| | 1 | Author: | Brock
R. A.
(Robert Alonzo)
1839-1914 | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Virginia and Virginians  | | | | Published: | 2006 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | | | | Description: | "It appearing to the General Assembly that Colonel William Fleming,
being the only acting member of the council for some time before
the appointment of the Chief Magistrate, did give orders for the calling
out the militia, and also pursued such other measures as were essential
to good government, and it is just and reasonable that he should be
indemnified therein, Nothing can surprise me more than to see you attempt a settlement
upon the lands of the king, my master, which obliges me now, sir,
to send you this gentleman, Chevalier Le Mercier, captain of the artillery
of Canada, to know of you, sir, by virtue of what authority you are
come to fortify yourself within the dominions of the king, my master.
This action seems so contrary to the last treaty of peace, at Aix-la-Chapelle,
between his most Christian majesty and the King of Great
Britain, that I do not know to whom to impute such an usurpation, as it
is uncontested that the lands situated along the beautiful river belong to
his most Christian majesty. "Now, therefore, we, the People of Virginia, do Declare and Ordain,
That the ordinance adopted by the people of this State in convention on
the twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and eighty-eight, whereby the Constitution of the United States
of America was ratified; and all the acts of the General Assembly of
this State ratifying or adopting amendments to said constitution are hereby
repealed and abrogated; that the union between the State of Virginia
and the States under the constitution aforesaid, is hereby dissolved, and
that the State of Virginia is in the full possession and exercise of all the
rights of sovereignty which belong and appertain to a free and independent
State. And they do further declare, that said Constitution of the
United States of America is no longer binding on any of the citizens of
this State. In accordance with the substance of my letter to you
on the 8th inst., I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of
Northern Virginia on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers
and men to be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer
designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as
you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not to
take up arms against the government of the United States until properly
exchanged, and each company or regimental commander to sign a
like parole for the men of his command. The arms, artillery, and public
property to be packed and stacked, and turned over to the officers
appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side arms
of the officers nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each
officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed
by the United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and
the laws in force where they may reside. I received your letter of this date, containing the terms
of the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia as proposed by you.
As they are substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of
the 8th instant, they are accepted. I will proceed to designate the
proper officer to carry the stipulations into effect. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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