Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-12-12
A Suggestion.

The N. Y. News suggests: that the gentlemen
from the South, WI no have been elected to the
Federal Congress, but were denied admission in
the National Legislature, assemble at Richmond,
or elsew here on their OWE soil, and deliberate in
Southern Con gress, in behalf Of their const1t-
uents elm all enlight ened communities, the
Ners says the interests of all classes of citizen
are protected by organizations that are made up
of repre- sen tatives of such classes. Africans OF
all kinds, capitalists, manufacturers, machinists,
artists, actors, laborers, all men that compose
the industrial world, have their Unions their AS
aions, their Congress, in fact, for the purpose
of consulting and advancing the interests Of their
respective orders. There is to-day in session in
this city Fenian Congress, regularly organic ed
and engaged in deliberation and legislation in be-
half of the welfare o. ireland. 1t is imperative
in the nature Of civilized government and Of So
ciety that inter ests of value shall be represented
in some form Of organization. And shall millions
Of our countrymen, entitled to the enjoyment OF
republican government, remain utterly without
political representation Shall one sect on of
our country be subject to the caprice Of faction
of the other section, without even an opportunity
to explain their wants. to express thier views, to
protest against Injustice or to place upon record
their arguments and votes upon questions OF gen.
eral Importance or of special interest to them
selves Such condition is incompatible with the
essence of repubcanism. 1t does not exist in the
monarchies of Europe. 1t would breed revolution
in imperial France. 1t would..provcke CONFUSION
even und er the iron scepter of the Russian Car.
But here, in this boosted Republic it is regarded
with exultation by the Radicals, with apparent
indifference by others in the North who profess
Democracy, and by the South with the dignity OF
helpless manhood enduring indignity and injus-
tice, and awaiting the hour when sense OF equity
and revival of republican sentiment will restore
to the political system its normal attributes.
ssBut, in the meantime, should the Southern peo-
pie be dumb and inactive in the presence of this
prosecuting spirits By no means. They should
make an opportunity for the expression of their
sentiments and for the utterance Of solemn
protest to the world against the despotism to
which they are subjected. Since they denied
representation in the National Legislature, since
they are prohibited from assisting in working the
machinery of the Central Government, they should
at least organize for the interchange of sentiment
upon questions that concern them. If Fenian
Congress can assemble and deliberate in New
York, why not Southern Congress in Richmond
1t is eminently proper that there should be some
organization representative of Southern interests
if for no other purpose than to place upon record
the verdict of Southern popular opinion. We
suggest that the gentlemen who have been elected
to the Federal Congress as representatives OF the
Southern States and who have been rudely de-
MED the exercise of their functions at the Nation
al Capitol, assemble elsewhere on their own soil
to deliberate, in Southern Congress, in behalf of
their CONSTITUENCIES