Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-07-04
For THE HERALD.
The Alexandria Constitution.

Poor thing born of fem brains and few people
it has strutted Its brief hour upon the stage,
and has departed to the land of shades! 1t died
in the house of its friends, noiselessly, that the
outside world knew it not. Murdered by its own
patrons and admirers, it expired without audi
BILE groan, excaiming 'Et tn Brate!" The little
life it had was breathed into its nostrils by the
proclamation of Andrew johnson, President Of
these Dis-united States, but Congress, in order to
accomplish its fell purposes against the whole
South, must declare, and did declare, Whereas
there are no UaIid existing governments in the
late rebel States" &C., and sweep this dm'a6te
little composition, along with much other rubbish,
into the grand receptacle of the 'Lost."
Ignored by Congress-; spurned by the Attorney
General of the United States; despised by the Ca
bnet; rejected by Gen. SchoGeld; kicked and
cuied even by such smaller lights as cold Rye"
indirectly, in letter written to the Winchester
journal, about April or May last; how could its
friends hope to it? Death was its inevitable
doom! Suddenly, however, the idea flashed over
the minds of such sages as Underwood, the mighty
Judge, the ''puissant lawyer" the wonderful ex-
ample of ''sudden Development ofthe 10Th centu-
ry, that this defUnct instrument, IT resuscatdted
might aid the falling cause of Radcalism in Vir-
ginia; and forthwith Hunnicutt, the ''New Nation
Print" the former cruel slave driver, the fiery
secessionst who wanted to take Fortress Monroe
before John Letcher ready, sounds his bugle
for the faithful to orally to the rescue" fam
ing handful is sent out to the 'Loyal Citizens of
Virginia, signed by ''Many Loyal Citizens urg-
ing them to '.challenge all offering to register"
and warn them OF the momentous consequences
which awaited them if they disregarded the Alex
andria constitution! s'Old Rye headed the voice
and made himself particularly busy.
Voters were challenged for every imaginable
reason, in the hope that some objection might hold
good, and in the determination that by some
means enough should be excluded to give the gov
eminent Of the State and county to the Raids
But ''the best laid schemes o mice and men gang
otimes," &C., and this very nice little scheme of
the small fry politicians has been suddenly crush
ed-nipped in the bud, by the untimely order Of
summer night, or like thunder clap from clear
sky. Hear It'll
"HDQRs FIRST Military DIsTRIcT,)
STATE OF VIRGINIA,
June "a, 1867.
CAPT. G. R: CHANDLER, President of the Board OF
Registration, Frederick county, Winchester,
Va:
Sir:-Referring to your telegram of 10Th
inst. am directed by the Maj. General comman-
ding to say that, inasmuch the preamble to the
act of March g 1867 declares that no legal State
government exists in the State of Virginia, it is
not considered that any clause or section OF the
Aandria constitution works Acknowledgement
Very respectfully, your ob't serv't,
S. F. CHAPLIN,
Acting Adj't General
Alas alas !!--what hopes have persisted what
bright visions of Office and emolument have van
ished The Alexandria Constitution, born in a
storm, Graded in tempest, only containing any
good so far as it copied from the old, has gone
down under the fearless and relentless tread OF
congress and the soldiery! What fate The
Alexandria Constitutions intended to be immortal,
has only descended to the tomb of oblivion short
time in advance of its authors These, and all
who have made use of its provisions to Cypress
the people of Virginia, will soon follow it. They
will all soon be like it-a myth, an absurdity, a
nonentity Poor weakling ANON.