Year: 1863




passages from the Message of his Excellency Of
Virginia.


OPENING REMARKS


In this crisis have deemed it advisable to convene you
extraordinary session. in order that the freshly
representatives Of the people may consult and devise such
will be calculated to the existing emer-
gency public affairs The has been progress
for than two years and half and has been prose-
cuted against with ferocty unparalleled in all past
struggles between contending parties 1t has been
Quoted upon the avowed principle of sui eating either
by force of by visiting upon people the bor-
of famine Hence it s that oed and defeated
and again upon the field of BATTLE they have adopted the
policy of desolang FARMS destroying crops burn


ing dwellings, stealing and carrying away proper
ty leaving wives and children perish by the slow
torture OF starvation 1t is longer for the preser
walton of the old Union it originally proclaimed to
be- but has degenerated into for the emancipation
If slaves and this purpose the Administration at
Washington propose to accomplish if the extermna-
ton of the white OF all and conditions
the Southern ConIederacy shall be the result We have
no alternative therefore, but to defend ourselves with all
the power energy, and ability command We must
succeed if would be Tree and independent people
worthy of the utrious ancestry from which we descend
ed. To succeed must have union, harmony concert
Cancellation, courage energy and determined resolution
the part of rulers and people We must cultivate one
towards another the noble virtues of prudence toeraon
charity and iorbearance.


DEFENCE OF THE STATE


The subject first in Importance, far as The Common
wealth concerned is the best means of providing an
adeauate force for the local defence of the State


or rad and for the execution of the laws n


resort to force shall at any time become necessary The
entire military force of The State has been absorbed by
the conscription law, and we are thus left in time Of
greatest peril with militia organization for the defence
of the Commonwealth. This want can be and must be
supplied with little delay practicable As TO the
plan of rang this force aware there is much diver
sy Of opinion. The difference, however ia reconcilsabe


if the subject considered and discussed in patriotic
spirit.


Let force consist of all able bodied persops be,yean
the ages OF sixteen and sixty not in the Confederate
vice organized, spOndng with the force now or
ganzed in the cities OF Richmond Petersburg and Lynch
burg. Let them be regularly enrolled formed into com.
panes baalious, and regiments and ofcered in such
manner will be most likely to secure efficient intelIi-
gent and energetic They should be drilled at pro.
per intervals to be well instructed in the evoutons
and the manual aud prepared for efficient service when
ever the necessity shall


The act should also define what local defence as there
is much conrarety opinion in regard to it, Some think


local defence consists in remaining home and under no
circumstances to be taken out the CITY or county in
which the company is organized This in my view is
most mistaken notion of the meaning of the term local
defence and, IT 1t is TO prevail will work great mischief
and render the organization little value in giving protec
tion people My opinion s, that if the city of
Richmond be defended certainly fifty miles from
il than Immediately around it In it, that locality il the
proper place for its defence and the local militia should
be required to make the defence there The officer
charged with the defence OF any particular locality ia pre-
suued to be better acqusinted with the mode o
it, and the best point for defending it successfully and he
should direct all troops best to secure the end de-
sired.


The object Of such organizations should be to give ade
auate protection to all parts Of the Commonwealth We
must only provide for the defence Of the counties
cities and towns by the local forces in and immediately
around them but we must under the law which is pro-
posed to be passed, have authority to order others from
contiguous counties TO their aid and support A force
whose operations to be confined by county city or town
boundaries can prove OF but little value in checking raids
or in executing and enforcing obedience to the laws


This organization should made to embrace the for
eign population who located amongst us This for
egn population may be sad to of three classes
First those who nave been regularly naurazed and Who
are therefore citizens embraced by the laws reatno n
the public defence; second those who are domiced
amongst us and have been living in our midst and prose
cutting various branches of business and who left their ma
tive land with purpose intention of returning IN 4
and lastly those who temporarily soiournnp amongst
The first class 10 the service under our military
laws and the second class should be required to 90 into
service for public defence of the soil on which they reside
The latter class who sourners engaged m no reouIa
business, should be exempt recommend therefore that
in your legislation upon this subject the second class h
referred to shall be clearly and distinctly embraced


THE REpUDATEp cuRREScY


The General Assembly its last session prescribed that
no Confederate issues date anterior to April 9Th 1864
should be received IN payment Of State taxes | am nm.
able to comprehend either the wisdom or policy of this
legislation l is calculated to impair confidence in the
currency OF the Confederate Government and nde.d in
amost the only currency in circulation the greater por
ton OF the State We have State bank circulation we
have no State Treasury note circulation both of these de-
scrpons OF notes having been boarded as fast as they
could be collected by moneyed men. The consequences
therefore, s that the holders Of the repudated Conede
rate issues are driven to the necessity of shaving off those
they have order procure such as will enable them to
meet the demands OF the State While it was not tho in.
enton OF the Legislature to place the taxpayers this
condition. such is inevitably the effect.


The only reason have ever heard assigned in justca
ton OF this legislation s that t designed force
persons holding this currency to fund in Confederate bonds
and thus retire 1t from circulation. Congress- feeling the
difficulty, and desirous to compel the funding passed an
act which provides that oil notes Of issues previous 10 De-
csmber lst, 1862, should be fuudabe in eight per cent
bonds If presented by the 22d day of April 1863 il not
presented by that day but presented before the st OF
August, 1863 they then fundabe per cent
bo aud these issues not undable at all after the
lst of August Notes Issued aler December Ist 1869
are funiable in per cent bonds until August Ist
1863 and after that date in per cent bonds Notes
is ued after April lat 1863 uldabe in six per cent
bonds il presented in twelve months from their ssue
but # not so presented they iundabe in four per cent
bonds.
This looks to me very much like reputation 10 some
extent Of the obligations assumed by the and