Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-08-06
vote, how would be be treated at the polls in

vote, how would be be treated at the polls IN
voting?
\. reckon if the darkies ever get to vote
some Of these fellows will want their votes, but
they will not get them. | reckon there will be
no difficulty on that head but do not think
it would do to remove the Freedmen's Bureau
from Virginia at present.
val? v D"' "'''N '"' S''S'' '. '"'' ''D''
A. It would be very disastrous 10 the colored
people
@. Would it not have the effect Of reducing
them to a condition worse even than slavery it.
self? -r.r.} ~. j.
A. do not know about that 81 am not
prepared to say. The effect would be very In
furious, and I think it would be very unsafe to
do so.
q. Has not q bill passed the Senate Of Vir-
eiuia requiring five years residence in the
State before person can vote? .r
A. The bill has not passed. 1t WAS reported
by committees Of both houses; bus 1 think the
Legislature got alarmed about il, and has put
back the provision Of the old law requiring a
two years residence The object Of the i've
years Limitation was to prevent northern people
from voting there, and to keep the power In
their own hands They have taken our Alex
andria charter away pretty much, merely to get
power in their hands; and that IS the tear
[ have about this Congress.
Q. They do not intend to permit any inni-
grafton from the moth .g-..El :.
A. They do not want northern immigrants to
vote there anyhow, and do not want them there
at all, if they can help it.
@. How are their commercial relations with
the northern people? Are they friendly? -
4. do not know. The secessionIsts OR dis
loyal people, hold very little intercourse with
the loyal people attertheir pardonS arc obtained
They all worship in tie same church. ~-.2
O. The rebels go to rebel churches, and the
Union men to Union churches? -
A Yes, sir. Itis great misfortune. / do
not know how it is to be settled. | think you
will find that Alexandria, is very fair exponent
of Virginia r.
@. You think that these llisloya! newspapers
DO great deal OF mischief?
A. | think they are the cause of all our pre-
sent difficulties. ] think the war vas prolonged
two years By themn Durins the time that Gen.
Mcclellan was in command in Virginia the pro-
portion Of newspapers sold III the camp was one
Thousand Ierads, FIVE hundred copies of the
Daily News, ten copies OF The Tribune, and five
copies Of the Times. What could you expect?
You could not get the government to say that
these copl trhead papers should not be sold
in he army. If it had stopped their clrcu-
latiou I ihiuEs the war would have been closed
long ago, unless it was that God did not intend
il 10 be closed sooner. ----,--.~-----,,-y rc;.
O. If the rebels had the opportunity, would
they assume the payment OF the rebel debt ?
4. Why Of course. AL the rebel States
would if they could do it. And do not know
what constitutional amendment can be devised
to prevent them. The difficulty to be appre-
hcn,e1 is, that if these people are pernittedto
come in and effect coalition with the demo
Gratis Of the north they will finally control the
government, and will certainly never pay the
federal debt That is my opinion. The GOV
ernmen5 ought TO take care OF the public debt.
g. Would they not also oveTturn the whole
system ot emancipation if they could FL.
a really cannoG say about that; but they
hate the government Of the United States hit
ierly. There is 10 question about hat. They
have no love fer the gov ermont Of the United
States. 1t is great misfortune.
G. 70 them ?, ~.
!. Yes, and to the government. @
q. Do you think the rebel people in Virgin
ia and elsewhere respect the power OF the Uni
ted States? .E. ...
A. No, sir; but they are afraid of it.
9. Is there anything about The United States
which they respect?
A. | do not know that there is. They will
give the government trouble some of these
days. They will try to get into power before
1868 *- -.