Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1865-11-03

Gteveral weeks since we asserted our belief
- that the radicals would resort to every
means to prevent the Representatives, lately
elected in the Southern States, from taking
their seats in the next Congress, whether
: they could subscribe to the test oath or not
Things seem TO be drifting in that direction
faster than We bad presumed. 1t seems that,
By a law Of Congress, the Clerk of the House
is required to enrol the names of all members
who present credentials which exhibit the
fact that they have been regularly elected.
There is not the shadow of a doubt that
The lately chosen Representatives. of the South
have been regularly elected, and consequent
sy, IN all reason, it would seem that, upon
showing their credentials. their names should
be enrolled, which would leave the question
of their ability or inability to take the test
oath to be decided when they should come
forward to take the required oaths, and when,
it was supposed by many, those who could
not take the test oath would be refused their
seats. But there seems to be short hand
process developing which will accomplish just
what VIC asserted. The clerk of the House
proposes not to enrol the names of any
Southern Representative, if his credentials
do show that he has been regularly elected
and even provided he is known to be able to
take the test oath. ~ The consequence is that
the clerk of the House, with the show of not
desiring to decide who is and who is not en-
titled to seat, becomes the arbiter of the
qualifications of the members of the House
instead of the House itself. and by thus acting
conflicts directly with the policy Of recon
struction which the President has so ear
nestly and determinedly pursued. BY this
ruling Mcssrs Stuart and Conrad, who can
not take the oath, on account of a manly SYM
pathy entertained for their unfortunate fellow
citizens and their cause, will be as likely to
be admitted to their seats, as any ofour Rep
resentatives who can take the prescribed
oath.
This, we fear, is but one Of the inlpedi-
mcnts to be thrown in the way of reconstruc-
ton. The right of suffrage to freedmen,
lately refused by Connecticut, or something
else more Illuminating, will next be required
Of the South, and SO on, until, for tho pres
ept, reconstruction will be impossible. While
We desire to see the Union restored as soon
as possible, yet We are compelled to agree with
our cotemporary Of the Macon Telegraph .
He says:
1--WE can afford to take things coolly, as
the United States needs us and our services
they wish for us to be prosperous, that we
may hslp pay the mighty load of debt incurred
by the war; they need cheap cotton goods
which they cannot obtain till social order is
restored in the South the world needs and is
languishing for our products, and will not
obtain them till civil order, peace and quiet
allow us to restore our disorganized labor
machinery; the Norsh needs our trade, but
until we can raise prodace and make money
we cannot trade nor will our people feel like
turning themselves to productive industry UNI
til all these disturbing influences in regard
to the Union, and State severmcnts are set
tied and settled satisfactorily to US.
So peg away, Messrs. Radicals, peg away
you are only gnawing at the. vitals Of the
Union itself"