n
belief that 10 is usurper who has n,
warrant of authority other than the bsek
ing he receives from Federal bOvonets
Every day will tend to uudeceivs the p.o
pie, for every day the Governor Is COMING
IN contact with the leading men of Viz,
GINA who journey to Richmond as Com
mtssiOueFs from some county, to see aut
converse with him as to the restoration n
civil authority at the various Court. bopse,
and in the Msgts,erial districts. Ann.
rently there is but one desire among All
those who thus visit the Governor an
that Is to lay at his feet pledges and assur.
Onces of good faith aud good fellowship
in the work of restoring viFgiuis to perfec
working harmony with the Government O
the United States, including all the law
and proclamatiops in reference to slavery
You will hear no one in Richmond mai,
an issue on the sIayerv onss,;o, =,