Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-05-04

TAlUAl NOhNlNU, MAJ Il, AoVV.
In another column will be found the result
of the labors of the Reconstruction Commit
tee, and more nefarious and reckless scheme
for party ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and power never
disgraced the history Of any country or age
1t is divided into three parts The first is
a Constitutional amendment which would
ingraft into the Constitution the features of
the Civil Rights Bill, force negro suffrage
upon US, or cut down the basis Of represen-
tation, disfranchise those who sympathize
with secession, as far as voting for members
of Congress and electors for President and
President is concerned, until July 4th
1870, Ga most disgraceful. attempt to secure
the election of Stevens, Sumner, or some 9TH
er radical to the next. Presidency prohibits
the payment by the United States, or any
State, Of any obligation incurred in aid of
secession, or any, claim to compensation for
slaves emancipated, and gives Congress abb
solute power and control over the whole sub
ject.
The second part refers to the restoration
of the Southern States.to their full (D politi-
cal rights in the Union. The conditions of
which are, that, the amendment having be-
come a part of the Constitution, any South
ern State adopting it and modifying its Con-
stitution in accordance Herewith, and elect
ing duly qualified Senators and Representa-
tives, who can take the test oath, shall be ad-
mitted, and offers bride in the shape of a
postponemcnt of the payment of the direct
tax, assumed by such State, for period not
exceeding ten years from the passage Of the
proposed act.
The third part declares ineligible to any
office under the United States Government
those who have aided the Confederate States,
occupying certain positions under it and un-
der the State Governments This latter part
would deprive us of the services Of the ablest
statesmen ameng us, in Federal capacity,
and force us to elect set Of incapacitated
upstairs, who could be manipulated at will
by the vile tricksters who now disgrace our
National Legislature.
We, it seems, are to have no hand in max
ing or refusing to make the proposed amend
ment part of the Constitution. When
three-fourths of the States now represented
shall ratify it and make it a part Of that in
strument, we may adopt it and thereby Sc
cure the postponement of the payment Of the
unpaid direct tax for period not exceeding
ten years. Most generous Congress Ire
mendous bribe! -
For the privilege Of representation in Con-
grcss by men who would fail in every partic-
ular to represent us, we must disfranchise
our best citizens, and lose the service of many
of our ahlest men forever, in Federal
capacity, and the payment of the direct
tax of 81 cents on every one hundred
dollars worth of taxable property will be
postponed for ten years. Our people have
already paid vast portion of this direct tax,
and supposing the other States have been
treated like Virginia, the remainder unpaid,
judging from this particular community,
would not exceed one-twenty seventh of the
direct tax, or one cent on every $500, for
the postponement of the payment Of which
we are to barter away your constitutional
and g full political rights"
The amendment may be made part of the
Constitution, yet we doubt that 10 of the 26
States represented will ratify it, but we are
not SO lost to manliness, that, for the sake Of
being relieved for time of the payment of
the remaining direct tax of | cent on 500,
We would adopt this abominable production
of the Reconstruction Committee. Better be
unrepresented forever Those who claim all
the rights may do as they will and we are
powerless to prevent it, but we can at least
have the proud satisfaction Of knowing that
we had no hand in riveting on ourselves this
diabolical scheme
In this day Of recuperation an earnest de-