The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-27

the Assembly concerning vagrah's
a~o,inst the freedmen within his mill
tsry department., the Republic says that
that mandate should awaken the Legis-
lature to the serious fact that it is DRIFT
ing rapidly into collision with the Gov
eminent of,the United States. It's not
to be supposed that an order of SO grave
a character as the'one in question wouia
have been promulgated by General
Terry without advisement with h gov
eminent at Washington. That order,
very important insvirtue OF its intrinsic
subject matter, is far more important, as
marking the fact that abreach OF IN
diplomacy is called the cOrdiate entente
has taken place between the Legislature
of Virginia and the Federal authoii'ies.
| The Republic says further-and we
| commend to the earnest Oh ouf
readers every word il utters,-that His
.nsic;ent to know ''that the Govern
mant and officers of the United States
are made by q law of Congress the guard
ians and protectors ofthe people recent
~ held in slavery: and that these people
are legally, as well as morally, the
"wardsn ofthe Government. Let any
intelligent and candid man place him
self for a moment in the shoes of the
Government, consider himself the
guardian of the negroes, and in thai
character, and from that standpoint, ex'
anime the act of the Assembly impeach'
cd by Gen. Terry. He will not be able tt
separate from his mind the belief tina
the law was intended to affect no othel
!. class than the negroes, and he would no
: be able to resist the conviction, that hi
, duty required a prompt interference TO
:, the protection of his awards" agains
!, a measure in the highest degree harsh
and stringent in its a%ninius, and mos
summarily and dangerously afiectin
:. the liberty and welfare Of the elias
|, against which it is aimed in its opera
ton. Such being the character of thi
unfortunate statute, it was the duty {
IT General Terry to interfere, and there
no earthly doubt TINT his course is al
proved and will be vigorously sustaine
'e at Washington, Another thing is tru'
g The Virginia Legislature has put itse
re i'm the wrong by this piece of Legislation
d It has broken up the good understand
c. ing that subsisted between the admin
r tration and this Commonwealth whe
is the Legislature met. Ithas, by this al
other acts, consummated and conter
plated, so changed the relations of vi
!, ginia to she Union, that whereas, attl
~ beginning of the present legislative Sc
sion, she was the nearest to admissio
y. and looked upon more favorably thu
70. any other southern state she is nc
,oo farther from admission than al
NJ other, and regarded as doing more
i. thwart the Presidents plan of
construction than all the rest of {
A. southern states together. We make
). idle or groundlcss declaration uhen
r say that it is not fmp'o0a0tc that
5 entire provisional Government Of
state, from the Legislature DOM, 40
q, within the neGt thirty days, be dbohsh
nat as irregular, illegal and compliant OF
for mischief" 1t is not IN the action
ng the Legislature alone, that evidence n
an be found of a disposition to non-coml
lie will, the re1ueots of the general COVE
'u- ment. A Judge has been known, in
os- instance, at least, to positively refuse
'ut comply with written order of hil
he est officer in command in this sta
req How much further lie went--in the
tii rection of eyincing his contempt for
ate authorities ,-we will not now say.
o remark only, that he continues to res
ho' the same order, and to act in defianc
per the highest military officer i'm the la
I'D