Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-05-01

NouidI bc fcr-oItneo. ~ EfttjWtefo tno
country would feel the sslutary effects Of a
EgovernmeDt al harmony with Itself and
aith.a majority Of the pcople--one which
could be trusted and must be obeyed.
n1f ini i----------->>-----------iif if,isi
Gen. sehofeId's Speech In the Virginia
- ,t' " Convention.
On the last day Of the Convention, 10
answer to au Inquiry from that body,
whether he had any eomrsuuication to
mako, In company with Co.'s Campbell,
wberry and Mallory. Of his staff, Gen.
schoGeld visited the Convention, for tho
~ sSa i''ssl 1HS spsi: POI }! Isiiss.
Mr.. President and gentlemen OF the
Convention-It affords ne much pleasure
to congratulate you upon the near ap--
proach' OF the termination Of your long
aud arduous labors. have watched your
progress with interest and, at times. no
little anxiety. Representing, as you o,
every shade Of political opinion, every ex.
lreme Of interest. policy aud purpose, il Is
not strange that you should have found
In thecourse Of your deliberations dlhcul.
ties which seemed all. osl ihsurhiotntablet
and which could only have been overcome
by long. patient aud perseverng labor |
have not hositatcd 10 say 10 you, through
those gentlemen Of your body who have
been pleased, from time to tlmc, 10 ask
my opinion upon subjects presented for
/ Ill 81. IL.
tain provisions proposed to be en-.
grailed inio this Constitution which,
ia my judgment, II adopted, would
prove fatal 10 that instrument | refer
more particularly to extended dislfanchisc
nent aud disqNalifcaiions for Office not
provided for by the acts Of Congress
You have wisely, us ihibk, determined
60 lar us dislranehisements are concerned,
To leave the subject as ordered by Con-
gress. La other words, 10 frame your
Constitution, in this important particular,
upon The basis laid down by your friends
IA Congress. There only remains, so far
as an aNare, singls provision that |
regard us seriously Objectionable. | re-
Ter to that portion wliclI rascribes qualiti
CAUCUS for oiiite. aud which believe will
be, " allowed 10 remain in ITS pl esct form
detrimental in it, effect upon the adoption
of the Constitution. 1t Is practically i'm
possible TO carry on Government 10
vngfuia upon that basis have been
now for more than year administering
the laws in accordance with the recon
81, ue,ion acts Of Congress, in this State
. have had to select aud appoint register
ing officers, as we'll rs civil officers, in the
different counties throughout the State
La some OF the counties have been able
TO find Que, aud ouly ono; in sJme two
aud in some three men, of either race
who could read aud write, aud who could
at the same llme take the oath oi Office.
There are, believe, ia Virginia, some
counties which will require to carry on the
go, erulLeut thirty or more civil officers.
such as magistrates, sheIiiis, constubles.
o,erseels Of ,he poor, &c. You cannot find
ia lhese counties a sufficient number Of
men who are capable of filing the cfliees,
and who can take Ibe oath you have pre-
scribed here. They pay very limited
salary. and even u common laborer cannot
afford to come from abroad for the purpose
of filling them. | have 90 hesitation Ia
saying that believe il impossible to in,
nugurnte Government upon that basis.
have heretofore abstained from any at
tempt to exercise the slightest influence
over your action, as yon will remember,
at the commencement Of your session !
even referred to yourselves the question
Of returns and qualifications Of members,
leaving you free TO adopt such a course as
you should deem wise aud proper Now,
however my duty il would seem requires
me TO convey to you what conceive TO be
the effect OF such law, It's practical bear
ing upon the political affairs Of the coun.
try aud upon the interest, il you please
Of the paaty TO which you belong
That provision, if left in the Con-
s.itution, will, believe be not only
opposed to the wishes OF your friends,
but will be fatal to tho Constitution
and perhaps fatal to yourselves. /
cannot, Of course, cay that all the other
provisions, aside from that, are such as
would have thought best aud wisest, un
der all circumstances. presume that no
person could say that OF any constitution
In the United States, they oil being more
or less the result Of compromises made
between the opinions of hundred or
more men, and may not, in every partic-
ular. please any one; but, as far as can
see, your Constitution, In all essential par
ticuiars, Is neither better nor worse than
the Constitution Of any Of the States now
in the Union. Nar
Whether the Government established
under II will prove good or bad will sim.
ply depend on'the Kind of men you elect
to GIL tho different Offices. II good men
are elected, YOU will have a good govern
ment; il bad, you will, certainly, have u
bad one. Especially is this true OF the
men you elect to form the frst Legisla--
tnre.g That Legislature will have work to
do no less important than that devolving
upon the Convention. II will be neces'
sary TO modify the code Of laws TO cores
pond with the new order of political prin.
oiples on which the Constitution itself Is
based The manner in which that work
10 TO be done, aud also the necessity which
may exist for future changes, aud the
mode presented tor mixing them, should
determine the qualifications Of ,hose elec-
ted TO that body. i say, then. that whs,h.
CT your Government organized under this
Il III Ii