Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-02-16
The A1exandria Gazette
FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY Is.

= FhlDhI Ef ElNiNV, IlUDlGC IL.
The Washington Star says, 1T is becoming
daily more apparent that the stumbling block
in the way of the admission Of the States late
-lyin rebellion to their former positions II the
Union, is, simply, the efforts CT many OF those
controlling Southern newspapers and foolish
members of Southern Legislatures, to recon
struct their affairs 0" the basis OF the r%estora-
ton Of things in their midst upon the order IN
which they existed beforethe war, &c. Now,
what are the facts? Almtostwithout exception
the newspapers and the legislatures are urging
RECONSTRUCTION" upon the terms announced by
the President, and under15he conditions con-
seo71len5 upon the war. The people have ia
ken the eoatihs required the newspapers coun-
sci Submission to the new requirements, and
the abolition Of slavery, and entire observance
of the laws; and the Legislatures are conform
their action to the altered condition OF affairs,
and affirming their desire to carry out the poll
CIV and views CT the President with regard to
TO the restoration Of the Union. That the
newspapers, if they are left free to speak at all
should not approve Of all that is done, that It
the legislatures, in the exercise Of their I'M
doubted right should vote for such public Off
GERS as they please, provided these officers con
form to the laws with regard to these obliga-
tions; and that the people should prefer tor
Office, those. With whom they are best a%cquaint-
ed and have most confidence in, provided also,
thew have CONFIRMED 10 the laws which allow
them to vote and to hold of6ce, is surely natu-
raj. There is nothing IN all this that looks
like "~placing stumbling blocks" in the way Of
the admission Of states into the Union. Every
body knows that there is but one general gov
eminent, and the people Of the South, wish 10
live peaceab|y in it; that government recog-
nizing it, and giving to it their lawful support.
There may be foolish and inconsidarate
papers, legislators, and people, who say and do
foolish and inconsiderate things-but we speak
Of the great mass Of the people-the people Of
Virginia, whom we know well, and knowing,
love and appreciate them better every day Of
our lives and these people are just as we
represent them. They are honest men. .They
have had a hard fight to maintain the stand
they took; they have been overpowered-and
tie decision has been against them, in the field
on which the contest was settled. They are
not for any further disturbance of the peace
for any opposition to the Constitution-for any
contention against the authority which is es-
tablished. Whatever may be their feelings
with regard to events Of the past, by which
they have SO much suffered, and however much
they may disapprove Of the acts of some Of
those who they think have used them badly,
there is not, at this day, one Of them who will,
in a spirit Of obstinate resistance, obstruct the
lawful operations of the government. AS far
as that is concerned Virginia would be as
peaceable, to-day, as Pennsylvania, if there
were not a soldier IN it's limits, if its members
Of Congress were admitted to seats, If the ha-
bess corpus were restored, and its Legislature
a~lIoWedxto act without let OF hinderance, or ad-
vice from any quarter. No; the 'stumbliDg
blocks are placed by other hands, and in other
quarters. They are thrown in the path by
mischief makers, by politicians interested in
keeping up strife; by those concerned, for no
good ends. in obstructing q Restoration of the
union.
~ An exchange paper, speaking Of Mexico, and
it's condition, says that during the last 40 years,
that country has had 81 different forms ofgov-
eminent, 50 of which we; republic; and IS
= I