The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-24
9ittln1ulld 1lspatth,
Observation-Disclosures "a, 1867.
The Negro Petition for the Power to
Remove she Officers of Virginia.

The Negro Petition for the Power to
Remove she Officers OF Virginia.
To the Senate and House Of Representatives
in Congress assembled
We, the undersigned petitioners, repre-
santing the loyal portion Of the people OF
Virginia in the State Constitutional Con-
yenlion now in session in the city of Rich
mond, humbly and respectfully, but earn
cstlv, pray your honorable body to adopt
snch measures and provide such remedy
N the premises as will enable this Conven-
ton TO remove out Of its way all obstacles
n a successful reconstruction Of the State,
o,5 that at the earliest practicable time.
You cannot but be aware of the con-
trolling influence Of body of men skilled
~ the arts of political intrigue in the pos
session Of the State Government and its
patronage, with the courts to do their bid
ding to acQuit or convict as passion may
dictate; urged on in the use OF these agen-
cies Nv the most powerful motives that
;rnel human action Smarting under de-
fcat in the field, personal animosities en-
rendcred by civil war, hatred of a race so
recently their slaves, which the measures
they oppose make their political equals !;
finally. their outSpokcn hatred of the Go
ycrnment and their persistent and unscru-
pulous efforts to hold up to the world as
odous and tyrannical your most generous
reconstruction measures.
Il is also TO be remembered that these
men hold at least three-fourths of the pro-
perty, larger proportion Of the lands, and
have the entire control of the public i'm
Of 10 h. "a
mower and influence thus derived are
openly used for the purposes Of proscrip-
ton and oppression. Terms of agreement
are circulated, which the laborer is re-
ouircd to sign, as condition precedent to
employment, compelling him to renounce
bis connection with all loyal associations,
and either remain silent or act with the
OPPOSITION, thus combining the power OF
the government with the wealth Of the citi-
zenS to defeat the forthcoming constitution
and every measure looking to restoration
on loyal basis.
II were needless here to remind your
honorable body Of the detection from the
party favoring loyal reconstruction which
must take place when starvation stares in
the face the laboring classes in Virginia if
measures are not reSorted to, and speedily,
to prevent the free and honest exercise OF
the elective franchise from being held and
treated as a crime meriting punishment.
Your petitioners would here bring to the
notice or your honorable body that the
terms of q considerable number of the
officers in the State expire on the lst of
January proXimo, and pray that the State
Convention now in session in Virginia may
be empowered to fill said Offices with men
known to be true and loyal; and we fur
Their submit whether the necessity is not
most apparent and most urgent that you
should at once authorize said Convention
10 vacate the civil offices in the State and
fill them at discretion with loyal men, or
confer on the Convention the power to
form a provisional government, to take
effect on the contingency Of the defeat OF
the Constitution now being framed.
As things at present now stand, the OPP
position have much to gain by defeating
The adoption of any constitution which
YOUR petitioners may frame, as by so doing
thew will continue indefinitely their lease
of power: and we submit whether the le-
cislation of your honorable body should
not be 50 shaped as to make it the interest
Of the diSloyal to accept in good faith the
situation and come back into the Union.
rather than allow premium to their per-
sistent opposition to your reconstruction
measures.
All Of which is respectfully submitted
and your petitioners, as in duty bound,
will ever pray, &c.
Committees. D. Williamson; chair
man, John Hawxhurst, Thomas Bayne.
Richmond, December Is, 1867.