816 



VIRGINIA. 



whereof belongs to the Department of State, applica- 

 ble to the geographical limits aforesaid. 



3. That the Secretary of the Treasury proceed, 

 without delay, to nominate for appointment assessors 

 of taxes and collectors of customs and internal rev- 

 enue, and such other officers of the Treasury Depart- 

 ment as are authorized by law, and shall put in exe- 

 cution the revenue laws of the United States within 

 the geographical limits aforesaid. In making ap- 

 pointments, the preference shall be given to qualified 

 loyal persons residing within the districts where their 

 respective duties are to be performed. But if suitable 

 persons shall not be found, residents of the districts, 

 then persons residing in other States or districts shall 

 be appointed. 



4. That the Postmaster-General shall proceed to 

 establish post-offices and post routes, and put into 

 execution the postal laws of the United States within 

 the said State, giving to loyal residents the preference 

 of appointment ; but if suitable persons are not found, 

 then to appoint agents, etc., from other States. 



5. That the District Judge of said district proceed 

 to hold courts within said State, in accordance with 

 the provisions of the acts of Congress. The Attorney- 

 General will instruct the proper officers to libel, and 

 bring to judgment, confiscation, and sale, property 

 subject to confiscation, and enforce the administra- 

 tion of justice within said State, in all matters civil 

 and criminal within the cognizance and jurisdiction 

 of the Federal courts. 



6. That the Secretary of War assign such Assistant 

 Provost Marshal General, and such Provost Marshals 

 in each district of said State, as he may deem neces- 

 sary. 



7. The Secretary of the Navy will take possession 

 of all public property belonging to the Navy Depart- 

 ment within said geographical limits, and put in oper- 

 ation all acts of Congress in relation to naval affairs 

 having application to the said State. 



8. The Secretary of the Interior will also put in 

 force the laws relating to the Department of the In- 

 terior. 



9. That to carry into effect the guaranty of the 

 Federal Constitution of a republican form of State 

 government, and afford the advantage and security 

 of domestic laws, as well as to complete the reestab- 

 lishmeut of the authority of the laws of the United 

 States, and the full and complete restoration of peace 

 within the limits aforesaid, Francis H. Pierpont, Gov- 

 ernor of the State of Virginia, will be aided by the 

 Federal Government so far as may be necessary, in 

 the lawful measures which he may take for the ex- 

 tension and administration of the State government 

 throughout the geographical limits of said State. 



In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand 

 and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. 



ANDREW JOHNSON. 

 By the President: 

 W. HUNTEB, Acting Secretary of State. 



This order recognized Francis H. Pierpont, 

 who was originally elected Governor in West 

 Virginia, and upon the organization of a State 

 government for that district under the name 

 of West Virginia, moved the seat of his govern- 

 ment to Alexandria, and exercised jurisdiction 

 in a few counties adjacent to Washington. The 

 officers of this government were: Francis H. 

 Pierpont, Governor; L. 0. P. Cowper, Lieut. - 

 Governor ; Charles H. Lewis, Secretary of State ; 

 "W. W. King, Treasurer. During the existence 

 of this government at Alexandria, a Legislature 

 was elected and designated as the Legislature 

 of the State of Virginia. It consisted of mem- 

 bers from ten counties. (See ANNUAL CYCLO- 

 PEDIA, 1864.) The Constitution of the State 

 was amended by delegates from these counties, 



and adopted Ih February. It contained a pro- 

 vision that every person who since January 1, 

 1864, had " voluntarily given aid or assistance 

 in any way to those in rebellion against the 

 Government of the United States," should 

 be disqualified from voting. 



Gov. Pierpont, with the other members of his 

 government, arrived in Eichmond on May 26th, 

 and was received in a flattering manner. He 

 proceeded to exercise the duties of his office. 

 Regarding his as the " restored State govern- 

 ment," he appointed persons in the counties to 

 reorganize them by holding elections for the 

 local officers ; in some instances the Governor 

 appointed those officers, in others he author- 

 ized those persons to act for the preservation 

 of the peace whom the military officers might 

 appoint. But the difficulties of his situation 

 were such, that he called a special session of the 

 Legislature to meet at Richmond on June 20th. 

 That body duly convened at the appointed time, 

 and the Governor in his message stated that 

 nothing but a pressing exigency had induced 

 him to call the extra session. He then gave a 

 summary of the course of events in West Vir- 

 ginia after secession, and the subsequent removal 

 of his government to Alexandria, and thus stated 

 the results of the division of the State : 



In consideration of the division of the State, the 

 number of judges of the Supreme Court is reduced 

 to three. The judiciary of the State remains un 

 changed, except in the appointment of the judges ; 

 they are now nominated by the Executive and con- 

 firmed by the Legislature. The time of residence 

 for voters is reduced to one year; persons who held 

 seats in the Confederate Congress, or under the Con- 

 federate Government, members of the rebel Legisla- 

 ture, and persons holding office, civil or military, 

 under what is known as the rebel Government of 

 Virginia, except county officers, are disfranchised. 

 Also, persons offering to vote are required first to 

 take an oath to support the Constitution of the United 

 States, and the laws made in pursuance thereof, as 

 the supreme law of the land ; also, to uphold and 

 support the restored government of Virginia, estab- 

 lished by the convention which assembled at Wheel- 

 ing on the llth day of June, 1861, and that the per- 

 son offering to vote has not willingly aided the reoel- 

 lion since the first of January, 1864. The Legislature 

 has authority to restore persons disfranchised by 

 these provisions, from time to time, as it may deem 

 best. At the last session, it removed the disability 

 from all officers who were called out by the rebel 

 State authority in 1861, and who had not gone into 

 the rebel army after they were disbanded. Thus, 

 State sovereignty the status of the African race 

 the armed resistance to the Government of the United 

 States are disposed of; and we have arrived at the 

 important point of the restoration of our State to all 

 its former relations in the Union. This is a delicate 

 task, and one that demands great wisdom and pru- 

 dence. 



Since coining to Richmond he had conversed 

 with intelligent men of every shade of political 

 opinion and from every portion of the State. 

 He was convinced, he said, that if the test of 

 loyalty prescribed by the Constitution was en- 

 forced in the election and qualification of offi- 

 cers, it would render organization impracticable 

 in most of the counties of the State. " It was 

 folly to suppose that a State could be governed 



