Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-07-03
NUMBER IL.

one OF his most important prerogatiyes, and the
people deprived of an indispensable safeguard
Of liberty
The amendments which are proposed to be
incorporated into the Constitution, are worthy
of the source from which they emanated-
Stripped of the fimsy disguise by which their
deformity is sought to be concealed, they ara
substantially:
1st, Negro equality in all respects.
End, The disfranchisement ofevery Southern
man, who obeyed the authority of his State and
proved loyal to the instincts of humanity.
3rd, The reputation of all Confederate ebli
cations.
To the third amendment wo can have no OBJ
lection, except that it is unnecessary and tends
to mislead the public mind because itwas well
known to the authors of this amendment, that
the several States had anticipated their action.
by adopting efficient measures to prevent the
assumption or payment OF any debt contracted
In aid of the war;
To the other two amendments we are inhexi-
bly, opposed. They involve fragrant violations
Of the reserved rights of the States tend to in
fame sectional animosity and to retard the re-
storation of union and harmony in the Country,
and were manifestly intended to degrade and
humiliate the people of the South.
We, therefore, Indignantly protest against
their adaptation, as leading inevitably to new
troubles and to the disturbance of the just re-
vernment, and ultimately to the consolidation
of all power In the government of the United
States and we earnestly invite the people Of
our sister counties, and Of all the Southern
States, to assemble promptly, at their respective
Court Houses, and pronounce similar judg-
ment of condemnation on this mschievous at
tempt to undermine the foundation Of Constitrr
tional liberty.
AS for ourselves, we could not sanction amp
such amendment without personal dishOnor,
and the basest ingratitude and injustice to those
of our fellow citizens who merit the Largest
share of our esteem and confidence.
We prefer not to be represented at all in the
National Councils, rather than to be represent
ed only by those whose past history gives no
assurance that they will be true to their trusts.
We are determined, at all hazards, to main
tain our selfrespect unimpaired, and therefore
we must withhold our sanction from measures
which necessarily involve sacrifice of high
moral principle.
We have been overwhelmed, but not yet been
degraded. That can be done only with our own
consent, and that consent never will be given.
Our rights may be ravished from US by vio-
lence, but we will never agree that Virginia
shall be placed in the position of political pros
titute, by giving consent to her own degrada~
ton and dishonor.
Whereupon, on motion, a committee of five
persons were appointed to report resolutions fo1
the meeting.
The following were appointed, Hon. A. b.
| 81. Stuart, John Merritt J. G. Fulton, ThoA
! j. Niche, and VIM. NJ Tate
On motion, the meeting adjourned to halt.
past clock.
AT halfpast clock, the meeting resumed
business, and the following preamble and reso-
| lutioDs were reported, and on motion, as the
sense of the meeting, unanimously adopted.
| Whereas, on the Sth day of May, 1865, the
people of Augusta, In general meeting, assem-
bled ito take measures looking to re-organiza>
! ton OF the government of Virginia in conform
!! ity to the Constitution and laws of the United
States, with a just appreciation of the duties
enforced ON them by the results of the war, and
of the rights guaranteed to them by the Con-
stitution of the United States, pledge them
selves, in good faith, to cooperate with others
for the restoration of the Union; and announ-
ced principles and opinions which have since
been sanctioned and illustrated by the acts and
declarations of Andrew johnson, the President
of the United States and, whereas, the people
of Virginia have sincerely, and in good faith,
resumed their relations to the Union, with the
| approval of the Executive, and the recognition
OF the Judiciary department of the Government
of the United States, and have been and are
discharging, with scrupulous fidelity, the du-
ties of citizens, obeying the laws, paying taxes,
and bearing other burdens of Government; and,
whereas, Notwithstanding, that the right of tax
Iation has heretofore been deemed inseparable
from the right of representation, the Congress
of the United States, in the absence of Senators
and Representatives from eleven States of ths
Union, propose deliberately to continue the
imposition of taxes on the people of the South,
without their consent or voice In the enactment
of laws for the purpose: and not only so but
| against the protestation of the President and
| the judgment of all just men, to propose, for
ratification by the States, amendments of the
Constitution of the United States, which never
could have been matured and passed, if all the
States had been in Congress by their represent
atiyes and not this only, but as is alleged,
looking upon the Union as dissolved in fact, as
to the eleven Southern States, and upon these
as States still out of the Union, the said Con-
gress propose, that the ratification ofthe amend
ment recently propounded, through the Secre-
tary Of State, not by an ''act Of Congress-" to
which the approval Of the President would have
| been necessary, but by "a concurrent resolu-
ton to avoid the effects on the country of
vote of the act-that the ratification of this d
mendment, so devised and propounded, by each
of the eleven Southern States shall be condi-
ton precedent to the restoration of the Union
and, whereas, apart from the fact that said a.
mendment was passed by the two houses Of
Congress in violation of the Constitution itself;
and, apart from all else, in the article propound-
ed, unjust and oppressive to the people of the
South, Virginians can never ratify, without SELF
imposed dishonor and degradation, an amend
ment of the Constitution which, notwithstand-
ing professions of sincere loyalty, and acts Of
patriotism, the Presidents pardon, and the
rights of persons elsewhere guaranteed in the
Constitution, seeks to degrade and disfranchise
the ablest and purest men of the State for the
discharge of the duties imposed On them by the
free suffrage of the people, or for sympathy and
cooperation, during the recent struggle, with
an overwhelming majority of the people of Vir-
purpose of the people of Augusta county, to
obey the laws, to bear patiently the burdens Of
Government, even though denied the right Of
representation, and cordially to sustain the wise
and patriotic policy of the President of the Uni
ted States, it is equally their fixed determine
tion, to take part in no act which will deprive