The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-02-29

~ ltltlllultlt - u 4 tE3ts. |
S1--ss = - 49,.
sATusDAY .,... :. FEBRUARY -, 1858.
as ''' - Work to be Done. 100 SO
The lsw Just passed ~ Congress apd
Xhich Be publishsd yesterday, authorizing
the State Conventionsst 10 provide for the
election Of members of Congress and Of all
State officers at the time the vote IS taken
upon the question Of ratifying the Constis
sutton, was no doubt drawn up OF the IN.
stsgation af the Radicals of The soushern
States. They hope TO enlist 10 favor Of
ratification sll the candle ates whose pros
pec.sfor election are good, and whose subi.
ton induces them to desire seats In the
Houseo Of Representatives, or the Virginias
Legislature, or.whose love of ease makes
them anxious to ill Offices Of ennolument.'
The scheme is cunningly devised, but will
fail Of its purpose II the white men Of the
Stats are made Of thet right material.
Nevertheless, it will not do not to run
candidates. We shall, by nominating men:
for every place to be filed, secure q fuller
vote, and thus have Q better prospect OF
defeating ratification. eve must" says
the Petersburg Indez, speedily nom,-
nate candidates for all State Offices"
This seems to us to be the wIsest
course. We protested last suniner against
the proposition that the voters of Virginia
should absent themselves from the polls,
and we protest now against anything
which looks like the do-nothing policy
We must act upon the ofensiye.. We shall
gain strength by contestiDg every inch OF
ground. There may not be great prooa-
b;lity that the Constitution will be rati-..
fed yet there is 9 possibility Of such: 9
result, and that possibility affords an over
towering argument in favor Of placing in
the field popular candidates for every Pc.
sition of honor or profit. II will not OF 90 70
assume that we can certainly vote down
the Constitutions, as bright as seems the
prospect that We shall be able to do SO.
If we were to be mistaken in this matter,
and there were none but negro candidates
in the field, the whole State would pass at
once into the hands Of the negro party.
We should have Radical Legislators, Radl-
cal congressman, a Radical Governor. q
Radical Lieutenant- Governor, Radical us
tices. and Radical officials of every de-
gree. We cannot too carefully guard our
State against so deplorable condition OF
things. Whatever can be done must be
done to prevent this disgrace to Virginia
and the modification which would result
to all her true sons. "One Of the most
distinguished citizens of Eastern Vir-
ginia" writes to the .lndez as follows:
"When the Constitution now in process
of construction shall be presented to the
people for. ratification, there will, in all
probability, be an election held for State
officers and members of Congress. Should
Congress then pronounce the Constitution
adonted our entire State government will
be- in the bands of the Radicals, unless we
nee some effort to prevent it. We could,
in all probability, elect a Governor and a
majority of congressman. 1t is, not only |
vitality important we have native. oorD
Nirpinian white man for Governor. BUTT
isabsolutely necessary to our existence
that we prevent the Office falling into
the hands of any traitor to the white race.
There are, trust, some honorable white
men in Virginia who can take the test oath /
of Congress: and it would be better to
have ignorant men, though they should |
not be able to read or write, to sit IN Con- |
cress to keep Radicals out and there are
plenty Of old, ignorant white men IN every |
congressional district lif we should be |
unable to find reliable men Of intelligence)
who can take the test oath. L am for |
voting whenever we have chance, and |
running candidates for every office. This |
will keep us organized, and give Us
strength which we can attain,ln no other
way If we contest every inch OF ground |
I shall be hopeful-otherwise, shall be
hopeless. -.
"Suppose we vote down Constitution
with universal negro suffrage in it, as we
surely ought to- strive every way to 90,
and the Radicals should have elected
Legislature, Governor, and congressman,
and Congress should therefore declare
virginia In Inc Union. HHaL WOuu .Uo
our condition? On heother hand, should
we have carried our State ticket, and
have. elected four or five members of Con-
gress, our position would comparatively
be happy one, for we should then have
Congress on both horns Of the dilemma.
There is no telling what Congress Will OF
will not do. Ny opinion is, ifrthe Radi7
Gals should demonstrate their ability TO
controla majority Of the southern States,
and thereby give strength to the Radical
Congress, that body will forthwith pass an
actsdeclaring all the States in the Union.
think Virginia should stand prepared for
such contingency which preparation
would cost nothing, and might prove to be
hefyery salvation. I . NJ q = "a
#
The D1FFERENoE. = Governor GEARY,
of Pennsylvania. Governor OaLEsBY, Of
Illinois, and Governor FLErcHER, of Mis-:
souri,, sent kilograms to Congress tender
ing them not only wordso of cheer but men
and arms. These loyalgovernors actually
SEEM To- long for another war. Yet no
legal steps are taken by any one. to punish
these men for seditious practices. sl--: