The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-09-25
Elections for the Convention.

Elections ICl Gllt SOtlNC1IAo
ro,r weeks from yesterday the elections
Gov members of the Convention to amend
.,o Constitution Of Virginia will take
,,,occ At the same time the sense of the
voters will be taken upon the question
uconvcntion or no Convention Should
majority of votes be cast against Con-
ysp.ion then no Convention will be held
Tho reconstruction act will, so far as Vir-
o;,;o e concerned, be at an end, and Con-
cross will have to take up anew the ques-
.;on or her "reconstruction" and admis-
sion into the Union.
AZ FAR as our information enables us TO
form an opinion, the vote OF the State VIII
\. IN favor Of the Convention by an over
wbelmipc majority; and we think it wise
that the question should be so decided.
Tho rejection of the Convention, we are
convinced, will not relieve the people OF
Virginia from Radical "reconstructlon.
On the contrary, it would only bring down
n,on ms Reconstruction in an aggravated
form under enactments which would not
no left for us to accept or reject. On
dor This revised and more rigorous plan OF
reconstruction it is more than prooaple
that the power Of the State would pass
into thc hands of those known as "loyal :
men and negroes. What further hard
ships might fall upon US wo cannot ioFe-
tell. but that the more violent Radicals III
Congress-. under the pretext OF alleged
contumacy of our people, would DC ena-
bcd to carry their vindictive measures
compelling the Conservative members 10
ecopiesce in them, We do not doubt.
1t may be said that it is probable there
will be changes in public sentiment winch
will deter Congress from any such revenge
full act and bring about the repeal OF the
obnoxious laws relative to us now IN eX-
istcnce. This is o deluson. The present
Congress, with "working majority" asi
is stylcd-i. c., majority strong enough
to override the Presidents veto-is in
power for two years. 1t will not be driven
from its policy to radicalize the South. II
the North should be so far revolutionized
as to reverse the majority in the next
Congress that change cannot occur in less
than two ycars-too late to do us any good
in the way of preventing the contamination
of the Radical policy. When that change
occurs, however, it will be as powerful to
redress grievances as it would have been
to prevent them had it occurred in time.
SO that, universally reprobated as the
present odious plan Of reconstruction is by
the people of Virginia and the South,
there is in truth no way of escape from it.
The cup cannot pass. In acquiescing we
are indeed but submitting to force, and to
attempt to evade that by rejecting the
Convention will but increase our embar-
easements, privations, and public disasters.
The people of Virginia should, under
this conviction, promptly adopt such mea-
surcs as they think advisable to secure the
election of the very best men that are
available. The Convention will be very
important bodybuilding in its hands the
welfare and peace Of the Statc-and the
influence and cxertions Of every citizen
should be employed to ensure in its coun-
ellis the greatest amount Of ability, wis
dom, honesty, and patriotism. No man
will discharge his duty to himself and the
community who fails to do what he can
to carry out this important object. 1t is
the most critical moment in the history OF
the State, and the duties of the citizen
rise in solemnity with the exigency in
which she is placed.
A meeting Of influential citizens OF
Culpepcr county, held at their last court
day, adopted series Of resolutions, one
of which declared it to be their object to
elect to the Convention men who were
sensible, honest, capable, and wise," and
who are willing to accept the best terms
"of reconstruction attainable, and sin
"cerely anxious for the earliest possible
"reestablishment OF the Federal Union
"upon the foundations of equality, liberty
"and Justice"
This is platform on which all conser
vative, wise, and true men may unite.
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