Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1865-07-20
A Virginian to President Johnson
Views of one of the nJonciliated."


There is little six by nine paper published
30 Lynchburg called the Virgi"ia". and it
gives the most of its space to dismal indi-
vidual signing A. Garland, who is laboring
70 prove to his fellow-citizens that slavery is
yet in existence throughout the land, on the
ground that its extinction was not Effected ~ a
Constitutional ,ray. This talk is in the form
Vt letters to President johnson, and the wFi-
Ter drivils in this fashion:
Did the disruption Of the Union. so far as
she Seeding States are concerned, and the
var which eusued. confer any new powers
upon the Federal Government. or absolve 1t
from the obligations which the Constitution
imposed? If not, as must be your answer,
be pleased, sir, to inform, not me, but the
whole American people, when and where your
immediate predecessor found authority to abol-
ish Slavery in the slave States by his mere
proclamation, proclamation which you are
now having executed.
As before remarked, there is no power in
the Federal Government, or any of its depart
nents, to establish control, or abolish slavery
in the States where it exists, or any where
else. This has been the doctrine of Congress
repeatedly determined, the doctrine OF the
Supreme Court of most of the States, and
nearly all the eminent and learned statesmen
of the Union, AMI, if | mistake not, it WIS
your doctrine I'D to the close Of the Cincinnati
Democratic Convention. If go, have you
changed? If you have not, why is it that
you execute proclamation so palpably viola
tive of that Constitution you have so recently
sworn to support, and which so directly in
vades and usurps the domestic rights of SOW
srcign States?
There are three columns Of this stuff, eve,
~ line of it calculated to stir up strife, every
word of it venomous and maliciously libel 'uS
Of the Government of the United States and
the people of what he calls gathering States.
Northern periodicals are still regarded
as ''incendiary documents" only to be burn
cd, as of old. and their readers punished with
the LASH The Virginia" says:
We have been presented by j. p Bell q Co.
with the July numbers of two Northern mag
asines. We acknowledge the courtesy of the
act, but cannot recommend these publications
10 Southern patronage. They neither possess
the literary nor the moral merit that would
Justify us in doing so. We trust the day is past
when the emanations of Northern fIna;icisnl
End ether isns will find willing supporters in
the South. Let us foster and bti up South
ern literature, to the exclusion Il that which
has villifed and prosecuted us"
The following as t. the conduct Of the "l;'
dies" is refreshing, when it is consid' red many
of them are supported by the kindness Of the
officers of the Government they insult.
We have heard complaints from Fedora
officers here, of contumely and scorn evincee
for them on the streets by some at the gentle
sex in this city. Now, we believe that. fo'
the most part, the conduct of our ladies ha!
been dignifed, exemplary and all that conle
be expected. 1t was not supposed that the,
could welcome to the hospitality of thci
homes, and receive into intimate social rela
lions those who were but lately regarded al
their unrelenting enemies, and the authors o
the crushing bereavcments that so many have
suffered.