Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-12-20

was ent;tled to the position assigned him.
ASA When the eoscallcd CONSTITUTIONS Conyen-
ton assembled III the CAPITOL of Virginia,
the fact was made known of the intended ar
ray of race against race, under the conduct
of few renegade white men, and the ncces-
sity OF an organization to form white man s
party was the cause Of the assembling Of the
body before him.
There had never been period in the his
tory Of the country when the talents for 81
lencc WAS so necessary When General Lee
surrendered. the people submitted in good
faith. Whatever opinion they may have en-
tertained in regard to secession was aban-
doned as impracticable, and the people had
from that time forward proved themselves
law abiding citizens. The idea was not to
be entertained that perfect submission would
secure to them their liberty,-a thing in
the heart of every Virginian unimperisha-
bic. sAgs
The old grand danes rccounted with pride
to the children at their knees the fame and
achievements of their ancestors; the mother
taught the love of liberty to her daughter !;
the father taught it to his son. They could
all go home and tell parents to bring up their
daughters as chaste as their mothers, their
sons as brave and faithful as their fathers.
Virginia valor had been eyiuced upon every
battle field of the war it was proved uncon-
querable by the desolation Of the country
They must all look forward to a brighter,
better day. He thanked the Convention for
the honor they conferred upon him in ma
king him their chairman, and took his scat
DR. Hoge, being requested to do SO, came
forward and made an eloquent and appro-
pirate prayer.
On motion of Col Christian, Of Augusta,
the Richmond Editors. were appointed Sec
retaries of the Convention.
Mr.. Turner, of Rappahanock, moved that
committee of thirteen be appointed to re-
port permanent officers of the convention,
which being adopted the chairman named
the following gentlemen to constitute the
committee, viz M A9
Zephaniab Turner, Of Rappahannock; 0.
r. Funston, of Clarke Bolivar Christian,
of Augusta Waller R. Staples, Of Mont
gomery; David r. Burk, of Bedford; VIM.
Martin, of Henry; Asa d. Dickinson. Of
Prince Edward Robert Whitehead, of Mel
son; r. T. Daniel, of Richmond; r. II.
Coleman. of Caroline; James NJ. Wilcox. Of
Charles City John Goode, of Norfolk and
NJ R. Garnett, of Essex.
The committee retired but few minutes
and on their return reported the following :
PERMANENT OFFICERS OF THE CONVENTION.
President Hon. A. H. H. Stuart
Vice Presidcnts-Hon r. NJ T. Hunter,
Hon. Samuel Mcdowell Moor Hon Ihos
s. Bocock, Hon. Robert S. Preston, Hon
Thomas S. Flournoy, General James l..
Kemper, G w. Newton. Esq Hon. W.
H. Mcfarland, Colonel George ". Boiling,
Wood B,uldin, Esq.
Secretaries Henry X. Ellyson. VIM. r.
Coleman, James Mcdonald and j. Bell
Bigger.
Mr. Stuart. on being conducted to the
chair by Messrs. Funston and Turner, said
Gentlemen of the convention: / thank
you for the honor you have done ME iii call
ing me to preside over convention which
enbodies SO large share of the virtue, i'll
telligance, and patriotism Of Virginia.
We have assembled, gentlemen, under
circumstances Of peculiar interest ard solem
nifty. This is 40 convention to advance the
interests of mere party. Thank Heaven,
if the late fearful conflict has done no other
good, it has effected all old party lines and
suhducd all old party animosities. We come
together not as Wings or Democrats, but as
Virginians, earnestly devoted to the promo
ton of the interests and honor of our COM
mon mother.
Nor have we come together in any factious
spirit or with any aggressive. purpose.
Whatever opinions individual members Of
this Convention may have entertained in the
past as to the right Of q State to withdraw
from the Union, think [ may safely affirm
that they have been abandoned as impracti-
cable The question arising out of those
opinions have been referred to the arbitra-
nlent OF arms, and having been decided ad-
versely, all now feel that they are bound in
honor, as well as impelled by interest, to
stand by the award.
The people of Virginia now desire repose,
and they earnestly seek restoration of their
cOustltutlOilal TeiatlOIiS W the Union DIS tuc
best means of affording it. They feel, too,
that the material interests of all parts of our
widely extended country are impaired, and
our Liberties imperilled by the long r contin.
uance Of the present unhappy strifes, and we
seek restoration Of the Union as the most
efficient remedy for all the evils of which We
complain.
When the war ceased we were tod that if
We annulled our ordinances of secession, and
repudiated the Confederate debt. and perfect
cd the emancipation Of our slaves by adopt
ing the constitutional amendment, we would
be restored to our constitutional rights. To
these conditions we promptly acceded, be-
cause they involved no sacrifice of our self
respect and were attended by no national
degrad; ton. We have faithfully fulfilled
all these conditions, and yet our rights are
withheld. May we not, under these cir
cumstances, appeal to the justice and good
faith Of the North for the redemption Of the
promises thus made to US?
Looking to events which have happened
in other Southern States, the people of Vir-
GINA have been led to fear that policy is to
be inaugerated here which tends, If it be not
designed to subvert our wh,le social fabric
and IN hriuo tho land of Wachino.np Hon