Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-07-17
, GREELEY ON VIRGINIA.

fhe DAY Book announced, a day or
two after the election that Horace Gree
ley had tslegraphed his con gratulations
10 Gov. Walker. We received the sub
stance Of the dispatch from what we
/ regarded as a reliable source. Mr..
Greeley in a late article says that he
did not telegraph, and then goes on TO
express himself as follows;
N. Y. Tribune of the 18th.
y '' But this we can say right
heartily, that we hope Congress will
promptly and joyfully encourage Vir-
GINA to resume, under her organization
just effected, that place in the national
councils which she should never have
relinquished. The late vote of her PEG
pie was the fullest ever given; there
was perfect order aud quiet at her polls;
and no one was excluded who was enti-
tied to cast ballot, Her free republi-
+, can constitution, with Ill prescriptions
and acknowledgements stricken out, has
been ratified by the largest majority
ever given for any constitution of any
State: and we should esteem it grave
public misfortune that such an overture
,hould be repealed.
"Then you would have the members
elect to the new Legislature admitted to
their seats without taking the iron-clad
oath ?"
| Most certainly. This has been al
lowed in other States; why not in Vir-
ginia ? Everyone should take the oath
of fidelity to the Government and Con-
stitution, but not be required TO swear
that he never gave aid or comfort to the
rebellion 1t seems to US a strained
construction of existing laws which re-
quires this.
There Is nothing to be gained by
shutting out of the new Legislature
two-score or so of the foremost men
OF the State, while we could not fail to
lose it by the mortal effect of their vot-
ing to ratify the fifteenth amendment.
We need their votes for this, far more
than they need the seats to which they
have been elected.
The recent triumph of the Walker
party was Won on the ground of acqui-
essence i'll the reconstruction policy of
Congress with resistance to any further
or other penalties Or prescriptions than
are therein set forth. Doubtless, ma
jority of the Walker men would have
preferred somewhat different terms; but
they have asssnted to these, and they
should be held to them and dealt with
accordingly.
The Walker movement absorbed to
itself men of all parties and of no party
at all. 1t embodied al least nineteen
twentieths of the whites, and very con-
siderable fraction of the blacks. While
it embraces all who would naturally
incline to the Democratic party, it in
oludes at least twenty thousand Repub-
licans. Congress and the Administra-
ton might drive it into affiiation with
the sham democracy; but it is not the
interest on the one side to drive, on the
other to be driven thither; so we Judge
that it will not be done The real dan
ger is, that will be done reluctantly,
haltingly, grudgingly, ungraciouly,
which ought TO be done promptly
heartily, gracefully. 1t is quite posi-
bic to do a wise thing unwisely, and
thus to lose the credit of doing what
cannot at last be left undone.
We need the vote of Virginia for the
fifteenth amendment-need the moral
influence OF her ratification on the fall
elections in the great Central States
We need the effect of its ratification by
an unmutlated Legislature. Do let us
evince common sense, and not initiate
the maladroit candor of those Southern
fossils who vote to give the blacks the
rights of manhood, but tell than, at the
same time, that they wouldn't do so if
they could we'll it ...