Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-26
The Peirpoint Government


The Peirpoint Government
We were somewhat surprised yester-
dav when we received the following
letter. We had supposed that the in
formation asked for in our correspond
ent,s queries was already in the posses
sion Of all virginians Of mature age
But rs such seems not to be the fact
we comply Vith his request. lie writes
as follows:
"Tbat Money"
IN fhe Editor Of the Dispatch
AsI nudge you printed 'Goyernor" +. H.
peirpointis letter partially for the peneIt oi
your readers. will you be so KIND az 10 prih.
also how he became Governor OF Nirslnla
the inference is that he claimed 10 Ve OoS
ernoY In JUig, 1861. NOW really tnousnt
Thai the true Governor OF Virginia was
then In Richmond. and that he resided IN
thai city until he had served out the tl1ne ior
which be was elected by the people. AZ ne
MIR PeirpoinD was elected or appointed
t,overpor OF Virginia when what IS now
known as Nest Virginia was gd6 OF viz
GINA. now did he after West virginia was
recognized as a separate state py tne Coy
posltion OF Governor Of ITgm,dl III ne
vas Governor OF Virginia after west Nlr-
ginla became separate s.ate was .hSle
any so called Legislature oil Nlrginla Whlcn
recoenjzed him as Governor, ana II So IN
what way were the members elected: or II
moi elecfed In what way were men ap,
pointed members OF such Legislature?
ieally thought that after west virginia
was recognized by the united states Wv
ernmeni as q state the great bulk OF what
Iof f.f clH NirfriniA elected
the legislature which met in Richmond.
IN Governor Peirpoint's claim as Governor
OF Virginia rests solely on the TACT tnat tue
United States Government recognized nun
MS such and the same was the case WIN
his bogus Legislature, i can understand
the matter: otherwise the whole tnlng
is Dutch 10 me. i cont suppose thai
money will ever be seen any more. Dut u
The matter was carried to the supreme
Court OF the United states and decided
Ie0diID IL might turn out that both Governor
Peirpoint and his Legislature were bogus.
and in that event the claim OF Virginia
might prove Of more value than you seem
10 think Please also state II the proceei-
jpgs uuder Governor Pierpoints Legislature
(Which met outside OF RichmOnd some
where) were after the war transferred 10
Richmond and filed as legal acts OF the
state of Virginia, and have since the war
been recognized as such, aud so now con.
stitute and make up a part OF the hiHory OF
the States
has ever decided the point, las 10 whether
Mr.. Peirpont and his Legislature were gem
uine or bogus.) am not aware OF the fact.
Congress can pass laws when though
approved by the President and all under
him. may afterwards be declared by the
Supreme Court OF the United States TO be
"null and void' aud when that is done.
such laws are supposed to nave no sortN
weight, but stand as IL were, repealed. or
course II the court referred TO has ever de-
IA sl.af bAtrnntnf l.p-
gislature were legal authorities, that would
end the matter in all It's bearings. You will
certainly give the young people VINO nave
grown up since the war good deal OF infor-
nation by replying TO the questions asked
L. vi. A.
PEIRPoINT was in 1861 made Cover
nor of what was called "the restored
or recognized State Of Virginia" Dele
gates from twenty-five western coun-
ties met in Wheeling in May of that
year, and passed resolutions de-
nouncipg the ordinance OF secession,
and provided for convention OF dele
gates from all the counties adhering to
the National Government. Delegates
were elected in forty counties. They
assembled in Wheeling June llth, re-
undated the acts Of the Virginia Con-
yention at Richmond, and on the Goth
elected PEIRPoINT to be Governor OF
Virginia. A Northumberland and
other State officers were also APP
pointed. A Legislature was elected in
q hurry. 1t assembled in Wheeling
on tho Goth Of July, 1861, and elected
two senator's to represent mot West
Virginia) Virginia in the United States
Senate. Those senator's were admitted
into the United States Senate as sena-
tors Of the State Of Virginia. The PEIR'
POINT Legislature gave its consent the
next year to the formation Of the State
Of West Virginia. The State Of West
Virginia was formed in 1862, and the
officers of the State of Virginia moved
to Alexandra and set up the State
government Of Virginia there. The
Virginia Legislature, elected in counties
under the military control Of the United
States, also net in Alexandria. Con
gress recognized this government a
genuine by admitting West Virgins
into the Union as q State, the Fedora
Constitution providing that no Stat
shall be formed or erected within tn
jurisdiction of any other State withou
tho consent Of the Legislature of th
State concerned. The President, fc
himself, and the Senate by itse
and as part Of Congress, hayiu
in these several ways recognize
the PKIRPoINT government as th
real government Of Virginia, it onl
remained for il to be so recognized b
the Judicial department. Berkeley an
Jefferson counties were added to Yves
Virginia after the formation Of tina
State, and Vir ;inia brou ;ht suit in tn
Supreme Court Of the United States t
recover at least those counties. Tha
tribunal Of last resort decided in favo
Of West vir. inia, and thus recognize
the PEIRpoISr government as the rea
government Of Virginia. After tn
surrender Of Richmond that goyero
ment moved from Alexandra to Rich
mond. AMI WIS ere recos med ss tn
real government Of Virginia. And I,
cap the clim,x the people Of virsini,
in 1869 ratified the present Constitu
ton Of this State, whicl sets forth tina
the government kept up in Richmont
mond during the war was . "pre
tended" government. The Constiu
ton, Article X, section 10, provides
"No appropriation shall ever BE-
made for III payment Of any debt OF
obligstion Great d In the nsme Of the
ck>to ~ Vie .,,,is hv fha ueupne6 and