The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-05

and in Congress, to the end that Just and
salutary measures may be adopted for the
protection of the loyal people of Virgin
ia, and, as we conceive of the whole
country, IN the establishment of a State
Government for this State.
We have organized an association
whose branches are designed TO extend
over the State as fast and as far as they
can be organized and whose design is to
unite and harmonic the Union element
upon such course of action as will pre-
vent the consequences set forth above.
That course of action we are unani-
mously agreed upon, viz: To secure the
elective franchise to our cOlored popula-
ton, as soon as it can be safely done, and,
meanwhile, to establish strong and
loyal Government, either military or
territorial. Our reasons for this are,
many of them, such as will be readily
suggested to the minds of all rejecting
persons who have given attention to this
subject and to the present condition of
things
Besides being just and right in itself
and required by the principles of our
Republican Government, dsloyalty
without it will assuredly triumph; our
State Government will be wholly con-
| Quoted and controlled by those whohave
| been actively and prominently engaged
in sustaining the rebellion, and our rep
resentatives in Congress will be just
those who would have been returned to
the Rebel Congress had that body con-
tinued to exist. The obligations of the
State, issued to sustain the rebellion and
held by the people of the State, amount
ing, 1t is said, to several millions of dol
lars, will undoubtedly be assumed, and
thus the loyal people of the State, who
have been on the side of the Govern
ment in its late struggle, will be taxed
once to pay the cost of putting down
the rebellion, and again more heavily to
| pay the cost of sustaining it.
What may be the probable effect on
our national obligations and the pay
ment of the national debt, as well as the
effect upon the general legislation of the
country, by the admission to Congress of
such representatives as we are sure to
have if the present state of things are
to continue, it is unnecessary for us to
suggest, but it is pertinent in this con-
nection to call attention to the increased
representation which the emancipation
OF the slaves will give, not only to this,
| but to all the insurrectiOnary States, and
to the increased power which they will
thereby WELD, either for or against the
| Government
In view of all the foregoing, we re-
specially ask that Congress regard the
Administration of Governor Pierpont as
only Professionalism it inaugurate
measures to call State Convention at a
| fit time, for the amendment of the old
or the formation of new Constitution,
the convention to be chosen by the loyal
people of the State without distinction OF
color, and from which all who have volun-
tarily aided the rebellion be excluded,
| whether asmembers Observation-Disclosures
| tilsuch fit time arrive, itorganize aprovis-
ional or territorial governmentupon such
plan, rs in itsjudgment, shall seem best
calculated to guarantee the enjoyment
of the civil rights and peaceful pursuit
of the ordinary avocations of the people,
and to emancipate the blacks from the
control of their masters, and educate
them for the enjoyment of their civil
! rights, to the end that when State
Government is finally established, it
may be upon such basis as will protect
the rights of all, and afford additional
guarantees for the perpetuation of that
| Union which gigantic war of fOuI
years duration has been waged to defend
and secure. S. FERGUSON BEACH,
| ~.e LYsANDER HILL,
w. j. CowING.