The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-03-09

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And inasmuch as Judge R1yEs is one o
the men who addressed the Radical mem
beers Of the Convention few days ago
and thereby gave them to understand thai
he was of the faction opposed to the party
which claims that Virginia must be ruled
by white men, and inasmuch as. he denomi
nated ours as thet Destructive !" party
we naturally concluded that he had started
upon q crusade with the negroes, am
Asburned his ships" SO as to preclude th'
possibility Of retreat upon his part. Ii
undertaking, therefore, to fix the RESPONSE
bility for this change Yof front upon The
suffrage question upon the right men, W.
named two who are distinguished for ont
reason or.another, and Of whose co0pera
ton Che Bones and Banjo partyiis particu
larry proud. 81 j s5 WI? 25.}'',; ~ rs
We are glad to be able to say that We
have mistaken Judge RrvEs's position
We have been assured by himself that hi
is opposed to the sweeping disfranchise
ment proposed by the Radicals Of the Con
vention, and has never given anybody goot
reason, to doubt his position. lie has fur
nished us with correct copy of his re
cent speech, from which We learn that it il
really much more conservative than we
had supposed it to be. We learn from
himself-and the speech confirms his state
ment, though, of course, it needed no con-
flrmation-t he is not pledged to vote
for the ratification of the Constitution, but
expressly reserved the right to vote for or
against, as he should think best after see-
ing the whole instrument. He is, not in
favor of negro rule. If the Convention
shall attempt to disfranchise enough
whites to throw the State into the hands
of the negroes he will, so we understood
him 70 say, vote against'the ratification of
the Constitution. We call upon the Con-
vention to heed the counsels of this their
most respectable ally, and retrace their
steps. .5a -
We reproduce a few extracts from the
late speech of Judge RIvEs, which show
where he stands. And first we will give
aremark of his which fully authorizes the
inference we drew. He said slsaz.S
"It is emphatically to your Convention
and to yosr 'Gonstitatioa noe haze alone to
loolc for. protection against the return to
potDer of those who, not satisfied with
what they have accomplished in the way
of universal ruin, recently met in grand
conclaye in this city to consult how they
might best defeat the hopes of Govern
ment and perpetuate- military rule or
anarchy. "4's4 ~. - q, S@'s Il 49,, sS;
This means, we now suppose, nothing
more than that certain men ought not to
be allowed to hold the oficesswhich the
Radicals so much need and desire. The
next sentences seem to prove that Judge
RIYEs lis. opposed to disfranc hihement--
they follow: y Fls@ Ak s'"s's Si<S 49, !
eff you shall fail to make q Constitu.
ton for the whole people, without, refer,
ence to race or class, founded upon prin.
ciples Of Justice toiall and favor to none
and calculated to perpetuate the blessings
Of selfgovernment to posterity, then, how,
ever undesignedly, you will prove allies IL
this fatal and rniEtaken enterprise of do.
feating the laws Of Congress. Be not over
confident of. the ratification Of your Con.
stitution. That must depend on its adapt
ability to the whole people, their wishes,
their intelligence. and their wants. Lose
sight of these, and SO frame the Constitu-
ton as to subserye the views of the few
and not the many, and I do not see how
you can reasonably expect its success.
You are expected to give us republic
and not an 0ligarchy." IHai ~eF
Elsewhere Judge R1TEs speaks of the
reluctance with which should abs,con-
"strained by other considerations to vote
"against constitutionawith such an sad-
"mirable feature y (as free schoolsl Ian Jan
guage which clearly proves that, he Is free
from pledges as to. how he win vote d gsl
8 Judge R1yns also applauded the Con.
yention for lis 6 eonsery atism = and for it
reprobatson DC epudiation, declared that
the University of Virginia must not be
absndonod, and coming 70 the question o
suffrage, said, as the negroes we're already
voters, ne could not see how they could
O. class be hereafter DISTINGUISHED. But
he said:
~ am well persuaded that your refsc-
lions upon these inquiries must ultimately
lead you, in; fidelity to your Bill Of Rights
TO require o. present qualification Of the
prepayment OF taxes, State and county
and fsdtxe qualif cation, at such time a
your wisdom msy suggest, 0f the ability *
read and write, SO the voter may be ena,
hied 70 form independent Judgments upor
public afssirs. outrage, thus guarded anG
impsstinlly extended TO ali, would not fail
- my estimation, to win the approval o
your constituent and secure the interest,
and harmony Of sll classes. y. sT.5.Es
Ia Hs. also opposed the election Of Judges
s,rnsgissrates, shoriEs, and conssables, by th,
Now, ~ tho Convention would profit B!
this advice, which we have thus repro
dpcea fofs its consideration, it might max
g 0onstitution which might possibly b
rasiisd. INT 81 such thing d that vhicl
z - manufacturing, We do not see hoy