Doc. 185. Gen. Lockwood's proclamation. To the people of Accomac and Northampton counties, Va.
Whereas, under the proclamation of Major-General Dix, the people of Accomac and Northampton counties, (Va.,) having laid down their arms, are entitled to the protection of the Federal Government; and whereas a serious inconvenience might arise from a suspension of the operations of the authorities and laws therein; and whereas the functionaries holding office in said counties were elected to the same previous to the ratification of the so-called “ordinance of secession” whereby this people put themselves in hostility to the Federal Government; and whereas the responsibilities and duties of said functionaries were sought to be changed by an oath of allegiance to a pretended Government in rebellion against the Federal Government:
Therefore I, Henry H. Lockwood, Brigadier-General commanding in said counties, do hereby, by virtue of authority vested in me, authorize the judges, magistrates, and other civil officers in the counties aforesaid, to continue in their several offices, and perform all and every function of the same conformably to the Constitution of the United States, the law of Virginia, previous to the “ordinance of secession,” except so far as modified or changed by any subsequent act of the Legislature sitting in Western Virginia, and the laws passed by said Legislature, sitting in Western Virginia, subsequently to said act; provided, always, that all such persons, before exercising said functions, appear before me and take the oath of allegiance to the United States.
