Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-08-04
POLITICAL BREVITIEs.
. The new "Reconstruction" bin. wi


actually passed the House of Representatives
last Friday, and by which the States of Vir-
ginia, Mississippi and Texas were to be hand
ed over to the bogus CONSTITUTIONAL Conyen-
tons which have been lately in session, con-
tanned this section:.
Sec 5. That if in any one of said States
any person shall during the year 1868 vote
for any candidate for elector of President or
Vice President of the Uuited States, or shall
act as an officer at any election for such can
didate, every person SO offending shall be
deemed guilty of high misdemeanor, and
shall be liable to Indictment and conviction
thereofin any court of competent jurisdiction,
and shall on conviction be fined not more
than one thousand dollars, and be imprisoned
not less than one month nor more than one
year.
1t is proper to state that this bill was laid
over in The. Senate, because it was supposed
there would not be time for its discussion
previous to adjournment. 1t consequently
failed to become law
Secretary Schofeld, says the Washington
,Star, By direction ofthe President, will short
ly issue an order recognizing the five mill
tary Districts in the Southern States reliev-
ing number of officers now on duty in those
districts. Civil governments, have been es-
tablish ed in. all those States except Virginia,
Mississippi and Texas, and the affairs turned
over to the civil authorities by the military
commanders, hence the military will be with
drawn from all except the three States above
named. General Reynolds is in command of
Texas, General Gillem of Mississippi, and
General Stoneman Of Virginia. General Blu
General Candy, of the Second, and General
| Meade of the third, will be relieved and Or
dercd to duty elsewhere. Some changes will
also be made in the Freedmens Bureau Off
GERS in those States.
The New York Times, discussing the
Democratic platform, refers to its position on
the bond question in the following terms:
On the financial question the platform is
positive enough. There is no ambiguity in
the brief aud ringing sentences which pro.
vide for the payment in paper money of bonds
not expressly made payable in gold, which
affirm the universal application of the legal
tender currency, and call for the taxation of
bonds in common with all other property
| The principles Of which pendletOn is the ac-
knowledged apostle could not be more man
fully stated.
A ohangsof3G. 900 votes in 1864 would
have elected General Mcclellan President
This change was required in the States of
Come cticut, Indiana, Maryland, New York,
| Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsyl-
four thousand votes in a State. Since that
time the States of Connecticut, Maryland,
| Oregon, Pennsylvania and New York. have
become Democratic. and Indiana and Nevada
will be at the next election. The Democrats
have therefore the game in their own .hands.
They 90 in.o the contest to win and will win
in spite of all opposition
On Saturday the President sent to the
Senate the following veto of the Frcedmen's
Bureau bill
70 tie Senate o. TIE United !StaicS:
believing shat a bill entitled can act re-
lating to the Frcedmen's Bureau, and pro-
viding for its discontnuancc," interferes with
the appointing power conferred by the Con-
sttuton on the Executive, and for other rca-
sons which, at this late period of the session.
time will not permit me to state, [ herewith
return it to the Senate, in which House it
originated, without my approval.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
The Senate and House both passed the bill
over the veto. The people. will have to take
this matter in hand at the coming elections.
Unless they defeat Grant they will be heavi-
ly taxed for an indefinite period to keep null
titudes of egroes in idleness.
- The Paymaster General estimates that,
in addition to the enormous amounts already
expended, the sum of SIP, 900 will be ne
cessary to execute the reconstruction acts for
the year ending June 80, 1869. This is of
course exclusive of the vast sums squandered
in payi g-the troops, furnishing supplies, &C.,
all of which the people have to pay to estab-
lish negro supremacy and perpetuate Radical
misraie:
- How can the radical party expect Grant
to manage the atfairsof great nation, when,
as is we'll known, he was never able to man
age his own? His education should have fit
ted him to do well in life, and yet he failed
as a rcal-estate broker and as farmer, and
at the beginning Of the war we find him
dwindling down to a clcrkship in a small leath-
cr.store at salary of four hundred dollars
year.
Is THIS COPS JUDGMENTF- Surratt
was hung for being an accomplice i'll the
murder of Lincoln. The testimony on which
she was convicted was that of four men, Baker,
Montgomery, Cleaver and COnover, precious
scoundrels. Baker is now dead-Montgon-
En. or,nhn1 len