The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-10-29

material term begins), when they respec.
lively entered upon their gu5ernatorial
office. and fifteen were no older than Mr..
Montague is now
Three Of the Governors were non-na-
tiyes of the State and all natives OF New
lork-Johnson, Walker, and Wells
More than n dozen lived beyond the al
lOtted threescore and ten years, and two,
Governors, Johnson and Smith, to more
than 30 years OF age From 1864 to
1870 the history OF Virginia governor
ship is this: Governor William Smith
was chosen in 1888, and entered upon
his duties the LIST Of January, 1860.
Governor +. H. Pierpont was running
skeleton loyal governments at Alexandria
from 1864 When Richmond iellin 1865
in April, Governor Smiths gubernatorial
work ceased and early in May of that
year Governor PierpOnt backed by the
United States Government, moved TO
Richmond. and exercised the functions Of
government until April 1868, (under the
Constitution of the restored government,
which was proclaimed at Alexandria,
April II 1860, when he was removed
by the military and H. II. Wells appoint
ed Wells held the office until April n,
1869, on which day Gilbert c. Walker
was appointed Governor, and served un-
til January 26, 1870 under his military
appointment. when the State, having
been restored to the Union by the act Of
Congress of that date, the present or I'm
derwood Constitution, having been
adopted by the people Walker, who had
been chosen by the people over Wells,
took the office of Governor, and held it
until January, 1874.
Every Governor since 1874 has been a
Confederate soldier, from James l..
Kemper to j. Hoge Tyler (the present in
cumbent) included.
THE VETO POWER
From 1876 until 1870, the date of the
present Underwood Constitution, no Gov
ernor of Virginia enjoyed the veto power
1t seems at the early day, to with 1776,
there was an apprehension that the Gov
ernor might undertake to exercise too
much power and the Constitution OF
1916 and 1880 provided for Councils OF
State to hold the Governors in check.
These were abolished by the Constitution
OF 1SjO-1S51, but the Governors were
not then given the power of Withholding
approval from legislation. Certain it is
that the veto power was first conferred
by the Constitution Of 1870. Since the
war the Governors OF Virginia have rep
resented but two of the religious denomi-
nations OF the State, Episcopalians and
Presbyterians The last three Governors
have been Presbyterians, but il the DEM
ocratic candidate Montague wins in this
fight, the Baptists will have their first
gubernatorial inning since the war.
Since 1851 when Governors were first
elected by the people, before that time
Governors in Virginia were chosen by the
Legislature, period OF fifty years, only
one Governor has ever been chosen in OPP
position to the regular Democratic NOM
inee and that was in 1881 when W. +.
Cameron, Readjuster, was elected over
John W. Daniel, the Democratic nominee.
Cameron is now a Democratic member OF
the State Constitutional Convention.
For the information ofpoliticians now as
in the future it may be stated that of the
100 counties in Virginia only twenty
nine have ever furnished Governor,
though some counties have furnished
three Chief Executives. Here are the
counties from which the Virginia Cover