The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-12-11
ION VIRGINIA. WEDNESDAY MORNING, DECEMBER L, 1861


.sson greater or Tess ertent, TIE tatlsre dssfas
L Essof the -pholei conntry' !; and, asked, 4" ou
. I"such trust be safe in such hanIs Q
This branch of the subject being thu
opened, the President proceeds to discuss r.
the danger Of placing the right ofsufrage j
the hands of negroes, and boldly declare
] that they are altogether unfit for it. Negroe
have shown less capacity for government thai
any other race Of people. No Independent
tsform Of goverHment has ever been success
"ful in their hands. On the contrary, where
ever they have been left to their own device
] sthey have shown constant tendency to re
sslapse into barbarsm." Yet Congress ha
undertaken to confer upon southern negroes
just released from slavery, the ballot. 1t i
questionable whether they know moro thai
their ancestors how to organize and regulat
society It is admitted that southern black
are regardless Of the rights of property, AMI
$50 utterly Ignorant of public airsthat thei
"voting can consist in nothing more thar
carrying ballot to the place where they arr
/ directed to deposit it." Remarking tina
the elective franchise is the highest attribute
Of an American citizen, the message declares
that it ought to be reposed in none who arr
not morally and mentally fitted to administer
it. The impolicy and the danger of confer
ring this sacred right upon negroes are ex
planned in the clearest and most torcible style
It is added, that while we should do every
thing, in the wav Of Kindness and humanity
to promote the comfort and intelligence, and
protect the just rights, ofnegroes, 'tae trans
'.Jer of our political Inheritance to TEN len
"scoald De an abandonment ofa duty suAich
'swc o,oe alike to the memory Of oar fathers
ssand the rights of our children" ,ls,s lis
To this view it is added that the period Of
this attempt to put the southern States wholly
into the hands of the negroes is most unpro-
pitious. The foundations Of society have
been broken up by civil war; to restore order,
industry, and public credit requires all the
| wisdom and virtue OF the great men who formed
our institutions originally. It3is believed
their descendants will be equal to this task
and that sit is worse than madness to expect
i 'that negroes will perform it for u.s. Ger
stainz zoe ought not to ask their assistance
ssatntily ce despair OF our oayn cosnpetency."
The message makes a vigorous summing up
Of the evils which must ensue from the Radi-
cal reconstruction system if persevered in.
The annoyance and tyranny of the negro
governments -the entaiing Of millions per
annum upon the Treasury to maintain militia
Try forces to support negro goyernmets land
the destruction Of southern prosperity, already
seriously paralyzed, and the loss Of the staples
Of the South, which have been SO great a
source of national wealth. The5vast expendi-
ture involved in the measure seriously aggra-
Yates the wrong itself, and threatens the cred
it of the nation, as it encourages the idea of
reputation in the minds of many who are led
to suppose that the war was not fought to
to preserve the Union, but to hand the south
ern States over to the government ef negroes.
Many may consider that there is no obligation
to pay debt incurred in this violation Of
the pledges Of the Government itself and the
provisions of the Constitution. While the
President considers that there can be 60 ex-
cuse for Reputation, he invites Congress to
this view as an additional reason for repeal
ing measures which can bring nothing but
trouble and ruin upon the nation. He does
not fail to calIattention to the recent indica-
ton of public sentiment condemning the Inea-
sures for Africanizing the Southern and hand
ing the southernStates over to the barbarous
rule Of ignorant negroes
The President intimatcs there might be
case Of extreme legislation by Congress in
which he would deem it his duty to interfere,
and preserve the life of the nation by arrest
ing its action He had considered this ques-
ton patiently with reference to the reconstuc-
ton acts: but regarding the people as not
without remady, he preferred to leave the
hoo
war, as he must do when interpreting to pros
tect the people from outrageous and ruinous
legislation. He says, however, that if the le-
gislatiye department should pass an act even
through all the forms Of law, to abolish coor-;
dinate branch Of Government, sthe President
must take the high responsibilities of his
'soffice, and save the life Of the nation at all
sshazard" eat
Attention is called to enormous frauds on,
the Treasury, by which immense fortunes
have been made at the public expense. This
corruption has increased, is increasing, and
ssif not diminished will 'ssoon bring us into
stota ruin and disgrace" Among the caus-
es are the manner of the laying of taxes,
which present irresistible Temptation to evade
payment, the chances to make great sums by
oiHoiu eoHulVauCe dt lTaud, ana the open
disregard Of constitutional obligations by
influential men, weakening the moral sense
of those who serve the Government in sub
ordinate capacity.
"The "tenure-of. Office" bill has diminished
che force Of accountability and increased the
tendency to fraud Ofice-holders looking to
the Senate, which has placed itself in hostiii-
ty to the President, for protection. Incom-
petent and unreliable men remain in office
because the President, through the policy of
Congress, is deprived Of power to remove.
them, in anticipation Of the overt act of NAL
feasance, which there is no good reason to.
look for. The message argues this pointand
its bad effect on the interests of the Govern
ment very conclusively, and urges measures
to secure collection of the revenue and enforce
accountability. t4 Haame hsxs]s o.
With regard to the currency, Mr.. johnson
states that the circulating medium amounts to
nearly 500, 100000 in national bank notes
and legal tenders. Before the war it was on
ny $500 100000. The present currency
could not probably purchase more than half
its amount in gold. Congress is urged to
take such steps as will promptly enhance the
value of the paper circulation. to equality