Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-03-12

serves to itself the power to say when the le-
gal State government in Virginia ceased and
for what acts. In the sixth section OF the
bill it is.declared "That until the people Of
said rebel States shall be By Law admitted to
representation in the Congress of the United
States; any civil government that may exist
therein shall be deemed provisional only, and
shall be in all respects subject to the Paramount
authority of the United States at any time to
abolish, modify, control, or supercede the
same" The theory of this bill is that for
acts heretofore done by the people of yir-
-einia they have placed themselves in condi-
ton in which the organization of the gov
eminent may be broken up. The State ton>
stitution may be abrogated and its laws rem
dered a nullity, in which event the people
may lose their character as whole people
united in one body polite, and EACH stand
alone in his own individuality. When this
takes place the Commonwealth II dead. The
tenure by which the lands are held dies with
it. The Commonwealth grants the lands and
guarantees the title and possession to the
grantee. The power of the State is welded
for his protection. But in this case the
guarartor may becore helpless under Q snpe>
rior power. Une Of the ways Id which
State Or Commonwealth may be destroyed is
by SUPERIOR bower in arms, or by the power
of war. When destroyed in this way the
power of the conqueror annuis the organic
and statute laws of the State, and substitutes
new laws in their place, and with the de-
structiou of the law the title to the property
may die with it, and the coDqueror may di-
vide the property therein among all his fol-
lowers, or give it to designated persons, or he
may sell it to the highest bidder, in large or
small pafccls. Then he becomes the new
guarantor of title SO granted, and the title
depends on his ability to defend it.
This is no new theory, nor the indication of
any new practice, The greater part of Eng
land has been divided out in this way several
times. The most of their present tentires
were derived and are held in this way. The
same is true of large part of the Continent
of Europe. Nor is this theory new one in
Virginia. It formed the theme of most of
the public speeches made on this 81. . during
the war and elaborate newspaper articles
were written to stimulate the people to des-
perate action by the assurance that if the Con-
federate cause failed the owners would lose
all their slaves their lands would be confsca-
ted and divided among the Federal soldiers
and colored people; aud even embracing the
other idea in the bill, that the negroes would
be clothed with all the civil and political
rights of the white man. 1t was on this the
DRY that the torch was applied to this beauti>
1ul CllJ, anu ulllllOuS Vi treasure gwen ~ Tue
devouring flames. 1t is on this theory that
the very afr is rife with the rumor that most
stringent confscation bill is now pending in
Washington, to be put into operation. l
think the people may be saved from this
threatehed danger.
Gentlemen, l am deeply in earnest on this
subject. l have been panied, in the last IF
teen months, to see the irritating causes which
have produced this legislation in Washington.
/ have tried to discourage them. My efforts
have been turned into ridiculc, and defatnd-
ton has followed the best intended acts If
punishment could fall on those only who have
provoked the trouble, there would be few re-
grets But this cannot be. The innocent
mus. also suffer. If there is any truth in
human testimony, three -fourths OF the men of
Nirgina-tarmers, mechanics, and merchants
are as well disposed as any people in the
nation. The cuuses of irritation come from
comparatively few. The masses earnestly
desire peace and its blessings, and have no
sympathy with those restless n9itatoss and
disturbers of the public pence.
think the only proper mode OF securing
safety and tranquility to the State is for the
Legislature, on the basis of the above act Of
Congress, in good faith, to carry out the re-
quirements of The law, and adapt ourselves
to the new state of affairs at once. | have
confidence that our coIorcd people will quiet.
ly assume the new privileges conferred on
them, and will act very much like those who
now enjoy the franchise, by voting for their
friends. 1t is proper that the proposed con-
vention shall be ordered by the General AS
semb1y: Any other mode would be irreg:i
lar, and may be productive Of disorder and
result III the worst consequences. 1t mly be
distasteful to the members of the General AS
sembly; but personal considerations cannot,
and ought not, to be allowed to have any iu-
fuence in this case. You are representative
men; the individual sinks in the representa-
tive. The fortunes and happiness of mil
lion of people may depend on your prompt
action. The question is not what is pleasant
or distasteful to you, but what does the inter
est and welfare Of your constituents and State
demand at your hands. / hope you will not
shrink from responsibility, but act prompt
ly. May mercif1l God grant peace to our
distracted State and give confidence to des-
ponding people! r. 49,.
T. IT. PE1Rpo1NT.