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confederate in Virginia to his armed followers, to seize the navy-yard at Gosport; and the authorities of the

the President of the Confederacy, and surrendered to him military possession of our territory.

"When the chains had been thus fastened upon us, we were called to vote upon the ordinance of secession. The same reign of terror which compelled Union men to vote as they did in the Convention, was brought to bear on the people themselves. Vast numbers were obliged, by intimidation and fear of threatened violence, to vote for secession. Many did not vote at all. Many, no doubt, were influenced by the consideration, that the measures already adopted had placed the Commonwealth helplessly within the grasp of the President of the Southern Confederacy, and that she could not escape from his power by the rejection of the ordinance.

"It is claimed that the ordinance of secession has been ratified by a majority of ninety-four thousand votes. Had the people of Virginia, then, so greatly changed? The best evidence that they had not is found in the fact that, wherever the vote was fully free, there was a much larger majority against secession than was given at the election in February to the Union candidates for the Convention. The means of intimidation and violence, which were resorted to over a large portion of the State, to compel an appearance of unanimity in favor of secession, show that the leaders of this movement felt that the hearts of the people were not with them.

"The proclamation of the President, calling for seventyfive thousand volunteer troops, is commonly relied upon to justify the ordinance of secession. That proclamation was issued on the 15th of April, 1861. It must not, however, be overlooked, that on the 6th of March, 1861, the pretended Congress at Montgomery provided by law for calling into the field a force of one hundred thousand volunteers; and that on the 12th of April the Secretary of War of the Confederate States publicly announced that war was commenced, and that the Capitol at Washington would be captured before the first of May. The intention to capture the capital of the Union was repeatedly proclaimed in influential papers at Richmond and other Southern cities before the 15th of April. It was, in fact, long a cherished object of the leaders in this great conspiracy. Did they expect the President of the nation to yield the Capitol, and retire in disgrace, without adopting any measures of defence? Yet Virginia, we are told, seceded because the President, under such circumstances, called volunteers to the defence of the country.

"I need not remark to you, gentlemen, how fatal the attempted disseverance of the Union must prove to all our material interests. Secession, and annexation to the South, would cut off every outlet for our productions. We cannot get them to the Confederate States across the Alleghanies. The Ohio River and the country beyond it

State, who had till then shown repugnance to the plot, nance to the plot, found themselves stripped of all actual power, and after

would be closed to our trade. With Maryland in the Union, our outlet to the East would be interrupted; while we could not carry our products across the Pennsylvania line, by the Monongahela or other route. In time of war we would encounter a hostile force, and in time of peace a custom-house at every turn.

"The interests of the people of Virginia were entrusted to the Richmond Convention. How have they fulfilled that trust? Why, if war was to come, was our land made the battle-field? Why was this Commonwealth interposed as a barrier to protect the States of the South, who undertook to overthrow the Union in utter disregard to our romonstrances? In the position in which the Richmond Convention have placed us, our homes are exposed to all the horrors of civil war, while the President of the Montgomery Congress can announce to the people of the Gulf States that they need now have no apprehension; they might go on with their planting and business as usual; the war would not come to their section; its theatre would be along the borders of the Ohio River, and in Virginia.'

Have we done wrong in rejecting the authority of the men who have thus betrayed the interests confided to their charge?

"Under these circumstances the people of the State who desired to preserve a Virginia in the Union, by their delegates appointed at primary meetings, assembled at Wheeling on the 13th of May last, to consider the measures necessary to protect their constitutional rights and liberties, their lives and their property. Before a frank comparison could be had, differences of opinion were to be expected, and such differences accordingly then existed. That Convention, however, after three days' mature consideration, determined to call upon the loyal people of the State, after the vote was taken on the Secession ordinance, to elect delegates to a Convention to be held on the 11th day of June, 1861. All who witnessed the assembling of the last Convention, will bear witness to the solemnity of the occasion. Its action was attended with singular unanimity, and has resulted in the reorganization of the State government, as a member of the Union.

"Their journal and ordinances will be submitted to you. Plain principles vindicate their acts. The Constitution of the United States was adopted by the people of the United States; and the powers thus derived could be resumed only by the consent of the people who conferred them. That Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The Constitution of the State recognizes it as such, and all the laws of the State virtually recognize the same principle. The Governor, the Legislature, and all State officers, civil and military, when they entered upon the discharge of their duties, took an oath to support the Constitution of

GOVERNOR PIERPONT'S MESSAGE.

wards were manifestly permitted to retain the empty forms of office only because they consented to use them at the bidding of the invaders.

"The President, however, never supposed that a brave and free people, though surprised and unarmed, could long be subjugated by a class of political adventurers always adverse to them; and the fact that they have already rallied, reorganized their government,

the United States. When the Convention assembled at Wheeling on the 11th of June, they found the late Governor, and many of the other officers of the State, engaged in an attempt to overthrow the Constitution they had sworn to support. Whatever they might actually effect, with the aid of their confederates, by unlawful intimidation and violence, they could not lawfully deprive the good people of this Commonwealth of the protection afforded by the Constitution and laws of the Union, and of the rights to which they are entitled under the same. The Convention attempted no change of the fundamental law of the State for light and transient causes. The alterations adopted were such only as were imperatively required by the necessity of the case; to give vitality and force to the Constitution of the State, and enable it to operate in the circumstances under which we are placed. They attempted no revolution. Whatever others may have done, we remain as we were, citizens of Virginia, citizens of the United States, recognizing and obeying the Constitutions and laws of both.

"I trust, gentlemen, you will excuse me for dwelling so long upon these important topics.

"Immediately on entering upon the duties of my office, I addressed an official communication to the President of the United States, stating briefly the circumstances in which we were placed, and demanding protection against invasion and domestic violence to which our people were subjected, and I am happy to inform you that the President, through the Secretary of War, promptly gave me very satisfactory assurances that the guarantee embodied in the Constitution of the United States would be efficiently complied with, by affording to our people a full protection. I transmit herewith copies of these communications.

"I also send you herewith a copy of a communication received from the Secretary of the Interior at Washington, certifying officially the apportionment of representatives in the XXXVIIIth Congress under the census of 1860. Virginia has thirteen representatives. Under the new apportionment she will have eleven only. Before the term of the XXXVIIIth Congress commences, it will be necessary, therefore, to redistrict the State, in conformity

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and checked the march of these invaders, demonstrates how justly he appreciated them.

"The failure, hitherto, of the State authorities, in consequence of the circumstances to which I have adverted, to organize its quota of troops called for by the President, imposed upon him the necessity of providing himself for their organization, and this has been done to some extent. But instructions have now with the principles established in the 13th and 14th sections of the 4th Article of the Constitution.

"The President of the United States has issued his proclamation convening an extra session of Congress, to meet at the National Capitol on the 4th of this month. The two senators from this State have vacated their offices. It is known to me that they are engaged in the conspiracy to overturn the Government of the United States, and in rebellion to its lawful authority. They have renounced the title of citizens of the United States, claiming to be citizens of a foreign and hostile State. They have abandoned the posts assigned to them by the State of Virginia in the Senate of the United States, to take office under the rebellious Government of the Confederate States. I recommend, therefore, the election of senators to fill the vacancies which have thus occurred.

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The subject of the revenue will demand your attention. A recklessness has characterized the Legislature of the State for the last ten years, that has involved us in a most onerous debt. For many years past the western part of the State has been contributing in an unequal, an unjust proportion to the revenue, which has been largely expended on internal improvements, for the benefit of our castern brethren, from which the west has received no advantage in any form. The proceeds of the heavy debt contracted on State account have also been applied to eastern railroads and improvements from which the west derives no benefit. The leaders of secession in the Gulf States have adroitly involved Virginia in an immense expenditure in support of their treasonable schemes; and to save their own people and property, have managed to transfer the theatre of war to our territory. Before they are driven out, the whole of the material interests of the State east of the Blue Ridge will probably be destroyed, including the internal improvements, upon which such lavish expenditure has been made.

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"You have met, gentlemen, in the midst of civil war, but I trust you may yet be assembled under happier auspices, when the strife shall be over, and peace and prosperity be restored to this once happy country. All which is respectfully submitted. F. H. PIERPONT."

been given to the agents of the Federal Government to proceed hereafter under your direction, and the company and field officers will be commissioned by you." The secessionist Governor, John Letcher, met these declarations of independence, and the efforts to defend it, on the part of the new Governor, with a counter manifesto, asserting that Virginia had seceded by a vote of the majority of her people, and appealing to the Western Virginians "to yield to the will of the State."

"Men of the North-west," he said, "I appeal to you, by all the considerations which have drawn us together as one people heretofore, to rally to the standard of the Old Dominion. By all the sacred ties of consanguinity, by the intermixtures of the blood of East and West, by common paternity, by friendships hallowed by a thousand cherished recollections and memories of the past, by the relics of the great men of other days, come to Virginia's banner, and drive the invaders from your soil. There may be traitors in the midst of you, who, for selfish ends, have turned against their mother, and would permit

her to be ignominiously oppressed and degraded. But I cannot, will not believe that a majority of you are not true sons, who will not give your blood and your treasure for Virginia's defence."

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The Governor, at the same time, reminded the people of Western Virginia of the "magnanimity" of the Eastern districts, in consenting at last to an equalization of taxation, by which the cause of complaint of the former against the latter had been removed. "Let one heart," exclaimed the Governor, one mind, one energy, one power nerve every patriot to arms in a common The heart that will not beat in unison with Virginia is now a traitor's heart, the arm that will not strike home in her cause now, is palsied by coward fear.

cause.

"The troops are posted at Huttonsville. Come with your own good weapons and meet them as brothers!"

Such proclamations and counter-proclamations and appeals to diverse loyalties only served to quicken the rage of fellow-citizen arrayed against fellow-citizen, and more deeply to involve them in the perplexing horrors of civil war.

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