States’ Rights was dying hard in the South, a couple Virginia regiments were still full of fight.
From the Richmond Daily Dispatch February 4, 1865:
Saturday morning…February 4, 1865.
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Rebellion.
Even Lord John Russell confesses his inability to see any cause for the excessive indignation manifested in the North at the crime of “rebellion.” England, he observes, rebelled against Charles I.; rebelled against James II.; and the people of New England, not content with these two rebellions, rebelled against George III. Without deciding whether those rebellions were justifiable, or whether they were wrong, or whether the Southern rebellion is justifiable or not, Earl Russell says: “The mere fact of rebellion is not, in my eyes, a crime of so deep a dye that we must renounce all fellowship and communion and relationship with those who have been guilty of it. I own I cannot but wonder to see the offspring of three rebellions really speaking like the Czar of Russia, the Sultan of Turkey, or Louis XIV. himself, of the dreadful crime and guilt of rebellion.”
What adds to the audacity of this outcry, is the simple fact that there has been no rebellion at all, unless it be that of the Black Republican party against the American Constitution. There must be allegiance to a government acknowledged before resistance of its authority becomes rebellion. The States never owed any such allegiance to their agency at Washington. They were the sovereigns, to whom, and to whom alone, the supreme allegiance of their respective inhabitants was due.
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Meeting of the Thirty-first Virginia regiment, of Pegram’s Brigade.
Immediately after dress parade, on February 1st, 1865, a meeting was organized in the Thirty-first Virginia regiment by calling Captain N. Glærson to the chair, and appointing Dr. S. Buttermore secretary.
Major H. P. Cooper explained the object of the meeting, and offered the following preamble and resolutions, which were unanimously adopted:
“Whereas, it is the duty, as it is the privilege of freemen to express their sentiments upon all subjects affecting the public weal, we, the officers and men of the Thirty-first Virginia regiment, do therefore.
“Resolve, That we have entire confidence in the President, the members of his Cabinet, both Houses of Congress, and our commanding officers.
“Resolved, That we denounce all fault-finding croakers as enemies of their country — detest their pretended sympathy, and decline their friendship.
“Resolved, That we pity our weak-kneed, desponding brethren, both citizens and soldiers, (if there are any such soldiers,) and say unto them: ‘Be of good cheer’; do but half your duty to your God, your country and yourselves, and all will be well.
“Resolved, That we took up arms to achieve our independence, and that four years of hardships and privations, as well as the blood of our slaughtered comrades, demand that we shall lay them down only when that purpose is accomplished.
“Resolved, That the Richmond papers be requested to publish the proceedings of this meeting.”
After which the meeting adjourned.
N. Clawson, Chairman.
S. Butter more, Secretary.
Resolutions of the Fifty-Second Virginia regiment.
Camp Pegram’s Brigade, February2, 1865.
Preamble and resolutions adopted by the Fifty-second Virginia regiment:
“Whereas, the Southern States never bound themselves to make the union that they formed with those of the North a permanent one; and, whereas, the war waged against us to make it such against our will is unjust: be it, therefore,
1. “Resolved, That we have as good right to be free and to govern ourselves as our enemies have, and that we are unwilling to forfeit that right by accepting at their hands any terms short of independence.
2. “That we are firmly convinced that a valorous zeal and steady adherence to the determination to conquer by force of arms cannot fail to reward us with an honorable peace; that with our resources and an inflexible resolution to be free, subjugation is impossible, and that should we be conquered, it will not be by the stern valor of our foes, but by a want of firmness and determination in ourselves.
3. “That we ever acknowledge the hand of Providence in our past successes, and that we trust in the righteousness of our cause and in the justice of our God, and lean upon His strong arm for deliverance in time to come.
4. “That these are our sentiments, and that a copy of this preamble and resolutions be sent for publication to the Richmond Examiner and Dispatch, the Staunton Vindicator and Lexington Gazette.”
The above preamble and resolutions were enthusiastically adopted by this regiment without a dissenting vote.
C. B. Coiner, Captain commanding regiment.
