The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-04-13
ALL ABOUT THAT LETTER.
A CLEAN BRE A S T /.

A very large crowd Of negroes and rev
white persons assembled on the taphoi
Square yesterday afternoon to rejoice over
the reinstatement Of Governor Wells ana TO
inaugurate the political campaign Of 1858.
The meeting was presided over by the 81,
perintendent of the Penitentiary, and
Charles Fl. Porter sat at the table ss secre-
tary. The first business attended to was
the appointment of committee, consisting
of Messrs. Washburne, Morrissey, and
Humphreys, to wait on his Excellency ID.
n. Wells, Governor of Virginia, and to ask
him to address his loyal fellow-cltizens
here assembled"
THE GOVERNOR CAME,
obedient to the call of his fellow citizens,
and after Superintendent Wardwell had
informed him that the "loyal heart OF Viz
piuia" rejoiced at his reinstatement, took
the stand for 8 speech. He commenced by
most emphatically thanking God that Con-
gress had seen fit to give the people of this
State an opportunity to choose their own
| rulers and their own form Of government.
THANKS TO WELLS AND GRANT.
He had just returned from the national
canitsl. whittier he had been Though much
misrepresented) for the purpose Of hasten
ling the election-an object dear to his
heart. and for which he had been laboring
ever since the adjournment of the Consti-
tntional Conven ton. When he went to
washington last m onth he had gone at once to
the President, and had told him very frankly
that we here in Virginia were entirely out
of patience, and wanted to know whether
we we're likely to get anything from this
Congress. The President said he hoped 80,
but that in the extraordinary press of i'm
portant business Congress might give it the
eo.by. He then asked the President whe-
Their, if Congress neglected Virginia, he
would not take the responsibility of order
ing an election. Quoth Ulysses, 81 don't
think have the power to do that; but I'll
tell YOU what l will do, Governor. If Con-
gress does adjourn without action, will
consult the Attorney General and the Secre-
tary of War, and see what they think about
the matter" This conversation took place
! in the presence of two most distinguished
Virginians, who heard every word of it.
He sTIRs UP CONGRESS.
The Governor said he then stepped over
to the capitol and tried to put Congress
right about Virginia affairs. This was on
the 18th of March. He wished to know Of
| members whether they were going to do
| ANYTHING for this old Common wealth, that
had been so long out in the cold. They
feared not, and thought that the precedent
set in the Mississippi case would have to be
followed. Said they, "Governor, you in
Virginia are very we'll off. You have peace
and quiet within your borders, and have
no such sufferings, disasters, and persecu-
tons, as have been experienced in Georgia,
Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Why
can YOU not wait ?" He replied that it
was only justice that he asked for his peo-
pie. They had right to vote upon
the constitution and to choose their off,
GERS. But Congress still did not seem
disposed to act. He then went again to
see President Grant, and this time asked, as
PERSONAL FAVOR,
that he examine q bill prepared by
him and tell him what he thought about
Il. Grant soon returned it with the en-
dorsement, "Ihis is erdctly right" He
1.-THE Governor) showed this to various mem
bers Of Congress, and in the mean time
here came message from the President
urging action in regard to Virginia. He
Joined in urging immediate action-frst to
the House and then to the Senate, begging
each to have mercy. And they did have
mercy. After the bill as prepared by
him (Wells) had passed the lower House, he
went to General Butler and asked him to
send it right over to the Senate Says But
Ter, 81 will have it there in forty i've
minutes" And he had it there before for
ty-four had passed.
THE SEPARATE VOTE.
II was originally designed, and it was
now designed, 10 submit the constitution aa
whole to the people; but Congress had,
after mature deliberation, thought best to
give General Grant the power of ordering
a separate vote on any parts of the instru-
ment that he thought proper go to submit,
These sections were probably those relating
to test-oaths and county organizations. Ae
to test-oaths, the Republican party had
often declared that they did not believe in
them as permancncy, but they did pro-
pose that all necessary disfranchisemente
should be continued. Whether this policy
was just, the voters legally qualified under
the reconstruction acts must determine OF
the polls. Surely there could be no objec-
ton to this plan of deciding the matter.
THE DISABILITY BILL.
He then passed to the consideration Of
the congressional disability bill. There
were large number of persons in Virginia
who had been contaminated by the rebel
lion, but who now sincerely repented, and
: wish to be restored to their rights. The
names Of about two hundred of these, in
; Guiding General WiaAaam and Judge Rives,
were Incorporated in bill, which would
have passed, but it was found that it had
gathered like SNOWFALL, and before the
adjournment it was encountered with nc
less than fourteen hundred names. Even
then, however, it would have passed but
for the fact that the names Of twenty-nine
prominent Kentucky rebels were tackled or
to it, He wanted the bill to- pass, for the
Republican platform was broad enough for
all to stand upon, and there were none toe
good for it.
GLORY TO GOD
Here the Governor remarked, incidental
ly, that, " Glory to God, since we last met
!: we have received another military COM
mander." He had been taught never t.
strike a man when he is down, but he did
rejoice that we now have commander who
will let politics alone, but who, if he does
interfere, will be sure to mingle on the righ
side. Thinking Of stoneman led him tt
speak of
THAT MISSING LETTER.
He 1.-THE Governor) had been much abused
in regard to that letter, and wished now t
state the facts as briefly as possible
Sarnuel. in Richmond, had written and