The undersigned,
members of the Legislature of the State of Virginia, in connection with a
number of the citizens of the State, whose names are attached to this paper, in
view of the evacuation of the City of Richmond by the Confederate Government,
and its occupation by the military authorities of the United States, the
surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, and the suspension of the
jurisdiction of the civil power of the State, are of opinion that an immediate
meeting of the General Assembly of the State is called for by the exigencies of
the situation.
The consent of the
military authorities of the United States to the session of the Legislature in
Richmond, in connection with the Governor and Lietenant-Governor, to their free
deliberation upon public affairs, and to the ingress and departure of all its
members under safe conducts, has been obtained.
The United States
authorities will afford transportation from any point under their control to
any of the persons before mentioned.
The matters to be
submitted to the Legislature are the restoration of peace to the State of
Virginia, and the adjustment of questions involving life, liberty, and
property, that have arisen in the State as a consequence of the war.
We therefore
earnestly request the Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, and members of the
Legislature to repair to this city by the 25th April (instant).
We understand that
full protection to persons and property will be afforded in the State, and we
recommend to peaceful citizens to remain at their homes and pursue their usual
avocations, with confidence that they will not be interrupted.
We earnestly solicit
the attendance in Richmond, on or before the 25th of April (instant), of the
following persons, citizens of Virginia, to confer with us as to the best means
of restoring peace to the State of Virginia. We have procured safe conduct from
the military authorities of the United States for them to enter the city and
depart without molestation: Hon. R. M. T. Hunter, A. T. Caperton, Wm. C. Rives,
John Letcher, A. H. H. Stuart, R. L. Montague, Fayette McMullen, J. P.
Holcombe, Alexander Rives, B. Johnson Barbour, James Barbour, Wm. L. Goggin, J.
B. Baldwin, Thomas S. Gholson, Waller Staples, S. D. Miller, Thomas J.
Randolph, Wm T. Early, R. A. Claybrook, John Critcher, Wm. Towns, T. H. Eppes,
and those other persons for whom passports have been procured and especially
forwarded that we consider it to be unnecessary to mention.
A. J.
Marshall, Senator, Fauquier; James Neeson, Senator, Marion; James Venable,
Senator elect, Petersburg; David I. Burr, of House of Delegates, Richmond City;
David J. Saunders, of House of Delegates, Richmond City; L. S. Hall, of House
of Delegates, Wetzel County; J. J. English, of House of Delegates, Henrico
County; Wm. Ambers, of House of Delegates, Chesterfield County; A. M. Keily, of
House of Delegates, Petersburg; H. W. Thomas, Second Auditor of Virginia; St.
L. L. Moncure, Chief Clerk Second Auditor's office; Joseph Mayo, Mayor of City
of Richmond; Robert Howard, Clerk of Hustings Court, Richmond City; Thomas U.
Dudley, Sergeant Richmond City; Littleton Tazewell, Commonwealth's Attorney,
Richmond City; Wm. T. Joynes, Judge of Circuit Court, Petersburg; John A.
Meredith, Judge of Circuit Court, Richmond; Wm. H. Lyons, Judge of Hustings
Court, Richmond; Wm. C. Wickham, Member of Congress, Richmond District; Benj.
S. Ewell, President of William and Mary College; Nat. Tyler, Editor Richmond
Enquirer; R. F. Walker, Publisher of Examiner; J. R. Anderson, Richmond; R. R.
Howison, Richmond; W. Goddin, Richmond; P. G. Bayley, Richmond; F. J. Smith,
Richmond; Franklin Stearns, Henrico; John Lyons, Petersburg; Thomas B. Fisher,
Fauquier; Wm. M. Harrison, Charles City; Cyrus Hall, Ritchie; Thomas W.
Garnett, King and Queen; James A. Scott, Richmond.
SOURCES: John
Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate
States Capital, Volume 2, p. 477-8; “To The People of
Virginia,” The Richmond Whig,
Richmond, Virginia, April 12, 1865, p. 1
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