766 



VIRGINIA. 



VIRGINIA, WEST. 



A Republican State Convention met in Alex- 

 andria in May, Hon. John M. Botts presiding, 

 and adopted the following resolutions : 



Resolved, That no reorganized State government 

 of Virginia should be recognized by the Government 

 of the United States which does not exclude from 

 suffrage and holding office, at least for a term of 

 years, all persons who have voluntarily given moral 

 or material support to rebellion against the United 

 States, and which does not, with such disfranchise- 

 ment, provide for the immediate enfranchisement of 

 all Union men, without distinction of color. 



Resolved, That the doctrine of the right of seces- 

 sion was the principal issue of the late civil war, and 

 that no policy of reconstruction is safe which does 

 not provide against the possibility of that issue arising 

 again. 



Resolved, That wLile the late rebels affect to accept 

 the situation, they not only hold the same opinion 

 still in regard to that issue, but openly advocate 

 their views in that respect as the basis of party action 

 in the future, as we believe, for the purpose of accom- 

 plishing with votes what they have failed to accom- 

 plish with bayonets. 



Resolved,, That the Union Kepublican party of Vir- 

 ginia, believing that "knowledge is power," and 

 that an enlightened and virtuous people can never be 

 enslaved, and that the maintenance and perpetuation 

 of republican institutions depend materially upon 

 the education of the masses of the people, therefore 

 we are in favor of a system of free schools, whereby 

 universal education may be disseminated. 



those against whom they were arrayed in the lato 

 unfortunate_ strife, and whose feelings are too violent 

 and vindictive to accord them those rights prescribed 

 by their own pretended laws. 



They further represent that the executive, legis- 

 lative, and judicial branches of the Government, 

 with a few honorable exceptions, are in the hands 

 of those who were false to the Government in 

 the late struggle for its life ; that the judges ap- 

 pointed by the executive are, without exception, 

 composed of those who were notorious in their sup- 

 port of the rebellion. The executive, in appoint- 

 ments consisting of directors of public institutions, 

 railroads, adjutant-generals, inspectors, officers of 

 the State militia, etc., has, so far as we know, se- 

 lected none save those who have been consistently 

 disloyal. The Legislature has, in all its actions', 

 manifested its injustice toward Union men. 



For these, and many other reasons, they request 

 the revocation of the power hitherto exercised by 

 Governor Peirpont ; that a provisional Governor be 

 appointed to reconstruct the government upon a 

 loyal foundation, and that Congress grant such other 

 relief as may seem fit. 



They further request that the Hon. John C. Under- 

 wood, the faithful patriot and distinguished jurist, 

 who has always adhered to the Government with a 

 fidelity which no flattery could seduce, no bribery 

 corrupt, nor fears intimidate, be selected as said 

 provisional Governor. 



Appended is a statement of the exports and 

 imports of the port of Kichmond for the year 



ending December 31, 1866 : 

 With regard to the legal status of the Vir- Va]ne _ 



ginia Legislature, a special committee reported Exports of dome9 ti c produce $i,58ooo9 



the following resolutions : Imports of foreign merchandise 85.309 



Therefore, inasmuch as the present so-called State Importo free of duty 



Legislature, now elected and assembled together - VTPAwr ATm rTrA1 , AWri1 .._ v , T 



under authority from a body which met in June last ] 



in Richmond, and which assumed to be the Legisla- , . 



ture of Virginia, but which really consisted of not ^^ of forei S n vessels en ' 23 7 m 253 



more than twenty members ; and inasmuch as it is fur- Tonnage of ; foreign vessels cle'ar- 



ther a notorious fact that many of the members of the ed 28 9,964 803 



present so-called Legislature have held military and Tonnage of American vessels 



civil offices under the so-called Confederate and State cleared 2 644 



governments, in rebellion against the United States, Tonnage of vessels in coasting 



Long whom we may cite the present Speaker of the T^a^ Ksscls in coasiing *" 495 ' 58 



so-called Legislature ; and inasmuch as the members trade cleared ?SC 454,145 18,081 



of the so-called Legislature have not taken the oath 



required by the said constitution ; now, therefore, IMPORTS. 



be it v.ine. 



Resolved, That we declare the body which assumed pp. tons of <v>al $1,791 



to be the Legislature of the State an illegal and un- g^J^f 8alt ' *; ' ' ' ' 2 J'|^ 

 constitutional body, elected, assembled, and organ- Earthenware".!! 4', 719 

 ized contrary to the law and constitution of the State ; other goods. ! '. '. '. '. . . '. '.*.'.'. . !'.!".!!! . !!! . !!! . !!!!!!! ! ! 6^1 39 

 and that all'acts, and parts of acts, resolutions, ap- 

 pointments, and other proceedings assumed to be $53,309 

 passed by them, ought to be regarded as null and EXPORTS. 



void Valiip. 



A i-f f 11 i-i Liverpool, 700 ban-els flour $7.0CO 



A petition, as follows, was subsequently cir- <t liS54 bales cotton 288,874 



Ciliated through the State : "716 hogsheads leaf. 207,615 



rr, .-, . ... ... " 153 boxes manufactured 1,281 



To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Bremen, 563 hogsheads stems 30,007 



United States : 1,033 hogsheads leaf 185,255 



The undersigned, citizens of the State of Virginia, Havre, 830 " 207,500 



loyal to the Federal Government, and cordially in- Bordeaux, 700 ^ 17 n'v^ 



dorsing the action of Congress in refusing admit- Halifax, 76 



tance to those claiming to repreacnt.this State in the Ven , fl ^ ^? s "S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"!!! 



national councils, respectfully petition immediate Brazil, 17.541 barrels flour 



actionon the part of your honorable bodies, to give Austria, 160 hogsheads leaf!!!.'.'.'.'!!!. .!!.! 38,075 



that protection to the Union men and the Union in- Other ports 102,812 



terests of this State which justice and policy alike ~ Konnqq 



demand, and which Congress alone can provide for. ,1,530,099 



They respectfully state that they are actuated by an Goods in warehouse Tjecember 21, 1S66 value, $25.932.S.* ; 



earnest desire to see the Government reconstructed ** utv assessed, $14,525.56. 



as early as possible upon a loyal and permanent VIRGINIA, WEST. An amendment to the 



basis; that they are influenced by no spirit oi re- ... ,. ;. .-, . o^ , -11 *T,<- 



renge or hostility, when thev solemnly declare that constitution of this State, which provided that 



'heir dearest rights and liberties are in the hands of no person who, subsequent to June, 1801, had 



