Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-02-18

| people OF the OOutn ullucI tuS uOMlnlOn OF the
African race and that the whole system was
calculated to produce war of races And when
he had done so, he had been charged with try
| ing to inaugurate such war himself And he
| had as erted that there was such physical and
| moral difference between these two races that
they never could get along harmoniously to-
| gether, both having equal political power and
! rights. This had been denied on the other side.
| But what is this development we have here
now?
Sir, this great luminagy OF this great new
party thrust upon US here upon this floor, open
ly declares proscrlptive war o: races; openly
declares that it is against the interest Of the ne
gro race to help the immigration of any more
white people here; that they came here with all
the opposition of the races within them and
that so antagonistlc is the interest OF the two,
that achlite Immigrants must be kept away. Is
not this plain avowal OF war Of races?' 1t
Isl aud an lmpudent claim that Virginia belongs
to them, and that all of its interests shall be
crushed to the domination of the negro that
they mean to AfIicanze the State They are
not satisfied with freedom, with free education,
| no taxation, the right to vote and hold Office
but now demand that the State shall belong to
them; and be set apart for the development OF
their vicious schemes. They assert that they
shall not only control and fill all the offices, but
Cudt uledt " COutIOi the laDOr Vi tuc Oldlc
In fact, everything shall bend to them and
the perpetuation OF their power They have
already comparatively relieved themselves from
all taxation, and thrown off every burden of
government, and required that the white people
of the State should educate them and support
their houses OF refuge, by taxation, besides pay
ing the salaries Of the thousand new officers of
their creation, aud boldly demand that We shall
exclude foreign Immigration, aud allow them
to dictate to us whom We shall employ, and at
what wages They, this new party, have adopt
ed a system of taxation which, they say, will
force US to sell our land now they would throw
barrier between us and buyers. Beyond all
this, they propose to disfranchise us and enfran-
chise themselves, thus taking from us the gov
ernment OF the State. with CUR liberties, and
hosting this black monster upon the throne
Is not this a war of prescription against the
white race in everything? Is not this demand
ing that we shall be the saves OF these ignorant
and vicious black masters Congress proscrlbes
US by its infamous leg gislation, aud you are here
demanding for these negroes even more than
Congress has given them, and prescribing US In
more outrageous manner than 1t has done.
He then went on to speak Of the idleness of
the negro, OF his refusing to work, and his rush
ing to city soup houses, and said he wanted
white labor to render the whites independent
of the negro in all things, and TO save the State
from the utter destruction these people were
bringing upon it and after dwelling upon this
for a short time he went on to say that In all
this legislation he could see the determination
of the negro to rule and ruin the white race and
our State, and regarded the provisions adopted
and sentiments uttered as an open declaration
Of war that he would advise his people to pre-
pare for it. and urged them to take measures
f., oil
Mr. Gibson was frequently interrupted and
annoyed by questions. We were unable to get
his speech as delivered, but only succeeded in
making the above notes Of it.
The substitute was finally adopted as the
sixteenth section, by vote Of 81 ayes to SO
noes.
The seventeenth section was then read as fol
lows:
It. There shall be Board of Public Works
to consist OF the Governor, Auditor and Treas
urer Of the Commonwealth under such regula-
tions as may be prescribed by law. The Secre-
ary Of the Commonwealth shall discharge the
duties OF clerk of the Board Of Pubic Works.
1t was adopted, and the Convention then
adjourned until Monday at l. o'clock;
MONDAY, Feb 10.
REPUTATION REPUDIATED.
The report of the Committee of the Judiciary
was taken up:
Resolved, That all debts, including State
taxes, land excepting State debt contracted be-
fore April g. 1868 shall be sealed down to %
cents on the dollar; that all actions now pend
ing be stayed and costs be assessed to the same
scale; and that hencefortl, no more be clalma,
BILE by law, than 25 cents on the dollar OF all
such debts.
The committee reported adversely upon the
ground that the convention had no right to en-
graft this III the State constitution, because the
constitution OF the United States provides that
no State shall pass any laws impaning the
obligation OF contracts The committee also re-
ported adversely to the resolution of Mr.. Nil
bourne, looking to the passage of an ordinance
forblddlng forever the collection OF all debts
contracted prior to 1865. The committee could
see no distinction, eli her legal or moral, between
the two resolutions. The reasons of the COM
mlttee tor asking to be discharged from the
further consideration of the subject are elabo
ratey stated
Upon this much discussion ensued
Mr.. James was speaking, when Andrews
(mulatto) arose to privileged question. liz
read rule prohibiting members from WALKING
Ill the aisies While amenber was speaking liz
said that Mr.. +. Gibson was walking up ane
down the aisle.
taken, and directed Mr. James 10 proceed.
Bland appealed from the decision OF the
Chair
Voice: Il second it"
Hodges got up to privileged question. =
"Dere was a boy III de house who better be out
doors. He WASH t member, and had seconded
motion Dat him" Pointing towards
muatto boy III members seat
MIR. Massie moved to bring him before tht
bar Of the house.
Carter: MIR. President, I know de gentle
man. know he wouldn dar do such thing
Lewis Lindsey 'Mistar President, hearI
de correspondence dat passed, and | don't thinl
| de gentleman obst,rced as it has been spoken.
Hodges Yes he did, seed him open hi
mouth, and [ seed de words come out it,
| The matter was concluded by laying Mr.
| Ma5sie motion on the table; and the discus
| sion was continued.
| MIR. Mi!bourne made his maiden effort III,
said that jeff Davis and his assistants hat
| murdered our lives and property, and concluded
| by opposing the report. lie voted In favor oft
| however.
| Mr.. Thomas spoke in favor of the report
| His argument was one OF the most CONCLUSIVE
and sensible of the session.
| Mr.. Platte moved the previous question
which was seconded and sustained.
| MIR. Curtlss $ motion to adopt the report wa
| carrled-ayes - noes, 6.
| 1t was ordered that 4S0 copies of the repor
be printed.
| A motion was made to adjourn. Mr. Platt
moved to take a recess until clock which
pervalled.