The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-04-18
VIRGINIA.
SPECIAL TELEGRAM 10 the HERALD.

speech OF General schOheld Before the Ike.
construction ConveutiOn-He Opposes the
Test Oarh-Some Sound Advice-His Coun-
sci is Rejected.
RICHMOND, April II, 1868.
committee OF the Convention having inquired OF
General Schofeld whether he had any further com
munication to make 10 the body previous TO its ad
Journment, the chairman reported to-day that the
General would either communicate or wait upon
them in person. At noon to-day, for the first time
General Schofeld entered the Convention unan-
nounced, and was escorted to a seat the chair
by Mr.. Thomas. After brief Introductory, the
General said
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN OF THE CoNvEN-
TlON-lt affords HE much pleasure to congratulate
you upon the near approach OF the termination OF
your long and arduous labors. have watched your
progress with interest and az times with no little
anxiety. Representing as you do every shade OF
political 0pinion-eveTy extreme of interest, policy
and purpose-t is not strange that you should have
found in the course of your deliberations dicuities
which seemed almost insurmountabe, and which
could only have been overcome by long, patient and
persevering labor. | have not hesitated to say
to you, through those gentlemen OF your body
who have been pleased from time to time TO
ask my opinion upon the subjects presented for your
consideration, that there certain provisions pro-
posed to be engraed into the constitution which, in
my Judgment, If adopted would prove fatal to that
instrument. ! refer more particularly to the ex-
tended acknowledgements and disqualihcat!ons for
Office not provided for by the acts OF Congress You
have wisely as | Think determined that so far as
acknowledgements are concerned to leave the subjec.
as ordained by Congress. In other words to frame
your constitution in that important particular upon
the basis laid down by your friends In Congress.
There only remains so far as | am aware, a single
provision thati regard as seriously Objectionable.
refer to that portion which prescribes the quafca
tons for Office, and which, l believe, will be, II
allowed to remain in its present form, detrimental
1t is practically impossible to carry government
in Virginia predicated upon that basis. have been
now for more than year administering the laws in
accordance with the reconstruction acts OF Congress
in this state. have had to select and appoint regis
terng Officers, as well as civil officers in the different
counties throughout the state In some of the coun
ties have been able to find one, and Only one; in
some two, and in some three OF either race, who
could read and write, and who could at the same
time take the oath OF Office. There are, believe. in
Virginia, some counties which viii require to carry
the government by thirty or more civil officers, such
as magistrates. sheris, Constabes Overseers OF the
poor, &c. You cannot find in these counties
a number Of men who are capable of filing the
offices and who can take the cath you have prescribed
mere. Tney pay very limited salary and even the
common lab0rer could not afford to come from
abroad for the purpose Of filling them. ! have no
hesitation In saying that beheve IL Impossible 10 in
augurate government upon that basis. | have
heretofore abstained from any attempt to exercise
the slightest influence over your actions. AS yea
will remember at the commencement Of your session
| even referred to yourselves the question of the
returns and qualifications Of members, leaving you
Tree TO adopt Sucn course as you should deem wise
and proper. Now, however, my duty, 1t would seem,
requires me to convey to you what conceive to be
the effect OF such q law, It's practical bearing upon
the political affairs Of the country and upon the in
terests if you please, of tie party TO which you be-
long. Tnat provision, IL left IN the constitution, VIII,
believe, be not only opposed to the wishes OF your
friends but will be fatal to- the constitution and
perhaps fatal to yourselves. cannot OF course, say
that all the other provisions, aside from that. are
such as would have thought best and wsest under
all the circumstances. ! presume that person
could say that of any constitution in the United
States, all being more or less the result Of compro
misses made between the opinions of hundred
more men and may not IN every particular please
every one. But as far as can see your constitution
in all essential particulars is neither better worse
than the constitution of any of the States now in the
Union. Whether the government established under
it VIII prove good or bad will simply depend upon
the Kind OF men you elect to fill the different Offices.
If good men are elected you viii lave good gov
eminent; II bad, you will certainly fave bad one.
Especially is this true OF the men you eject 10 form
the first legislature. That legislature will have
work 10 do scarcely less important than that
devoving upon this Convention. u will be
necessary to modify the code o. laws to cor
on Which the Constitution Itself Is based. The man
ner in which tsat work Is to be done and also the
necessity that may exist Tor future changes and the
the qualifications OF those elected TO that body say,
then, whatever your government organized under
determined by the qualifications OF the men elected
to carry 1t on. In this view of the case you should
have left open the widest field from which choose
these men, and have 10 doub. that both parties Will
exert their utmost Strength and put forth their best
and aoles, men TO inaugnra.e ,hs new
may not at once enter upon course OF prosperity
and happiness, rapidly bending toward that great
destiny which fully bUlteve kind and benefcent
Providence has in store. see 10 reason why, under
wise constitution, If naugurated and put in opera
ton throughout the State she may not at once re-
sumo her proper place among the sister,
hood of States. Gentlemen, | wish you all
in your audabe aspirations, and especially
in your efforts TO restore Virginia to her place In the
Union Nothing will afford me greater pleasure and
] hope the time is very near when can experience
III, than to turn over to the constitutional represen
tatives of the people OF Virginia the power now
have the honor to exercise here TO salute with the
title OF Governor my successor and to tender TO them
and TO him my cordial support IN executing the laws
and in maintaining the supremacy OF the cy.l gov
ernment. tApplause.)
The General then withdrew, and Mr. Hine author
Of the ronclad proposition roseand stated that the
General was mistaken. Instead OF thirty there
would not be five officials on an average excluded by
II. An effort then made to repeal the test OATH
which gave rise to exciting debate the negroes to
a man being violently opposed to 1t, while the more
respectable republicans favored II. The conserve
tives did not participate, and the motion was voted
down.
TUE poccc TIL croA0