The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-02-21
The President and the Virginia Delega-
ton.

Eight members OF the Virginia Legisla-
ture, who were appointed a committee by
that Legislature to wait upon the President,
aud present q set or resolutions uuaui-
mously adopted by both houses, performed
that duty short time after the conference
Of the President with the colored deiesa-
ton representing the interests Of the freed
men, TO which We alluded last week. These
resolutions, after abiding to the fact that
they had hitherto "beeu denied the consti-
tutiOnal measures Of communication by
which other States and other people make
known their opinions purposes and feelings
In the councils Of The natiOn;" declare that
the people Of Virginia accept and abide
by the results OF the late contest. and that
they intend IN good faith TO fulfill the obli-
cations thereby incurred. In allusiou 10
the freedmen they say:
1.-THE condition OF the freedmen among
US, and the policy 10 be adopted with RI
gard 10 them, will be recognized by You "a
calling for the exercise OF the highest f.lc-
ultleS OF the statesman and the best feel
ings Of the Christian philanthrOpist Tho
General Assembly of Virginia is engaged
earnestly IN the consideration OF these sub
jects; and, in anticipation OF the results of
their labOrs, we can only say tina; whatever
policy may be adopted will be adopted
In good faith, and with Kind feelings
to the Improvement OF the physical.
Intellectual and moral condition Of our
freedmen. lOu can understand and will
readily believe that the feelings Of our peO-
pie toward these freedmen are those of
Kindness, sympathy and good will; and that
to treat them with harshness and Injustice
Is opposed rs much 10 Our feelings ns il ia
to our interests, and our sense OF right"
These were fair words and fairly spoken,
bpt the great difficulty in believing them is,
that the people Of the Mother Of STATES !
have shown thus far no real DISPOSE on TO !
abide by the Union, rs they should have
done since the downfall Of the rebellion. |
and the utter rpsn OF lis leaders In tie I
election Of Congressman, they have accep- /
ted and sustained with one exception the I
candidate who declared his obstinate ad- /
herence 10 tho aim and tendencies of The 4
rebellion. electing those who declared that /
they could not and wOuld not take the test /
oath prescribed by Congress And in all ,
their practical legislation they have sought. I
not only to thwart the views Of Gov. Pier
pOnt, but their own legislative officers are
all Of the rankest rebel order. and i'm every
way they have desired to stultiiy the Will OF
the nation, in placing the freedmen in a
position where they could not successfully
prove their right 10 the privileges OF Amer
lean citizens; denying them laws that would
give them wages on the plantations suai-
Gent 10 keep body and soul together. The
income from the slave trade, by selling
slaves to States further south. was $50. O0O.-
600 annually, and the trade is DESTROYED.
and the hope Of pecuniary prosperity to the
men who made long PRAYERS in the church
es, and read the Bible with solemn visare
and strong faith, that it was the divine will
as revealed to them in approval OF the cur
sed system OF slavery: while under the
southern sun their own offspring. bleached
out by the laws of natural descent. toiled
hopelessly Tor relentless masters. We have
no iaith IN them, and DO not believe their
resolutions. II is part Of the white-washfn~
process, by which the people are 10 10
duped into carrying out 4 system or recon
structiOn, which shall restore the southern
representatives TO Congress, and hereafter
make Is again the aulomatOns TO do the
viii OF the prO-slavery horde, whom We
have just deprived OF their murderous
weapons, at an expense OF $500. 600. GOO.
We win believe none of it.
The President received these chivalric
Firglnians with honor, and replied to them
at length He had periled his life for the
cause OF the Union, and the result of the
ordeal had proved that be was right in the
position he had taken. He calls anon them
10 rally around the Constitution and the
Union, and reiterates the sentiment that
'ne spirit Of the Government can only be
preserved by mutual courtesy and forbear-
Anee' De admits their right to representa-
ton and says:
Inc representations Of the States or oil
ine people should have qualifications nrs-
seribed By the Constitution OF the f,, p.e
States, and those qualifications most nn