Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1868-06-25
How Do We Stand?

Such questions as. How does Virginia
stand ?" when will the vote on the
adoption or rejection of the new Constitu-
ton take place 2 "Will Congress make
any change in the provisions of it's former
acts relative to registration are frequent
ly propounded by our friends from the
country.
Since the PRONUNCIATION Of Gen scho-
fields order deferring the election until
Congress should make some provision to
defray the expenses, and the publication
of his letter to Gen. Grant relative to the
Infamous test oath required of all persons
elected to Office. delegations composed of
carpet-bag ofioe- hunters and soallawags,
principally, have been before the recon
struction committee in Washington, con-
sulting and advising as to the most avaia-
BILE trickery to be resorted to by Congress
to secure the adoption of the Constitution
against lie wishest of almost the entire
native V lite population of the State. who
own nearly all the wealth within its limits.
The first and most important step toward
the accomplishment of this purpose, We
are told, is to prevent those who failed to
register at the former election from doing
80 at the next. The radical vote will not
be affected materially by this trick, but it
will prevent some fifteen or twenty thous-
and white citizens from registe ring, who
would vote against the Constitution
The next trick will be, probably, to sub
nit the most obnoxious portions of the
Constitution separately. so as to secure
the adoption of the main body of it.
By such rascally trickery, and the ia
cilities afforded for committing frauds up
on the ballot-box. the radicals of Virginia,
aided by their interruptions allies in Con-
gress, hope to impose upon US negro dom
ination, without any means of redress in
the future.
With this gloomy prospect in the future
of our proud old State, some among the
timid may become disheartened and stay
away from the polls on the day Of election.
Others. again, may be operated upon by
the threat that, if we reject the Constitu-
ton. they will infict something worse"
upon us. Let such remember that the
degradation and wrongs that will follow
the ratification of this infamous instrument
will be greater, and more lasting and
blighting in their effects upon them and
their posterity. than any that can be de-
vised by even SO INSCRIPTIONS and maig-
nant party as that now in power.
In such crisis it becomss every man
who would be free and who would see his
posterity liberated from the thraldom of
the oppressive government now attempted
to be fastened upon us. to do his whole
tuuSt MAKE IL Il tllaCLcr OF Dr10-
ciple; for if, through the Indifference,
apathy, fear or lack of courage of the
white voters of Virginia. they and their
children should be reduced to condition
of absolute subsection to negro rule, they
will justly merit the condemnation and
bitter curses Of every white man, woman
and child in our midst.
We are told that bill will soon be re-
ported from the reconstruction committee
in Congress providing for an election at
an early day. in accordance with the wish
es Of the radical leaders at Richmond -
If the Constitution, or any part of it
should be adopted. by little more frand
and little more rascality, they hope to
secure tbs electoral vote of Virginia for
Grant and Colfax next November.