The Portland daily press., 1868-12-10
WASHINGTON.
THE VIRGINIA ELECTION ELL

WAsHINGToN, Dec. 9.-Gen. Butler, in hi
remarks in the House to-day on the Virgini
election bill, advocated a later day for the cleo
ton. The day fixed in the bill, he said, woul'
occur within twenty days of the time when
was the usage of the Virginians to enter int
contracts for labor, and when it wauld be with
In the power of the land holder to starve tin
laborer. 1t was to be held at q time whel
there was no certainty at all of the co-opera
ton of the Executive in restoring or maintain
ing order or Furnishing violence; at a time
when there was no certainty that the scenes
of Louisiana, Georgia and Texas would be re-
enacted. He should like TO have the iourtn
Thursday of May fixed, that being the usual
day OF holding elections i'll VlrSlnla. AT that
period of the year, if men were turned out OF
employment they could live in spite of the
land holders who might be opposed to them
At that time the country would have an Exec.
utive who would support law and order; at
that time they would have the power, which
they have not now, of furnishing murder and
riot; at that time they could assure the people
OF Virginia, what they have not had since 1860
a fair election. For these reasons lie favored
the postponemeHt of the elect on till the fourth
Thursday of May, and he offered an amend
ment to that effect.
MIR. Washburne, of Illinois, had no objection
to have that time fixed instead of the time in
dictated by himself; he believed the result of
holding the election in January would be to
throw that State inevitably into the hands of
elected who would not be opposed to the re-
construction acts and to every thing connected
with them. If the negroes should attempt to
vote under all the difficulties stated by the
gentleman from Massachusets (Butler), there
would be such scenes of violence and blood
shed as had taken place in Georgia, Louisiana,
Arkansas and Texas. 1t was, therefore, the
duty OF Congress, in order to protect colored
men, to fix the time of the election for day
when the strong arm of loyal administration
will protect them.
Mr.. Boutwell, expressed his regret that he
had not been in the city in time to attend the
meeting OF the committee this morning. He
thought IL better to defer any positive action
An either of these unfortunate States till the
committee had completed the INQUIRY with
which it was charged on Monday as to The con-
dition OF public affairs in Georgia, Virginia,
Mississippi and Texas. He thought that
the action of Congress in the adj
mission of Georgia was mistake, as it
put the loyal people of that State into custody
OF the rebels. He was not inclined to enter on
the same policy in reference to the other three
States until he had assurance that when they
were reconstructed and admitted to represen-
tation, political power in them would be kept
IN the hands of loval people. He was, there
fore, in favor of the amendment.
UNION PACIFIC RAILRoAD-LETTER FROM COM
MISSIONER BARNES.
Special Commissioner Barnes has addressed
Secretary of the Interior
SIR In the report of the special commits
sioners appointed to examine the Union Pa
cific railroad, it will be noticed we have omit
ted to take into account the amounts expend-
ed by the company, or appropriated for con-
strnction, material, rolling stock, station houses
Sc, &c, which were, at the time of making
our examination, either in process of COM
pletiOn or in transitu, or contracted for, in
structions not appearing to conte plate such
Investigations. 1t will also be observed that
many of the estimates necessarily involve grad
ual expenditures which true regard for econ
omy will extend over a number of years after
the road is opened, while some of them are
contingent upon the prospective amount of
traffic, which is entirely matter of Judgment,
and in relation to which actual results only
can establish necessity. would beg TO be
permitted to state that for my own part did
not say that the Improvements to which the
report alluded should be at once supplied, or to
suggest that the government should still turth-
er secure their accomplishment by Withholding
any large proportion of its promised assistance.
The work already completed, in progress and
under contract, constitutes, in my opinion, an
ample security for the improvements suggested
by yourcommssiOners as well as for the good
faith of the managers of the great enterprise,
aud it would be TO me matter of grave re-
greet that / should be considered as having
given authority by asserting to the report to
any measures on behalf of the government
which will retard the early completion of this
national work. L am, &c,
JAMES BARNES,
Special Commissioner U. p. r. r.