The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-06-22
MESSAGE OF GOV. pIERpo1NT.

MESSAGE OF GOV. PIERPOINT.
The Virginia Legislature assembled
at Richmond, on Monday, and on Tues
day Governor f. H. Pierpoint, sent in
the following message:
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of
Delegates Of Virginia:
Nothing but pressing exigency, in
my opinion, could induce me to call you
present time, when only ten days re-
main of the term for which you were
| elected. At the time of the adjourn
ment of the last session the country was
still disturbed by the domestic violence
which had existed for nearly four years.
1t was impossible for me to foresee, or
you to know, its sudden termination,
and to provide for the state of affairs
now existing. find further legislation
necessary to meet the emergencies which
have arisen. l regret that l cannot
preface my message with the set phrases
of my predecessors during the halcyon
days of the Republic, congratulating
you upon the enjoyment, by the people
of our Commonwealth, of "Peace and
Prosperity"
Our State has been made the seat of
domestic violence. In the conflict
large portion of our public works have
been destroyed or rendered useless. Our
banks are worthless to the State--our
literary fund is gone. The business part
of our beautiful capital city is in ruins.
Other cities and'villages, once flourish
ments. Many fine mansions have; been
rendered tenantless, while others have
been consumed by devOuring fiames.--
Whole agricultural districts, where once
We're the comfortable homes of Virgin
ians, now present waste of desolation.
The land is beloved with the graves of
American citizens. Tens of thousands
of our own people have found an un4
timely end, and we everywhere behold
; the habiliments of mourning.
The force of the violence. in the bat
tle-field is now exhausted. Many of
those who participated actively i'll the
strife, whose lives are spared, have re-
turned to their homes. Numbers who
fled to other States to avoid the fury of
passion and strife of battle have also re-
turned.
Thanks to mereiful God, Peace,
blessed Peace has come again to our be-
loved old Commonwealth.
Doubtless it would be blessing to the
people of the State could each one blot
from his memory every act of the past
four years but this is impossible; the
laws of mind remain unchanged; and
it is our duty as an enlightened people
to adapt ourselves to the circumstances
which surround us, learn wisdom by ex-
perience, and turn to advantage all that
is left in our power for future happiness
and prosperity.
A few months before the Inauguration
of the acts towhich have referred, and
while peace and prosperity reigned,
am satisfied that the great mass Of the
| people were ardently attached to the old
Union and the Flag of our Fathers
This opinion is abundantly proven by
the sentiment expressed in the Presiden-
tial canvass of 1850, and the popular vote
for members of the State Convention in
1851.
| / shall not here enter into a discussion
of the causes of secession, but will state
some of TIE political results of that act,
and, in Uoing So / shall quote freely
from one of my former messages:
In April, 1861, the State Convention
passed what was called an ordinance of
secession, pretending to absolve the peo-
pie of the State from the duties and OBJ
y
and thereby to destroy our nationality.
They ATTEMPTED to transferthe allegiance
of the people to pretended foreign ma
ton. This action was opposed by the
loyal men of the State as unlawful and
revolutionary, holding that the Constitu-
ton of the United States was adopted by
| the people of the United States, and
could only be altered or amended by
| them, acting in conformity with its own
provisions for its amendment of altera-
| ton.
| The executive officers of the State
+! having joined the insurrectionsts, the
| loyal people of the State We're thrown
| upon their original rights as citizens of
the State and the United States. They
| called convention, composed of the
| members elected to the General Assem-
bly,, ON the 4th Thursday of May, 1861,
and, in addition thereto, doubled the
| number of delegates that each county
was entitled to in the popular branch of
the Legislature. The capital of the
State being in the hands of the insur-
gents, the Convention assembled at
Wheeling, on the 18th day of June, 1861,
to take into consideration what was best
to be done for Virginia.
Among the first ordinances which
they passed was one to declare the offices
of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and
Attorney General vacant, ON account of
the incumbents Of said offices having
taken an oath to support what they
deemed foreign government; and the
Convention proceeded to elect officers to
fill their places for the term of six
months, and until the loyal people of
the State, by order of the General AS
sembly, should elect their SUCCESSORS.
The Governor, thus elected, immedi-
ately notified the President of the Uni |
ted States of the domestic violence exis-
ting in the State and of his inability to |
suppress it, and called for military assis-
lance, in accordance with the provisions
of the Constitution of the United States.
To this call the President of the Uni
ted States, through his Secretary of /
War, responded, both by promising aud
sending military aid, also expressing his
knowledge of the acts and purposes of
The Considerations The Executive of
the State, thus recognized, Immediately
called together the General Assembly
of the State. Messrs. Hunter and Mas
son, the U. s., Senators from Virginia,
having also Joined in the rebellion, the
Legislature thus called proceeded to
elect two United States Senators to fill
their places. The Senators thus elected
were admitted to- seats in the United !
States Senate, ~ (,
|