Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-22
THE VIRGINIA DELEGATION BE-
FORE THE REcossTRuCTIos COM

Virginia committee IN Washington had con- /
cluded their interview with the President, |
they received summons from Mr.. Jacob |
X. Eoward-Senator from Michigan and |
President Of the subcommittee ON Recon-
struction for Virginia and the Carolinas-
requiring them to appear before him on |
Tuesday, the 18th inst, for purposes Of ex-
animation. Mr.. Pendleton did not receive |
this summons, and Mr.. Marshall declined
20 appear unless sergeant-at-arms were
sent 20 conduct him BY fcrce; but the other
members of the committee, Messrs Baldwin,
Keen, Gray, Dale, Carter, joynes and
Grattan, waited on Mr.. Howard, and in
formed him that their official duties required
their immediate presence in Richmond.
Mr.. Howard then consented to go ON with the
examination at once. A stenographer was
sent for, and as soon as he arrived the pro-
| ceedings commenced.
Messrs. Joynes and Carter were examined
separately, but when their evidence had
been heard, the proceedings took the form
of series Of ordinary catechetical questions
and answers, all the members Of the COM
| mittes being, however, upon oath.
After some preliminary remsrks, Mr..
Howard asked whether, if the Judge Of the
| United States Circuit Court ruled that the
commission of certain acts amounted 70
| treason, and that those acts were not susti-
fed or palliated by any action of State Con-
vention, 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
| Jury in Virginia could be found TO bring in
a verdict of guilty of treason, involving his
| condemnation and death2 lz 49, sa
Mr.. Grattan thought that no jury could be
found in Virginia to bring in such a SEN
tence. Thanks TO this noble, brave, lion
| hearted Virginian. Thank God there was
| one man among them who did not cover be-
| fore Black Republicans, and could speak the
sentiment Of the people Of the South. This
opinion was disagreed TO by the other men,
| bers of the committee, who stated unaHi-
mously that the Virginians were law
abiding people, that they respected the obli-
| cations of an oath, and that if any person
was found clearly and unmistakably guilty
| of crime. the jury would so decide, how
ever great the importance of the accused
person might be, or however painful and
| distressing the result to their own private
| feelings. i. -.
| Mr.. Howard appeared to be grati6ed at re
| ceiving this assurance and then asked whe-
| ther there we're many secessionists in the
| Virginia. Legislature. A member of the
committee replied that there were in the Le-
gislature gentlemen who were heartily op-
posed to secession, before the publication OF
Mr.. Lincolns proclamation; there were gen
tlemen who had been secessionists in prin-
ciple and conduct, duringthe war; but there
wa. 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 "rebep Government. In reply,
Mr.. Howard was informed that some OF the
members had held such office, and, indeed,
some Of the members of the committee then
under examination had done so, but three
| fourths of the members Of the Virginis
General Assembly were too old to have taken
up arms. ~ ~ at
Mr.. Howard then asked whether any or
ganization was in existence in Virginia for
the purpose of encouraging secession prin'-
ciples, and with the intention Of supporting,
nj convenient time, new act OF secession!
To this the reply was emphattically and dis
tinctly, MOI and Mr.. Baldwin stated that u
iany man made an assertion that such an or
ganization did exist, he would tell him that
he lied. Mr.. Howard then asked whether
the "rebeI' debt had any value in Virginia,
and whether there was any expectation
that it would ultimately be paid, and
was informed that Confederate bonds and
currency could be obtained by the bushel for
the asking.
Some general conversation then ensued, in
the course ofwhich the committee stated that
the people in the Norlh did not understand
| the relations of the whites and the negroes in
the South; that the Southern people we're
| willing and anxious TO do the negroes justice,
| but asked that they themselves might, by
the removal of the Freedmen's Bureau, and
the restoration Of civil law, be given fair
chance of remaining quiet and working for
their livelihood.
Mr. Howard next asked whether, If the
| constitutional amendment were adopted, ex-
cludine from the basis of representation all
such classes in any State as were not allowed
10 vote. the South would then give the ne
groes the right Of suffrage? A member OF
the committee replied, that in his opinion
the South could not afford 10 give up any
portion Of the representation to which they
were entitled under existing laws, but that,
as the negroes could not by mere stroke Of
the pen on Presidential proclamation, be
made intelligent and enlightened citizens
the South would not be willing 10 give the
negro the unqualified right 10 vote. The
same member of the committee further said,
that he believed that the two difficulties
might be reconciled by fixing standard Of
qualification for voters, which would exclude
1 the negroes from the right Of suffrage, but
4 at the same time cause them to be counted
i. tie basis Misrepresentation. Aleo, 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 coL,T could TO
longer be maintained.
The members Of the COMMITTEES then said
that the South had presumed, in accordance
with the assurances conveyed IN the procia-
nations and speeches of Mr. Lincoln, that
the object Of the war was the restoration OF
the Union; and that when Gen. Lee had
surrendered. and they were prepared to
acknowledge the end OF the contest, they
were met with a new and more stringent
proclamation, which left it unquestionable
whether even saan's breath was his own !
This caused some revulsion of feeling, for
all that the Soathem people asked was
freedom of thought and speech, and the
right Of representation, that they might
show by their actions their fealty TO the
obligations which they had deliberately in
Cured.
Mr.. Baldwin was then asked II he renem-
bered conversation that had taken place
between himself and President Lincoln prior
TO the Virginia ordinance Of secession. Mr.
Baldwin said that be did, and mentioned
that Mr.. Lincoln had then informed him
that IL the Virginia Cd&vention, then in
session. would adjourn, he Mr.. Lincoln)
would abandon Fort Sumter TO its fate. Mr.
Howard insisted that Mr.. Lincoln would not
have dared to make such propositions, as il
would have aroused storm Of indignation
throughout the entire North. Mr.. Baldwin
reiterated that ne had a good memory and
that sueh was his impression Of the tenor OF
Mr.. Lincoln's remarks
4 After some general conversation with DIR.
Howard, the examination terminated, and
| the members OF the committee took their
leave, being assured by Mr.. Howard At the
mornen< of parting that "things would all
come out right right" perhaps, after Mr..
Howard's notion of things.
SLAVERY NOT YET DEAD.--A Colonel
Daniels who married some divorced woman,
lectured with his wife at the Cooper Insti-
tute, New York, to a large audience, consist
ing of the reportorial corps Of the 1fibuae,
half dozen Sambos and Dinahs, and a
dozen strong-minded viragoes. The New
| York Tines says:
Mr. Daniels expressed the opinion that slavsry
Was b. 30 means dead. and Mrs. Daniels waited
~ knos IN ~ :. , ~. - go .,vaEe