The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-04-11

tn'on-lhriliing speech OF Hon winner -
Staples.
CHRIsTIANspURG, April s, 1867.
Mcssrs. Editors,-This being the first day
Of our Circuit Court, we have had quite al
animated scene. More persons perhaps than
usual were in attendance, drawn together
bv the notice that the Hon. Waller Ii. Sta
pies would address them on the state OF the
country. Judge Fulton, who exchanges
this county with Judge Hudson lot Tue
county of Bland, consented TO denver Tue
charge TO the grand jury before retrihe.
In doing so. he took occasion to speak OF
the condition of the country, counseinne
moderation and harmony among ourselves.
\, snoor;no of the cred strings" he gave
a. tbcir origin the event recorded in the
second chapter of Joshua, where Rahab the
harlot hung out a red sign to the spies who
had been sent out to report on the condl-
tisn of Judea, and Just so these cred
strings" hung out their signs to protect
themselves from Yankee raidng parties in
the recent war. These SallieS OF wit, deli
ye,ed In his Honors quaint ana unique
style, provoked roars of laughter on the
part of those who wore the gray, at the
discontinue of these "heroeS of liberty"
At the close of this charge ~ Mr.. Sta
pies entered upon the discussion of these
great subjects which stand so prominently
in the mind of every southerner. For
about an hour and half he held that
crowded assemblage in the closest ana
most undivided attention. His speech was
nlaip. forcible, and convincing. Only oc-
cos;onallv would he suffer himself to give
way 10 flights Of imagination, or the mere
bcauticS of oratory. He felt that the oc
c,sion was too solemn for that, and during
the whole of il there was deep, earnest
thought depicted upon every countenance.
Toward the close, when he read the speech
that was made Ivy Beverly Nash AT Colnm-
hia. 6. c., and commented upon it, there
was evidently very great appreciation OF
his sentiments on tlXe part OF the crowd OF
negroes who were present.
am able to give you, of course, but an
outlirc of his remarks, as | remember
them now. He commenced by stating the
terms of the S. S. bill, which he contended
was 4 violation Of the Constitution from
BEGINNING to end. According to the theory
Of our Government, Congress was crea-
ton of the States, but this bill destroys the
States and gives Congress the power OF
forming or abolisbing them forever. The
bill also Suspcnds the habc0S corpus, aud
permits military commander 10 Superscdc
all the civil courts IN the South; both fla
grant violations OF the Constitution. But
Notwithstanding all this, he felt, after ma
ture dcliberation, that every good southern
man ought not to hesitate moment in &C
Ccutiug il. We are what lawyers call IN
"dur,ss." There was no option. 1t was
q compulsory proceeding in which we had
TO election.
!. II will not do to trust the Supreme
Court. Two conservative judges on that
bench would most probably never sit there
again. Even il they did, Reverdy John
S,n. one uf the best constitutional lawyers
in the country, had said that in his opinion
the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction in
The matter. And even if they did decide
tie ar. unconstitutional, had they not de-
c.dc3 the tcst-oath unconstitutional! And
set this very bill, in the face OF that deci-
SION, was filled with test-oathS from begin
ming to end. And certainly If Congress
can abolish States, ii can also abolish the
Supreme Court.
7. II will not do to say that we prefer
military rule 10 this bill. As long as &C.
neral SCholcld is in command this is well
enough. But General Schodeid may die,
may bc removed, may be compelled TO
change his policy. President Johnson
may be- removed, and we do no; know that
lis successor would make any such gen
;icmanly appointments. Certainly there
are Ulcers in the Federal army and some
in Congress who, in his position, would i'm
peril our lives, our property, even our
wives and daughters.
3. There will bes a convention, there
viii be constitution, there will be State
formed whether we vote or not. There
arc men now hoping and praying that true
southern men will not take part in these
matters. They hope to get the negroes
under their control, and, together, they
viii form constitution which will dis
franchise every Confederate soldier, and,
II possible, cOntiSCate their property and
divide it among themselves. Here he
drew most touching parallel between
Greece and Virginia, and stated that what
ever may be denied Us in the future, they
cannot destroy the past. Virginia had
given the Declaration OF Independence, ana
Washington TO sustain it; Virginia had
written the Constitution which they pre-
tend TO cxtol so highly, and the asheS Vi
those who have given dignity ana grandeur
10 this country now repose upon hoi syn
These are imperishable monuments OF her
former grandeur. And yet, he believed
that in ten wears, by prompt action now,
we MIGHT secure all the rights that have
Lnnn takcn away. AS to the honor Of
voting with negroes, &C., he thought it was
enon9h to say that Generals Lee, and
Raanpepard, and LongStreet, and Hamp-
ton all advised il, and what they counsel
led could not he dishonorable.
After thus discussing the merits of the
case, he spoke OF the ncgroeS-reminded
rs of their fidelity, patience, and kindness
during the war. He spoke OF them as
showing their attachment To their old homes
and playmates-so that the fairest pro-
misses could not Seduce them away. And
ever since the surrender they had shown Il
kindness, and humility, and politeness that
was wonderful. 1t is true, that sometimes
they will commit petit larceny, and in
some places in the South they had en-
gagged in riots. But he believed that if we
could sift these matters we would find that
mean white people were AT the bottom Of
il all. The negroes are attached 10 the re-
spectacle whites. They know that they
are their best friends; from them they are
10 get their wages and their homes. The
Yankees are not their best friends for
while TO degrade us, as they think, they
1T the negroes vote here, yet in many of
their own States they do not think them
good enough TO do so.
He therefore counselled the white peo-
pie 10 be kind, and generous, and magnani-
nous to the negroes. Pay them well for