Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1865-06-16

and fro along the iron roads with the pre-
cious fruits Of peace. when all the intellect
AID industry and energy that for four years
maintained the terrible contest and final
overthrow. shall be manfully at work in
the vast auarries from which are hewn the
pillars and the arches and foundation stones
81 e nations grandeur and prosperity, then
will the South haye fought its greatest bat
tie, have won its greatest victory and have
given to the world the attestation OF NOR
al courage that can proudly face misfortune
and press on steadily through the Shadow
of the past to the sunshine of the future
Nev York Ne,cs.
Public Meeting in Athena rle
A meeting of the people of Albemarle
county was held at the courthouse on the
9th instant, for the purpose of considering
the condition Of the country.
Colonel John j. Bowcock was called to
the chair, aud S. V. Soutball and james
D. Jones appointed secretaries.
Alexander Rives, Esq, explained the OBJ
jects Of the meeting, and, on his motion,
it was resolved that committee Of twenty
nine be appointed by the Chair to report
business.
The Chair announced the following gen:
tlemen under the resolution Alexander
Riyes. b +. Randolph, Wm. NJ Peyton.
Thomas Wood, VIM. II. Southall, Richard
G.. Crank. John L. Cochrane, Richard W.
Wing6cld, DR.. VIM. G. Carr, Egbert r.
Watson, George Carr, j. Woods Garth.
John J. Pace, J. A. Early, VIM. =. Cor
don, Jr., John W. Goss, Thomas L. Pres
ton, Marcus Durrett, Thomas L. Parish,
Vim Wertenbaker. John Wood, Jr., J.
Z. Simms, r. I. Colston. Professor George
+ Holmes. Peyton S. Coles.
The committee having re4ired, after con-
sultation, Mr.. Riyes, the chairman, report
ed preamble and series of resolutions.
which, after some slight notifications, wero
adopted, seriatsns, In the following form:
The termination Of the war devolves on
the people Of the State the gravest response
bilities and duties in the reorganization of
their civil polity. These should be met and
discharged in spirit of manly fortitude.
and with a wise and prudent conformity to
the inevitable demands Of the OCCASION
Entitled to a republican form of government
by the provisions of the Federal Constitu-
ton, to which they are now RENTED, they
cannot, without a dereliction of duty, shrink
from asserting their rights to the same, nor
leave their silence to be interpreted into ac
quleseence, when measures are impending
that contravene the fundamental principles
Of such government. At the same time,
they should acknowledge the duty and man
ifest the spirit Of a loyal submission to the
professional authorities, both civil and mill
tary, which, by necessity, supplant the Gov
eminent that has been overthrown; and
should be neither paralyzed nor reduced to
a state of sullen Indifference by the results
of the war SO as to fail Of support to these
authorities, or of sensibility to the great in
terests and inestimable rights of self gov
ernment. They cannot disregard The arbi-
trament which the Eord has made of the
great questions involved in the late conflict,
nor the imperious duty to conform, in a
spirit Of proud aud honorable fidelity, to the
requirements made of them by the inexQ-
rable fate of war and the will of Heaven. -
While it is not to be expected that the whole
process of restoring civil government to the
people of the State will consist with their
former liberties, and much consideration is
therefore to be extended to their rules while
imposing such restrictions as they shall find
absolutely necessary in the interest Of peace,
order and reform. it is not reasonable to
suppose that the people could, or would ul-
timately accept in silence. or with indiffer-
ence. government neither derived from
nor dependent upon The will Of the gov
erned.
Actuated by these sentiments, and i'm
PEELED by an earnest and patriotic desire to
see the State government restored upon such
a liberal basis Of popular suffrage as to re.
move all just grounds Of discontt Mt and pre-.
vent future disaffection, we, the people Of
Albemarle, here assembled, do adopt the
| following resolutions
/. That we regard slavery as abolished
by the war, and abandon, i'll good faith. al
hope of retaining it that we are willing
under the circumstances, to amend the Fed
eral aud State Constitutions to accomplish
tnto CuA, ouu AZ pioOl VI ZIG IeiIauCe w W
placed on our voluntary action in this mat
ter, we refer to the unanimity with which
the people of this county have pledge them
selves, by solemn and recorded oaths, ''tt
abide by and faithfully support the procla
nation of the President, having reference
to slaves, SO long and so far as not modified
or declared void by decision Of the Supr ,mt
Court
2. That while we recognize Governor
Peifpoint as Governor of the State, and ten
der him our cordial aid and support while
we appreciate and commend the proper
seuse he has expressed of the Importance
and delicacy Of his functions aud the concil
iatory and laudabIe disposition he has man
Tested to consult the interests of the peopl
we are constrained to object to the authorit,
Of the Constitution adopted by the delegate
of few counties at Alexandria, in April
1864, and not ratified even by the peopl
represented /; and cannot but regard an
effort TO govern the people Of Virginia, o
to conduct sbeir elections for County, Stat
or Federal Offices, under the provisions 0
this Constitution, as committing the Gov
ernment to the hands of a very small minor