HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, March 7, 1865.—Laid on the
table and ordered to be printed.
[By Mr. Wickham.
RESOLUTION
Adopted by Sturdivant's Artillery Battalion, Army Northern Vir-
ginia, expressive of their determination to continue
their efforts for independence.
Whereas, Our Virginia ancestors did declare at Williamsburg,
on the 15th of May, 1776, their right to be governed by their own
consent, and maintained that declaration triumphant! v through a
long and bloody war with Great Britan ; and whereas, the people of
Virginia did re-affirm this right to a government of their own choice,
when, in 1788, they u*ited with the government known as the United
States of America, but reserved the right to separate therefrom
whenever they might see proper so to do, and to form such new
political associations as to them might seem best; and whereas, the
people of Virginia did, on the 17th of April, 1861, exercise this
right thus reserved, by formally separating from the United States,
and afterwards uniting with the Confederate States of America;
and whereas, the people of the United States, forgetful alike of
justice, reason and the memories of past associations, commenced a
ruthless, savage and unrelenting war upon the people of Virginia,
and, during four years, have striven by every appliance which
malice and ingenuity could contrive, to coerce them into a submis-
sion totally inconsistent with their ancient charters, and degrading
to every sense of manhood : now, therefore, we, the soldiers of
Virginia, do
Resolve, That we will maintain those rights and declarations of
our political birthright, while the Lord of Hosts spares us to wield
a sword or fire a gun; and, gathering again around the altar of our
country, we solemnly pledge to each other, to our fellow-soldiers of
the Confederate States and to the memory of the gallant dead, that
whether clouds overshadow our cause or we are cheered by the sun-
shine of victory, we will never stop in our undertaking cntil com-
plete, unqualified and separate independence has crowned our
work.