The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-08-03
The Hungry Scalawags.

The Hungry Scalawags.
The Washington Chronicle-the lower
story of FoRsEY's pig-pen Ian economical
Yankee once built -Pig-pens one above the
other, and fed only the top penl, the
Philadelphia Press being the upper
story into which Occasional" garbage
and draft are thrown that find their
way, after service, to the lower-is very
much exercised about the Offices in this
State and General SToNEMAN's administra-
ton. 1t makes letter from some caitiff
or scalawag in this city the occasion for o
long dissertation upon the Importance Of
comforting oil the offices of the State upon
"Union men ~. e., the depraved native
whites and impudent :" carpet baggers p
as necessary to reconstruction ~
Much to the credit of General STONE
MAN. this Chronicle does not like him. 1t
says he ought to remove all the faithful
and capable officers in this State and select
4" Union men - to take their places but it
fears he won't. 1t assures the General that
he has the power, but suspects that ne will
not exert it, and ventures to suggest the
horrible information that he agrees with
Mr.. JOHNSON in some things! Of course
that puts him past redemption.
The Chronicle quotes from the fourteenth
article the clause disquaifying any man
for holding Office under any Stat" who
had been a congressman, etc., etc., and
afterwards Joined the rebel cause and
states that it is said that General STONE
MAN takes the ground that Virginia, not
being State, persons in office are not dis
qualified, and he is not required to remove
them, adding: I" 1t is further said that
! General SLOVENIAN has determined to go
back to his regiment rather than do aught
to carry this provision into efect.''
How much truth there is in the rumor
| the Chronicle does not know but it "re-
rrets" General SToNEMAN's "disinclina-
| ton to give preference to Union men," even
while it admits {" that Virginia is not a
| State in the legal sense Of that word"
From which we infer that that paper
thinks she is State enough to justify the
expulsion Of her own citizens from Office
and putting in their places the unknown
northern interlopers.
Returning to the charge, the Chronicle
assures General SToNEMAN that if he wants
to turn out rebels and put in Union men he
has the authority in the act of March 4,
1867, which declares who shall be "eligible"
to Office and here again it contesses hitch,
inasmuch as the provision does not apply
to officers hol2inq at the time the reconstruc-
ton act eoas pat IN force four italicsl, but
ONLY those who might be subsequently
elected" This is q fatal defect, one would
think, but the importunate Chronicle as
sures the General that the clause clearly
indicates the "views of Congress-" as
though the General was appointed to obey
the Chronicles construction of the views OF
Congress instead of the law.
But after all its "palaver," it evidently
fears there's not much to be made out of
General SToNEMAN, and casts about to see
what chance there is to apply the spur. 1t
looks tremblingly to General GRANT, con-
fe,sing that " it will no doubt be distaste-
full to General GRANT to interfere" 1t des-
nerate1v con lures the commanders (SToSE-
! Nan, GrLLEM, AM. RzyNoIDs) to save the
country by putting the caitiffs IN ONCE ana
! concludes in this manner: IL they
(sroNEMAs, &c., fail to d. So It Will de-
"volve on General GRANT to TAKE action
4 "himself, or the Union men (espe> clally In
Mississippi and Texas) will be Leu eA-
"posed to prosecutions and outrages th> ="
will drive most Of them into exile within
ssthe next FIVE MONTHS" Il. e., they won't
get Office, which will be to them either death
! or exile.l This is o dangerous admission,
The riff-raff of whom the Chronicle speaks.
have SO annoyed Congress and General
! GRANT that the hope of getting rid Of them
may prevent any interference in their be-
4 half! i. ~ 49,
The rare correspondent from Richmond
who draws out the Chronicle in this view is
q the hungriest Of scalawags. He is despe-
] rate. :" Reconstruction lis dead unless he
gets an Office. j He no doubt tells a false
! hood when he says that General ScHoFIELD
changed his mind with reference to the Ca
i pability Of what are called Union men
/ to fill the Offices Of the State, General
/ scHor1ErD is still, no doubt, satisfied that
There is not enough experiences or integrity
| in the, wretched white Radical, corporal's
guard to fill the Offices in Virginia.
But this correspondent asserts that Mr..
Boris said that he would take the con-
!" tract to illevery Office in the State with
"tried loyalists." Very likely. II he
couldn't find them he would import them,
s as the Radicals have done. How intensely