The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-07-08
THE VIRGINIA ELECTION.

LLpYDs, Essex CO., Va, June IL, 1869.
To b. B. Douqluss, Esq

/ ~ II. ~. DOuJtttccS ~
My DEAR SIR: l hasten to respond to
| your letter received short time since IN
which you suggest that some interest is felt
by yourself aud others in regard TO my opin-
| ions upon the gubernatorial contest and the
issues upon which the people OF Virginia
will soon be called upon TO vote.
! If the expression of my opinions upon
| these subjects will crafty any of my friends
/ Ii viii give me pleasure 70 make it. In re-
1 gard TO the gubernatorial contest feel no
hesitation in choosing between the candt-
dates. | know that they are both Republic
cans. and that it is sometimes a most un-
pleasant task to be forced to choose between
| evils But, nevertheless, IL Is often posi-
tive duty to do so. and in this instance We
| are not responsible for the issues OH which
we are called upon to decide, but which are
forced on us by circumstances and power
| that we cannot control. There IL nothing
left us but to deal with the circumstances
In which we are placed, not by ourselves
| but by others, so as to make the most of
them. We are not responsible for doing the
! best in the abstract as We might be If We
were free and equal State in the Union, but
for doing the best which is possible in the
| situation in which we are placed. Neither
/ can we justify ourselves for inaction 10y say
! ing there is nothing left us but choice be-
| tween evils, which we refuse 10 make, II by
doing so we can render service 10 our state
which, in my opinion, we can and ought to
/ do i'm this case. Many of the most impOr-
tant steps in the conduct of life, and >partic-
| ularly of government, are after all "A choice
between evils. No great question exciting
bitter strife between parties, IL not settled
by the absolute submission of one of Them
| is ever adjusted except by compromise,
which, by its very nature, Involves some
sacrifice of opinion on both sides. lt was
SO i'm the great acts of the British govern
ment which are considered as muniments
of their liberties: it was eminently so of the
constitution of the United States, and 1t will
always be so OF questions between great and
/ opposing parties who have each voice in
their settlement. Tosay, therefore, that we
will do nothing which inyolves-a sacrifice
of opinion is simply to assume an imprac-
| ticable position. Under this view OF the
/ case / should not hesitate 10 give my vote,
| if had one, TO Walker for Governor, for a
| conservative State government and for the
| expurgation of the constitution submitted
| to the people of Virginia for ratification.-
| We are to choose as il seems to me, between
what is called the Underwood constitution,
| simple and pure, with Wells and his party
| to administer iU on the one hand. or the same
constitution so eXpurgated as TO leave the
power of governing and representing the
| State in conservative hands, with Walker
and his friends, the conservatives OF Viz
ginia, TO administer it. Who can hesitate as
| TO his selection between such alternatives, or
refuse TO make choice in which his State
and all whom lie loves have so deep an in
terest? That the issues are such as j state
them to be i do not for moment doubt
I Il
Governor nobody denies, and that the con-
stitution in one shape or the other will be
adopted by the people of Virginia every
body seems to believe, and If IL were not so
who will guarantee Us that the Congress of
the United States, as ut present constituted,
will not force it upon us III its most ohnoN-
ious form 2 That body has shown no great
consideration heretofore either for our
rights or feelings, nor does it seem to regard
much either the constitution of the United
ci Va "a re-
concerned. That tile election of Wells and
the adoption of the Underwood consttu-
tion, as it came from the hands of its fra
mers, would insure the ruin of our State
and consummate the degradation Of our
people there are few conservatives who will
deny.
On the other hand, although i have no
personal acquaintance with Mr. Walker /
am induced to believe by friends in whom
rely, and by what have seen OF his course,
that he would exercise the power and duties
of his office, if elected. in the manner which
he supposed would rebound to the interests
and honor of the State which he represent
ed. The constitution, If cXpurgated, as we
may do if we choose, will throw the polit-
cal power of the State into the hands Of the
conservatives, who would administer IL with
Just and proper consideration for all. Can
we refuse to accomplish such results for our
state, which has suffered so much already, !
because we cannot vote for Mr.. Walker, who !
acted once with the republican party on is !
sues which are now past and gone? If !
there were still a question as to negro suf- !
frage and negro eligibility to office might |
see how opposition might be made to him |
upon these grounds. But all must see that |
these questions are settled against our opin- |
ions-I mean those of the whites-by pow |
or greater than ours, and from which we |
at least have no appeal. Upon those ques- |
tions which, as L said before. are now gone |
and past dispute he did differ with us it is |
true, but upon the issues which are yet to |
come, and which are now before US, it is in |
every way probable that he will act with
the conservative party from sympathy as
well as from principle Shall we sacrifice
the living to the dead: Shall we take no
part in the real and the practical, because
we are too much absorbed with the memo
ries of questions now decided and gone to
do so! God knows those memories are as
dear to inc as they can be to any man; my
interest, too in those questions when they
were before US and living was as keen as
that of him who is most sensitive in regard
to them. and continued so while there was
any hope of accomplishing their defeat
But the necessities of our State are too pres
sing and her suffering too great to justify
us in pausing upon matters which are no
longer the subjects of action, when by stri-
king at once we can secure even partial re-
lief which, though partial and not entire,
will yet be felt as great in every nerve and
fibre of the body polite. There are some
times great national emergencies in which
the necessity for immediate action is so great
that we must follow the scripture i:.junc-
tions and let the dead bury the dead. We
can find ample employment for all our
energies in dealing with the real and the \,
living. Let us not then refuse the assist
ance of men in the present and future, who
are willing to give it honestly, because they +
were unwilling in times past to act with us
on questions which. though near and dear
to us, are now finally decided. The more
of such men we ret the more we enlarge ,
the basis of the power of the conservative
party. which is now matter of much mo-
ment with us.
So much for the gubernatorIal contest
But there is another question which / con-
fess has occasioncd me more doubt and up |
on which / have had more difficulty in
an opinion. | mean the course
proper TO be pursued in regard to the con-
stitution if expurgated of those clauses
which disqualify so many Of our white citi' ,
.eas. This constitution is indeed 50 bad in
nearly all its parts that there is hardly any
sxpurgation which can reconcile me to it,
Those who framed it seem TO have looked ,
more to the punishment and the humiliation
IF large majority of the white race than TO !
he ends ofiustice and good government a ,
scheme of government devised for the inju- 5
y of a decided majority Of those to be af-
ected by il cannot be made acceptable to
hat party, unless indeed il be SO amended as s.
% transfer the moving power of the govern I
nent TO them, or unless it is plain that they !
AVE to choose between the instrument with
amendments or without them.
After some reflection have come to the
conclusion that such is our case at present.
t we can SO amend the constitution as to
trike out those clauses which disqualify and
so many, the whites will have
decided majority of the voters, and TINS
Weld the political power of the State. Ii
hey administer that power-as trust they !
gill-with justice and proper considera- .
ion for all, the conservative party, of which !
he whites constitute so large q majority, 4