The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1866-02-24


eOnssrucfion Commatsee-
IN so+,,rdov afternoon last, soon after the /
VIRGINIA committee i'm Washington had con-
snlnded their interview with the President, |
+bov received a summons from Mr.. Jacob |
Torard senator from Michigan and Pres |
ident of the subcommittee on Heconstrnc-
tion for Virginia and the Carolinas, re-
ouiring them to appear before h1n on Ieus-
dav Mr. PendletOn did not receive TINS |
snmmons. Mr. Marshall declined to appear |
unless sergeant-at-arms were sent to con-
dnct him by force but the other members |
of the committee, Messrs. Baldwin, Keen, |
Gray, Dale, Carter, Joynes and Grattah'
waited on Mr.. Howard, and informed MN
that their official duties required thelT lLh-
mediate uresence in Richmond. Mr.. How
ard then consented to go on with the eAaul-
ination at once. II
After some preliminary remarks. Mr. How
ard asked whether, if the Judge OF the C Chi-
ted States Circuit Court ruled that the coAn-
mission of certain acts amounted to treason,
and that those acts were not Justlned OF
naIIiated by any action of a State Conven-
fion. or the provisions of an ordinance OF
secession and if it were clearly proved that
Jefferson Davis was guilty OF such acts,
whether. under these circumstances, any Ju-
nv in Virginia could be found to bring IN
verdict of guilty of treason lnVolVlng ms
condemnation to death
Mr.. Grattan thought that no jury could be
found in Virginia to bring in such sentence;
CThanks to this noble, brave, hon-hearted
Viroinian Thank God there was one among
them who did not cover before the Black Re
publican, and could speak the sentiments OF
| the South. This opinion was disagreed TO
bv the other members of the committee, who
stated unanimously that the Virginians were
law abiding people, that they respected the
obligations of an oath, and that II any per-
son were found clearly and Enthusiastically
| guilty of crime, the jury would 50 decide
however great the Importance ofthe accused
person might be, or however painful and
| distressing the result to their own private
| feelings
| Mr. Howard appeared to be gratitied and
| asked whether there were many sceSslonlsts
| in the Virginia Legislature member OF
| the committee replied that there were IN Tue
Legislature gentlemen who were heartllg
| opposed to secession before the publication
| Of Mr. Lincoln's proclamation; there were
gentlemen who had been secessionlsts IN
| principle and conduct, during the war but
| there was not one now in the Legislature
who thought of further resistance, or who
was in fancy or feeling secessionist. The
next question was, whether any of the
| Virginia legislators had held office or borne
arms under the "rebel" government. In re-
ply Mr.. Howard was informed that some OF
the members held such office, and indeed
some of the members of this committee then
under examination had done so, but three
fourths of the members of the Virginia Gen
eral Assembly were too old to have taken up
arms.
Mr. Howard then asked whether any OF
ganization was i'll existence in Virginia tor
the purpose of encouraging secession prln-
ciples and with the intention of supporting,
at a convenient time, new act OF secession
To this the reply was emphatically and dis
tinctly, No! and Mr.. Baldwin stated that If
! fla tinr1f hot a
ganizaton did exist, he would tell him that
he lied. Mr.. Howard then asked whether
the ''rebel debt had any value i'll Virginia,
and whether there was any expectation that
it would be ultimately paid, and was IN
formed that Confederate bonds and curren-
cy could be obtained by the buShel 1or the
asking.
Mr. Howard next asked, whether if the
constitutional amendment were adopted, eX-
Guiding from the basis of representation all
such classes in any State as were not allowed
to vote, the South would then give the negroes
the right of sutfragel A member of the COM
mittee replied that in his opinion the South
could not afford to give up any portion OF
the representation to which they were en-
titled under existing laws, but that, as the
negroes could not by mere stroke OF the
pen or Presidential proclamation, be made
; Intelligent and enlightened citizens, the
South would not be willing to give the negro
member of the committee further said that
he believed that the two difficulties might
be recOnciled by fixing standard of qualh-
! cation for voters which would exclude the
negroes from the right of suffrage, but at
the same time cause them to be counted IN
the basis of representation Also, that no
qualification could be prescribed that would
not exclude many white men as well as the
negroes from voting, but that this would be
| inevitable, when the test of color could no
longer be maintained. The members of the
committee then said that the South had pre-
sumed, in accordance with the assurances
: conveyed in the proclamations and speeches
of Mr.. Lincoln, that the only object of the
war was the restoration of the Union; and
that when General Lee had surrendered, and
they were prepared to acknowledge the enc
of the contest, they were met with new
/ and more stringent proclamation, which LEFT
it questionable whether even q mans breath
was his own! This caused some revulsiOn o
feeling, for all that the Southern people
asked was freedom of thought and speech
and the right of representation that they
l might show by their actions their fealty tt
the obligations which they had deliberately
b. incurred.
, Mr. Baldwin was then asked if he remem
bered a conversation that had taken place
between himself and President LincolI
prior to the Virginia Ordinance of Secession
Mr.. Baldwin said that he did, and men
, toned that Mr. Lincoln had then informed
him that if the Virginia Convention, thel
in session would adjourn, he (Mr. Lincoln
would abandon Fort Sumter to its fate
: Mr.. Howard insisted that Mr. Lincoln woul
not have dared to make such propositions
as it would have aroused storm of indig
5 nation throughout the entire North. MI
Baldwin reiterated that he had good men
ory, and that such was his impression of tn
= tenor of Mr.. Lincoln's remarks.
After some general conversation with Nj
Z Howard, the examination terminated, an
: the members of the committee took thei
] leave, being assured by Mr. Howard at th
moment of parting that things would a
Y come out right"-"right," perhaps, afte
Mr.. Howard's notion of things.