The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1867-07-24
VIRGINIA.
Address of Gov. Peirpoinf.

dress of Gov. Peirpoint to the people
of Virginia. The Governor says:
II united in the call for the Con-
vention which is to assemble in Rich
mond on the first of August next.
The object of that Convention is to
agree upon a basis of action which
shall be acceptable to all the people Of
Virginia, without distinction of color
or race, who lore the Government of
the United States, and are willing toal-
ly under the protecting folds of the old
flag to adopt Constitution for the
State that shall guarantee equal rights
and equal privileges, legal and politi-
cal, to all her people, rich and poor,
white and colorcd, who will adopt the
spirit Of our free institutions, make
labor honorable, and recognize educa-
ton rs right to every child that
comes into the world, who can be made
TO receive it and to lay, again, deep
in the foundations of the old Common
wealth, the eternal principles of free
dom and enlightened progress as taught
by our fathers. Painful experience
has taught me that there are men in
the State who hate the Government of
the United States who regard loyalty
to it reproach, and who would place
the heal Of prescription on the neck of
every Union man, and politically and
socially ostracise him if they could.
Many Of these men, or all of them,
claim to be loyai to the Government
but how can they be loyal when they
seek to prescribe every man who pro-
fcsscd LOYALTY during the struggle
through which we have just passed ?
| have been assured that the masses of
the white people of the State do not
share in their sentiments. From my
personal intercourse am satisfied that
there are many leading men who were
ardcntly engaged in the late Rebellion
who do not share the feelings 10 which
| refer few ifany of the colorcd pco-
pie do. 1t is an effort ON the part OF
certain political leaders TO inhamc sup
posed prcudiccs ofthe people, that they
may retain political control of the
State, and continue a policy of agita-
ton and hatred that the spirit of en-
terprise and progress may be banishcd
from the State forever; for when pro-
gress and education come, the occupa-
ton Of these leaders will be gone. Re
publican was the name of the party OF
Jefferson and Madison. II passed
away it was revived, and is now the
great dominant party in the United
States, pledged to equal, political and
legal rights OF all the people; pledged
to see that these rights shall b. given
to every man in t.,r najan; plcGgcd
10 the support Of the Goyornmut-ta
She education oftho ma,scs-to li!3etaI
mosrd-s in internal iaNovcmeo,,-,o
build up or count in all t''at +
.fcat and good, and taat tends 10 thc
liberty and happiness II the p:opIe
The men actin in this gTeat o2gani-
za,ioaaic from all tie old p,,ty saoi-
zo,ioas of the couauy, and may be
te;mod a lice pc,,g, awake 10 oil tho
great interests Of me day. Thee is
great opposition tot5,s party by a Largo
BODY OF men North and Sou,h but il
is opposition for the sake Of opposition
The object OF the call aIluded 10 is To
give 10 all such ano opportrnity 10 COM
binc ii one s'cat par,v, without dis
tinction If race cf colo,, cad Unite i'll
placing the old Commonwealth on a
living basis, extending the hand Of
charity and good fellowship to all, that
both white and colored may have an
opportunity to select the best men fol
mcmbcrs Of the Convention, and for
future officers of the State that oul
Government may be stable, administer
in! impartial Justice to the rich and
humble alike. | say it to the credit Of
the colofed men. that have never met
one who has expressed any Other desire
tnun for honest and capable men in of.
nee, be they white or black. They
want justice, liberty and peace, tilat
,s i'.., oijo! .,'v II u,ts VI c.ieii '''eO, co.
tnnos oot homes of tbo;. own tho,
they NAV educate and rear their chill.
dren to honest industry, and qualify
them for future usefulness. Seeing the
effort to array one race against the 9th
er in the State, and fully approaching
the fatal result Of such state of thing
to the prosperity and welfare of the
Commonwealth, and believing that