Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-01-16
THE NEW MOVEMENT.

aid notice an article editorialized IN posltlol'
vet coming over the signature OF NJ oS
which it appears that one. at least, OF the t"ei-
weight "convcntioners," like wounded pig
con has begun to futter and writhing' US he
docs under the voice OF public sentiment he
laws hare himself to the successful assarltS Oh
ali who oppose in every form and under every
banner that great evil and lncuraole p"litic"'
gangrene-colOred suffrage. ~:
Let us notice briefly, some OF the pecuna'l
ties of this article forit is an
universal suffrage and universal amnesty, IL
deserves some comment
The writer sets out with the broad assertion
! that 1.-The American people, whose votes nave
enthroned the Radical party IN power for TOUR
| years, have given the warrant and the power
| to that party TO enforce negro suffrage upon
Virginia, and that there Is alike the viii ana
purpose OF, as we'll as the political obligation
| upon General Grant and Congress To enforce 1t
| upon us-and that its enforcement is enevit-
able"
Well, L think that's pretty good Thad Ste
yens doctrine to start on Stick q pin here,
and notice this gentlemans consistency.
Again, after stating that there Is no room
| for argument with a sOothsayer," BY when l
suppose he intends to deny the power OF any
one to take issue with him. he charges that
| some predict for this movement failure, ana
say that Congress will Spurn you" To this
| truth-for it is truth-he replies that Con.
gress can't afford to spurn the movement
| What This same Congress that is controlled
| by party "enthroned in power by the Amerl-
| can people" cannot afford TO spurn the Fropo-
stion OF q committee from Virginia Is that
consistent with the proposition enunclated IN
the beginning Of his article?
But look little further. He says For the
men who loll in red morocco Congressional
chairs at the Capital have constituents at
home" Important piece of historical intorme-
ILL .ofnr
atives for the past three years had almost made
| US forget it.
But what point is there in saying that Con-
| gressmen have constituents at home lie be-
| gins his article by saying that the "Ameilcan
people" had enthroned these red morocco fell
lows in power for four years, and had given
them "the warrant and the power" TO en-
force negro suffrage upon us. AnG If these
constituents at home which he makes synony-
nous with 'the American people, have gwen
these fellows in red morocco the power and the
| warrant to enforce negro suffrage upon
us, what need has q member Of Congress ito
halt and "think little upon any new issue?
Is not his course marked out if this gentleman's
premises be true? Many of these constituents,
this writer again says, ARE converts to the idea
tba at the negro is citizen who ought TO have
equal rights with his white neighbOr, but they
do not believe that the white man should have
no rights but be made the political slave of the
| negro"
DO the constituents VINO = !ACeu III pOWo. JIG
| Radical party with the power" and the war
| rant to enforce negro suffrage upon US, come
! under this latter head Whether they do or
| do not it is no argument in support of the new
| movement. With equal propriety, ana with
| decidedly more reason and GOOD sense, can we
| say that there are many in the North who don't
think the negro ought to vote at all, and conse-
| duently those red morocco fellows better "call
a halt and think little" upon the practica
bility of having negro suffrage at al and hence
to facilitate their halt and dcberation we will
| apply TO Congress to remove all disabilities
| from the whites and put them on the capacious
| shoulders of the negro.
| Certainly if the gentleman's argument is
worth anything it is as good for me as for him
| on this point, and he had better call halt and
amend his proposition to SUIT the wishes OF
white men who do not wish and do not intend
ito surrender their opposition to negro sui
ffsge" , u-, hooou.o
some SILLY" person has characterized the
mo, ement as Stupid" 'disgracefup' and de
| testable" that he forgot to tell us the difference
| between negro suffrage straight and the same
| diluted between the genuine medicine and the
sugar coated pill; between tWeedle dunn and
| tweedle doe"
And, to top the Climax" this writer in the
conclusion OF his article says that opposition TO
the movement on the part of these red morocco
| fellows would make these movement gentle
men more determined in their opposition TO the
Underwood Constitution.
Truly tho legs are not equal" These
very gentlemen who agree ITO surrender
their opposition to negro suffrage because it is
inevitable" so they say, whether they favor it
| or not are, If ''spurned" by Congress, to be nc
| tive opponents TO the Underwood Constitution
| and one of their leading objections would be
| its having negro suffrage as q ruling element IN
| its composition
Are these gentlemen trying to arm them
| selves to fight against fate ? Are they going TO
work to defeat the Underwood Con tuition
| when the whole American people have con
fcrred upon Congress the power" and the
| warrant to enforce negro suffrage upon US,
and, O course, white disfranch lsement. too for
| if Radicalism has been rattle by the American
people in the recent elections IN one point IL mas
| been ratified in all. And hence ii this commit
| tee is spurned these unconditional surrender
| men 90 into the field against the Underwood
abomination already whipped tor Congress has
full power to enforce it and oil It's terrible conse
ouenccs upon US according to their theory.
| This writer charges all opposition to the new
| movement as an attempt TO gag the free
expression Of opinion" by at least the peers
| of those who have Surrendered their OPP
position to negro suffrage" Why this is not
tenable Nobody cares what these gentlemen
| tn ink or say; but is going TO Washington and
| in the nsme Of the people of Virginia asking to
give the people of Virginia peace and harmo-
ny CD upon the basis of universal suffrage and
universal amnesty" IAN expression of Opnlon'
sim ply Don LnlS WTlIeT WHO ~ Il pccl III
intellect Of many of the first men in the State,
who are his opponents IN this movement know
the meaning of the terms he is SO prodigal in
using?
The solemn duty of Virginians never has been
palmer than at present and if the very ucav-
ems themselves proclaimed it in fiery letters
upon their boundless ceruican eXpanse il could
not be more manifestly the duty of tho white
men of Virginia to reject the abomination of
this universal suffrage" let it come whence
how or when it may.
This universal .. suffrage obtained through the
is no better in any light in which it can be- view
cd than the same evil forced upon Us by the fac
ton in control Of Congress; and for Heavens
sake, and the sake Of all that is dear in an
earthly sense let us never compromise our
selves so much as to surrender our opposition
to it because it is inevitable " K.
Brentsvlle, Prince VIM. CO, Jan. -
LoUDoUN COUNTY ITEMS. The County
Court has been in session during the week.