Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-06-25
Fall In.

The white men OF " Irglnla, says the Norfolk
Trqinian, have been patient until patience has
almost ceased to be virture. They have ex-
pressed again and again, publicly and privately,
their desire to live in peace and amity with the
freedmen of the State. But all in vain. The
large majority of the colored population have
met all their expressions of goodwill, all their
kindly overtures, all their concessions with in
suit and disdain We have occupied the posi-
ton of the man who, finding himself surrounded
by enemies holds out an olive branch in hopes
of pacifying their anger by the mere sight of
the symbol Of peace. Goaded by the white
malignants who have made use of them as ready
tools, and wild with the freedom so suddenly
thrust upon them, the negroes Of the South,
with some honorable exceptions, are deaf to the
voice of reason. They have misunderstood the
sentiments of the whites they have mistaken
forbearance for fear silence for terror. 1t is
high time that they should be undeceived on a
matter in which deception is criminal alike to
them and to ourselves. 1t is high time that
the white men speak out and let these negroes
and their factieus leaders know that they are
not the masters of the situation. We have the
mastery of the field, if we will but stretch out
our hands and take it. The-hand-around-t the
hat party have concentrated the negroes for
their own uses To meet this the white men of
Virginia must concentrate, and concentrated
they will present phalanx of patriotism, intel
Ggence and influence that will crush to impon-
derable dust the amalgamated masses of factious
men that disturb our State. Some of our col
ored population are still at heart the friends of
law and order and if an opportunity is given
them, they will gladly escape from anarchy and
agarianism to an organization sufficiently strong
to guarantee them protection But whatever
course they may take, ours is clear. We are
strong enough of ourselves if we will neither
underrate nor overrate our strength.
The Anglo-Saxon must awake, the white man
must be up and doing. We must number our
force; we must see that there are no stragglers,
that every man is at his post-and answers to
his name when the roll is called. To all who
value their property their persons their liberties,
their lives, we say ''FALL In" This week we
must march to victory, on the field of registra-
ton.
Every citizen is entitled to register and vote
who is not forbidden by the three following
circumstances combined, viz:
1st He must have held some State or Federal
office before the war.
2. He must, as such officer, have taken an
oath to support the constitution of the United
States.
3D. He must, after having done these things,
have given aid and comfort to the war in some
practical and voluntary manner
Unless these things combine, no one is dis
fanchised That is to say, those who may have
held Office and sworn to support the constitution,
can register if they did not afterwards aid the
rebellion, and all who aided the rebellion in any
way can register and vote if they did not hold
an Office and take an oath to support the consti-
ution before the war.
The holding Of an Office during the war, does
not work disfranchisement. One of the offices
named must have been held previously to the
rebellion"