Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-04-28
Meeting in the Courthouse.

On yesterday, Monday, (Court-day) at a
meeting in the Courthouse, on motion of Col.
Bolivar Christian, Col Geo. Baylor was called
to the chair. On motion of Maj. Marshall
Hanger, Col. Bolivar Christian was appointed
Secretary, and on motion of Col. B. Christian,
the Editors of the Staunton papers were ap-
pointed Assistant Secretaries.
Col. Baldwin took the stand and delivered a
systematic, methodical, and able address. He
spoke for two hours and twenty minutes, and
was listened to throughout that time, by the
large audience, with deep interest and fixed at
tention. No crisis was ever SO dangerous and
threatening, and none ever called for more de-
termined thought and intelligent action. IT
was time to speak forth the words of truth
and soberness. He showed that Congress had
no right to require the States to hold Conven-
tons to adopt Constitutions-no more than a
New York mob would have, and that if there
were no other objections to the adoption of the
Constitution than the character OF it's origin,
that it would be the duty of the people to vote
against ito enter their protest against such
usurpation Of power and such violation of their
State rights. The pretence of guaranteeing a
Republican form of Government and requiring
universal negro suffrage to effect it, was false
and hypocritical. They admitted West Vir-
ginia, when it recognized slavery and restricted
suffrage
The Constitutional amendment also recogni-
yes restricted suffrage The Northern States
reject negro suffrage, though it would not effect
the elections there practically. The rights of
the people are not forfeited, because offences
cannot work forfeiture till offenders be tried and
convicted, and sentence pronounced against
them. The people have been pardoned. and
those pardoned cannot be prosecuted The
rights of the State cannot be forfeited when its
citizens have been pardoned, for they constitute
the State. The Constitution is infamous in de-
sign, and infamous in detail. 1t provides not
negro equality, but negro domination. IF the
people adopt, or allow the Constitution to be
adopted, it will lead inevitably to negro domi-
nation.
He would not insult the negro by comparing
him to the white miscreant who would use the
negro, as the monkey used the cat, to subserve
his own selfish purposes He thought it the
duty of the whites to deal frankly with the ne
groes and to let them know to what the adop
ton of the Constitution would lead The rela
ton that existed between kind master and a
faithful servant was the kindest which ever
existed between the two races, and kinder than
any that will ever exist again. The Yankees
freed them, because they were in tight place
and needed their help, and not that they cared
fig for the fate Of the negro-didn't care
whether the negro got his brains knocked out
or not.
Under the Constitution, none but negroes and
scallawags can hold Office. Taxation will be
enormous because the negroes who will vote
the tax will not have it to pay. Will be com
PEELED to send children to mixed schools. The
militia will be mixed-the negro always in the
front rank.
The homestead is a worthless bride that will
never be paid-an attempt to buy white poor
men without consideration.
He closed by appealing to all who could do
SO to register and to vote, and to vote do1n the
Constitution The man who can vote and will
not do so-stays away from the polls-is more
reprehensible than the man who votes in favor
of the Constitution, for to his treason he adds
cOYardice