Year: 1863

=
Or, from earth s poor, faint existence,
Raise him to Heavens perfect life


Gov. Letcher's Message.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, I
! RICHMOND, VA, Sept. Z, 1868.
| Gent2enaeas of the Semase


and House of Delegates. 8
In this crisis / have deemed it advisable to
convene you in extraordinary session, in order
that the freshly chosen representatives of the
people may consult and devise such measures as
will be calculated to meet the existing emergen-
cy in public affairs. The war has now been in
progress for more than two years and half, and
has been prosecuted against us with q ferocity
unparalleled in all past struggles between con.
tending parties. 1t has been conducted upon the
avowed principle of subjugating us, either by
force of arms or by visiting upon our people the
horrors of famine. Hence it is, that foiled and
defeated again and again upon the field of battle,
they have adopted the policy of desolating our
farms, destroying our crops, burning our dwell
inos stealing and carrying away our r,rona..s
leaving our wives and children to perish by the
slow tortures of starvation. 1t is no longer a.
war for the preservation of the old Union, as it
was originally proclaimed to be, but it has de-
generated into war for the emancipation of our
slaves; and this purpose the Administration at





determination Of the white race, of all ages sexes
and conditions, of the Southern Confederacy
shall be the result. We have no alternative there.
FORE but to defend ourselves with all the power
energy and ability we can command. We must
succeed, if we would be free and Independent
people, worthy OF the illustrious ancestry from
which we descended. To succeed we must have
union, harmony, concert, conciliation, courage,
energy and determined resolution on the part of
rulers and people. We must cultivate one to-
wards another the noble virtues of prudence, toll
Grafton, charity and forbearance.


With these general remarks, proceed to the
consideration of such subjects are of special in
terest at this time, and in my judgment demand
legislative action.


The subject first in Importance, so far as the
Commonwealth is concerned, is the best means
of providing an adequate force for the local de-
fence of the State against invasion or raids, and
for the execution of the laws in case a resort to
force shall at any time become necessary. The
entire military force of the State has been ab-
sorbed by the CONSUMPTION law, and we are thus
left, in time of greatest peril, with no militia
organization for the defence of the Common
wealth. This want can be and must be supplied
with as little delay as practicable.


As to the plan of raising this force, / am aware
there is much diversity of opinion. The. differ
ence, however, is reconcilable, if the subject is
considered and discussed in patriotic SPIRIT



sons between the ages of sixteen and sixty, not
in the Confederate service, be organized, cores
ponding with the force now organized in the
cities of Richmond, Petersburg and Lynchburg
Let them be regularly enrolled, formed into COM
panies, battallions and regiments, and officered
in such manner as will be most likely to secure
efficient, intelligent and energetic men,. They
should be drilled atSproper intervals, so as to be
we'll instructed in the evolutions and the manuel
and prepared for efficient service whenever the
necessity shall arise. The act should also de-
fine what is local defence, as there is much con
trariety of opinion in regard to it, Some think
that local defence consists IN remaining at home,
and under no circumstances to be taken out of
the city or county in which the company is or
ganized. This, in my view, is a most mistaken
notion of the meaning of the term sslocal de-
fence =, and if it is to prevail, will work great
mischief and render the organization of little
value in giving protection to our people. Ny
opinion is, that if the city of Richmond can be
defended more certainly fifty miles from it than
Immediately around it, or in it, that locality is
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 is presumed to be better
acquainted with the mode of defending it., and
the best point for defending it successfully, and
he should direct all troops SO as best to secure
the end desired.


The object of such organization should be, to
give adequate protectionsto all parts of the Com
monwealth. We must not only provide for the
defence of the counties, cities and towns. by the
the local forces in and Immediately around them,
but we must, under the law which is proposed
to be passed, have authority to order other con-
tiguous counties to their aid and support. A
force, whose operations are to be confined nv
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 be made to embrace
the foreign population who are located amongst
US. This foreign population may be said to con
sist of three classes First, those who have
been regularly naturalized, and who are there
fore citizens embraced by our laws relating to
the public defence !; second, those who are dom,
iciliated amongst us, and have been living in our
midst and prosecuting various branches OF bus-
ness, and who left their native land with no pur-
pose or intention of returning to it and lastly.
those who are temporarily sojourning amongst us.
The first class are IN service under the militia
laws, and the second class should be required to
go into service for public defence of the soil ON
which they reside. The latter class who are
sojourners, engaged in no regular business.
should be exempt. I recommend, therefore.
that in your legislation upon this subject. the
second class above referred to, shall he clearly
and distinctly embraced.


On this subject desire to present another re
commentator, in regard to the act passed by
your predecessors on the 10th day of November
1867, authorizing persons Of certain religious
denominations in the State to exempt themselves
from military service in the war, by the payment
OF five hundred dollars each. Subsequently Con
gress passed an act of like characters and these
persons availed themselves of 1t, and were dis
Icharged from liability to all military service il
the Confederate army. I regard this provision
as substantially violation Of The Constitution
lnasmuch as tgrants exemptions to certain class
| es of persons, which are not granted to others.
| In this war, all classes who reside amongst III
should be required to perform duty of some sort
| if they are within the military age. IF thew arr
unwilling to bear arms, there are various othe
duties connected with the army and the genera
defence which they can perform, and which the,
should be required to perform. They are clti
zens, property holders to a large extent, inter
ested therefore in all that concerns other citi
zens. and should be required to perform thei
part. In some countries this class Of person
are required to aid In the construction of fortifi
cations, and see ojust reason why they shout,