Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-03-17
We must Contest Inch by Inch.

IF ever true, that vigilance is the price OF
liberty" surely the case is stronger to day than
ever before, either in our own individual history
or the history Of the country of which we form
a part.
Congress has just passed law Of the very
gravest import to Virginianss and a new duty
awaits us. They have authorized State Con-
ventons to provide for the election of members
of Congress, as aceU as all State officers, at the
time the cote as taken upon the question ofrdtyy-
ing the Constitution.
It is our duty to present the most unexcep-
tionable candidates for every office. For mem
bers Of Congress, we should nominate the most
unexceptionable in each district.
For State offices, we can elect the worthy
among US, as no iron clad oath can be demand
ed for purely State offices.-Frederichsburg
Herald
Wherever the Press of the State has spoken
at all, says the Charlottesville Chronicle, the
sentiments have been just such as the above. =
We must contest every inch. This is a life and
death contest with the white men Of Virginia,
on which depends the question whether they
will be able to live comfortably in the State. II
any man doubt it, let him read the sentiments
of Bolts and Rives in their recent speeches IN
Richmond, and the Franchise articles passed by
the so-called State Conventions. All the ne
groes are to be enfranchised, and half the whites
to be disfranchised 1t is well for us that the
Convention cannot determine who Is to vote ON
the Constitution, or we would have no chance
whatever Judge Rives tells the Convention to
let all the negroes vote, who pay their taxes
1t goes step farther, as he must have known
it would go, and enfranchises all over twenty
one years of age, whether they pay taxes or not.
Mr.. Bolts, with as much venom against the
whites of Virginia as if he were himselfa negro,
says, ''disfranchise as many as may be necessary
to give the Radicals the control of the State, Il
it takes so, ,O00." The Convention answers by
framing an act that will disfranchise more than
$4,000. Stay at home, gentlemen, and take
care of yo,m things if you choose, and let the
negro radicals get control ofthe State, but don
grumble afterwards, when the little per cent.
you make on your farms is taken from you by a
negro tax collector, Ito be plundered by Radical
officials at the behest of a non-tax paying ma
iority. Don't grumble, when you, without
vote, fail to get justice against the roter who
steals your hog, from corrupt Radical Justice
of the Peace Now is the time to exert your
selves, and it won't do for you, who belong to
the class who are most interested, if you fail to
work aoao, to come hereafter, asking co-opera-
ton from those who wish you to join them now,
but who will fail if you are lukewarm. Strive
now, or give it up torever, for this is certainly
| your last chance to help yourselves. AConser-
| vative majority may, at some future day, put
things right, but it is very doubtful, whether
the Northern Democrats will trouble themselves
to help men who will not help themselves. Ii
is. nerhaps, too much to ask Of the patriotism
of men of this day, to refuse to employ me-
chanics, whom, they know to be working against
the interests of their race, but lit would not cause
much inconvenience, at any rate, to give notice
that those who continue membership IN the
leagues and continue their exertions against the
whites. will not be employed, at the expiration
of the current bargains We do not ask the
| substitution of white for negro mechanics, to1
we are not warning against the negroes as labor
ers but as rulers-but we do think that all ex
ertions should be made to break up the negro
! leagues. and as potent means to do this, no
tice should be given at once to all Radical me
chanics. white or black They should cease tt
be Radicals, or cease to be employed. A wa
is being made against property, and property
should defend ITSELF Think over these things
gentlemen, and consider whether you can affort
to stay at home and take care Of your things
and let the country be ruined for want ola LITTLE
exertion and for fear of little inconvenience
A certain border lady, that we wot of, who use(
to be Union to the Unionists and rebel to th
Rebels, excused herself ON the ground that sh
had to take care of cher things" So is now
we fear, with many, they take care of presen
| interest and do not think that they sacrifc
principle-but they do, and with principle, fu
ture interest also. This is no time for luke
warmness. Every man should be up and stir
ring.
The Charleston Courier very wisely tells tn
people of the South that the problem of regen
Grafton and recuperation must be solved by tn
labor of their own hands, and not through re
lance upon legislation. Whatever laws ma
be passed, or whatever plan of reconstruction
may prevail, the heavy mark left upon our sec
ton by the iron heel of war can be obliteratet
only by industry and toll.