Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-03-14
OF THE GOVERNOR,
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
cHMoND, March 4, 1867.

!. EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
i RICHMOND, March 4, 1867.
/. 10 the Senate and House of Delegates of
] Virginia
GENrLEMEN-I deem it my duty to call
your attention to the recent act of Congress,
entitled "an act to provide for the more
efficient Government of the rebel States"
The last six years have made AN eyentful
period in our history. One crisis has
scarcely passed before another of greater
magnitude has arisen- During tire canvass,
of 1860, for President and Vice President,
scarcely press, and but few politicians,
adyocared the secession, of the State from
the UnioG. In January, 1861, the Gem
eral Assembly called a convention, which
met at the Capitol on the 18th day of Feb
ruary of the same year A full vote of the
people was cast at the election for Dele
| gates to this convention. The subject Of
Union and Secession was then distinctly
before them, and two-thirds of the votes
cast were for the Union candidates. A vast
majority thus declared that they were un-
alterably attached to the Constitution and
the Union of their fathers. They were
happy, with all their rights fully protected.
The declaration was made by leading
newspaper of this city, that the State should
be dragged OUT of the Union. En- less
than seventy days from the assembling of
the convention the ordinance of secession"
was adopted, the terrible civil war through
which we have just passed inaugurated.
From that day to the present, my whole
energies have been devoted, in the fear Of
God, to do what | could for the benefit Of
my native State. In no instance have
suffered caprice, resentment, OF ill-will, to
govern my public action. s
In June of 1865, I recommended the re-
moval, by the General Assembly, of the
disqualification of voters, imposed by the
State Constitution, as then in force. This
action was dictated by two reasons First,
because | became satisfied that, in a MAORI
ty ofthe counties of the State, tinere could
not be found half the requisite number Of
| qualified mel to ell the Offices Necessary to
administer the laws. At least ninety per
centum of the taxes of the State would have
been paid by nien who were disqualified
from voting or holding Office, under the
provisions of the Constitution. To attempt
to organize and carry on a Republican gov
eminent, under such circumstances, was
out of the question. In the second place,
| was prompted to this action by a mag
nanimity that I believed existed in the
hearts of vast majority of the people Of
the Northern States, all Of whom reioieed
at the termination Of the civil strife which
had brought sorrow to so many homes; and
believed that the Southern people had ac-
cepted the situation in good faith. This
opinion is confirmed by a recurrence to the
history of the times. The terms imposed
by the Commanding General were consid-
cred magnanimous, and approved by the
people, and that General still retains his
popularity Previously to the action of
the Virginia Legislature, the President
commenced the establishment of civil Gov
ernments in the other Southern States,
(where he declared no State Governments
existed upon terms even more liberal
than the policy adopted in Virginia. He
rehabiliated the people III these States, who
had been engaged in the rebellion. He
also entered upon a liberal policy Of grant
ing pardons, under an act of Congress, to
/ those who had taken up arms against the
Government of the United States, and had
otherwise become liable to the penal laws.
While these acts were Transporting, in the
summer and fall of 1865, committees from
all parties in the Northern States, and |
believe, from all the States, waited Oh the
President, to express their full confidence
in his patriotism and their approval OF his
administration Not convention, North
of Mason and Dixion's line, met to nomi-
nate Candidates for county or State officers,
but passed resolutions eommendatosy Of
President johnson and his policy. These
resolutions, with the eulogies of the press
of both political parties, formed part of
the political literature Of that summer and
fall. On the assembling Of the present
Congress, a joint committee of both Houses
was appointed, to whom all questions in re-
gard to reconstruction were referred That
committee continued its Investigations for
seven months, which resulted in the pro-
position to add the fourteenth article to the
Constitution of the United States and the
section of the act of Congress under which
the President was granting pardons, was
not repealed for thirteen months after Con-
gress had it in its power to stop these par
dons by a repeal of the law.
Shortly after pardoAs and amnesty be-
gan to be freely granted by the President,
the Southern press assumed a bold, defiant.
bitter and vindictiye tone Memorial as
sociations and various other movements
were inaugurated, which afforded opportu-
mites for infammatory lectures, orations
and essays, all calcalated to stir up and
keep alive in the memory Of the people of
the State, a hatred of the people of the
Northern States and the Government of
the United States. The most objectiona-
BILE parts Of these performances have been
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