The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-12-10


holder, Wood, McCauli, Ashley, Walker
and Crenshaw, Of the House, on Wednesday
had meeting with Gen. Butler, chairman
Of the COMMITTEES on Reconstruction. The .
meeting took place at the residence Of Gen. .
Butler. Messrs. McMullin, Flournoy, segar
and Marshall were present. Speaker Turner
Informed Gen. Butler that the committee
had called TO have an Informal meeting
with him, as chairman Of the Reconstruction .
Committee.
Gen. Butler said "Geutlemen, | under.
stand the object Of your visit, and am glad
to receive you. 1t has been given out that
intended to oppose the admission of Wiz.
giniai this Is incorrect. am only DESTROYS
to be cautious. Congress admitted Georgia,
and she has broken faith: she adopted tho
constitution and gave all hcT citizens free
aud equal rights, bat as soon as she was ad-
mitted into the slsterhood OF States she not
only sbrogated many Of the republican prln-
ciples OF her constitution, but denied the
right to colored members to hold seats In
the Legislature.
Georgia has gained admission By fraud,
and as all frauds can be and must be sam
marily dealt with, Congress will compel
Georgia to keep her plighted faith, She Will
be dealt with on sccccnt Of her fraud, and
thus Congress acts constitutionally. Ten
nessee has also broken every bond and pledge,
and now In that State the colored man Is
little better of than he was ten years since.
Every principle Of tho Republican party
Ia there set at naught, and what has been
declared as tho law Of tho land set at dc.
fance.
81 desire 70 guard against n repetition of
such frauds. Georgia and Tennessee have
tricked the Republican party and the true
Union people Of the land. am determined
to assist In guarding against any more such
trickery from any other State"
Delegate McCaull then read E memorial
which the delegation had prepared for pre-
sentation to the reconstruction committee.
The memorial in brief states that OIL the 9th
OF July last, pursuant to the laws of Con-
gress and proclamation OF the President, the
citizens Of Virginia adopted a constitution,
thoroughly republican in form, providing
among other things for a thorough tybtem
OF free schools, &C.; that this constitution
was adopted almost unanimously; that the
two clauses defeated were voted on sepl-
rateiy by permission OF the act OF Congress
and order Of the President, and that Viz
ginia had compiled with all the reconstruc-
ton laws. The President has already dc.
clared the constitution acceptable to him;
that the Legislature elected under the pro.
visions of the constitution had organized
| and elected officers; had ratified the four.
tcenth and fifteenth amendments, and
| elected two gentlemen as United States SEN
| ators, against whom no objection could be
| urged, men whom the Legislature deemed
| acceptable to all; that throughout the State
Representatives to Congress had been chosen
against whom no oneLhing Objectionable. so
far as the constitutional fight was con-
cerned, had been made, and that the people
had elected a Governor whose loyalty, truth
aud honor none doubted, and who had been
accepted by the President as loyal aud
proper officer and who at once gave State
authority to him as soon as he was iuaugu.
rated.
The memorial closed saying: "Havlng
thus compiled with all the terms required By
either branch Of the General Government,
we respectfully ask that Virginia be admit.
ted at once as a State OF the Federal Union.
aud that the Senators we have chosen and
the Representatives the people have elected
be at once admitted to their respective seSts
| In this present Congress"
| General Butler, at the conclusion OF the
reading of the memorial. resumed his re-
marks. He said
"Gentlemer, I ain delighted with your
memorial as far as 1t goes, but II you will
allow me to suggest, | would say that an
addition Of three or four lines would settle
the matter, and Virginia will be admitted
within an hsnr after the committee report Il
bill for that purpose, which am sure will
be done at once
Several of the gentlemen said together,
"What are the lines-what Is 1t you dcsire1"
General Butler answered: ~ think It bet.
ter for you to pledge yourselves, as the Legis-
lature aud for your consti uents, that you
will zee that the provisions Of the coustltu-
ton, as II now stands, will be faithfully car
| ried out, and no trickery done as in the case
of Georgia aud Tennessee. II you do this,
assure you that Virginia will be L state in
| the Union before the expiration Of the pres
| ent week. | will say, further, that such a
| pledge made by you as legislative body
and gentlemen, will perfectly satisfy me, as
Il doubtless will all members Of the com
mittee. | am always ready to accept the
pledge Of Virginia gentleman"
Speaker Turner then assured Gen. Butler
| that these lines, with the pledge, would be
| added, and said that they supposed that
| being sworn officers was sufficient, or the
pledge would have been given in the present
paper. He said the committee would hold
| q meeting as soon as they retired to their
| hotel and make tho necessary addition.
Gen. Butler then said: "Well, gentlemen,
that settles the matter, and the reconstruc-
| tion committee will be prepared to receive
you and your memorial at ten o'clock to.
morrow morning"
He further said; 81 like the constitution
adopted by your people, II Is really, In many
OF Its features, much better than the COAST.
tuition of Massachusetts, and vastly better
than many OF the constitutions of Other
States now in vogue. | have no hesitation
In saying that do not believe the Senators
and Representatives Of your State will be
day behind the admission Of the State. |
am very DESTROYS to have the vote in the
House unanimous. | hope there will not
be any party vote about 1t. | really would
like to see old Virginia come in again with
the unanimous consent Of Congress. have
no passion or party feeling about 1t, and |
feel sure that speak the sentiments Of the
members Of the reconstruction committee
After half an hour spent In general con-
| verse, tho committee withdrew and at once
repaired to Willards' hotel, where they held
a formal meeting and again drew up a me.
| mortal the same as before, with an addition
as follows: "And furthermore, this com
mlttee pledge, slngly and jointly, and as the
committee representing the State Legisla-
ture, that the provisions Of the State cOnstl.
tuition, as far as adopted, shall be carried
out to the very letter and spirit of It's intent
aud law"
This was subsequently shown to General
Butler, and after reading the added lines lie
said; "Weil, that settles the Virginia All
mission, and am as much delighted as any
l 49,