Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-05-11

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currency, would necessarily enhance the value
of lands rapidly. Such must be the case, and
our advice is to those who have money, to buy
real estate, and to those who have lands, to
hold On to them
Do you wish to abolish the Infamous test
oath? IF SO, REGISTER AND VOTE.
It is now certain, says the Enquirer, that
Virginia will go into the Union within twelve
months under the Underwood Constitution in
some form That is settled. It does not mat
ter whether it ought to be SO or not. 1t does
not matter whether anybody is to blame for it
or not. We say At as a fact. Virginia aoW 90
into the Union IN tl0eZve months under the IN
deraoood Constitution IN some form,
Now, what are we going to do? We can
modify this instrument or we can refuse to
modify it. We can strike out the test-oath, OF
we can let it stay. We can enfranchise some
$4,000 of our best people, or We can leave them
disfranchised. We can strike out the coun ty
| organization article, or we can let it remain.-
We write Of course on the hypothesis that the
President will give US vote on these PROPOSE
| tons.
Now we have got to live under this Constitu-
ton. We wish our readers to confront the facts.
We have got to live under it until it is chang
ed. If the people of Virginia are too indignant
to ride to the polls and vote, we shall live un-
der it as it claim from the hands Of the Under
wood Convention. We shall have about 90
per cent of the white population excluded from
Office and, perhaps, the jury box. We shall
have large number Of whites denied the right
of suffrage. We shall have our counties cut
up into townships, and ruled By negro Of
| fcials.
We may get along if these clauses are taken
out. All whites can then vote, and We can
control the State. All whites, excepting those
who come under the operation of the Constitu-
tional Amendment, will be eligible to Office
We shall have an opportunity to devise anoth-
er system of county organization.
And this will have to be done by the Legisla-
ture. And, therefore, we are brought at once
to the necessity of securing the Legislature =
We can do it, if we work. The Legislature will
not only organize the system of county admin
istration, but it will organize the militia, and
legisate, perhaps, with regard to system Of
public schools 1t will lay all the taxes. Ii
| will elect two Federal Senators It will elect
some one hundred County Judges. 1t will, Oh
the nomination of the Governor, elect the Cir
cult Judges and the Judges of the Court Of
| Appeals. We say on the nomination Of the
| Governor.
And, hereto.e, We must have as good Gov
ernor as aCe can get The issue is narrowed
down to II. FL. Wells and Gilbert c. Walker
which shall we take? We have got to choose.
| Not to act, is to act We cannot escape voting.
In undertaking not to vote, we yield the point
and accomplish the worst result by our own
inaction. To be passive is really to decide in
| favor Of Wells. For if all the white votes are
merely slenced, Wells will be elected by seventy
| FIVE thousand majority. Mr.. Wells does not
expect our votes; he only aspires to our neu-
trality. Thus we cannot stand off from Walk
er without yielding the prize to Wells. You
may not like the reasoning, but you cannot es-
cape it.
Now without going into Mr.. Walker claims
at alive are for anybody against Wells. He
is the most odious man to the white people OF
this State that has ever put his foot here-we
think we need not except Underwood. They
loathe him, they hate him and he loathes us,
and hates us. We are uncompromising and
deadly enemies He has marshaled the ne
groeS against US, and taught them to hate us.
Walker has not naarshalled the negroes against
as. But We a,e for anybody against Wells. We
must kill him at all hazards.
Do you prefer slavery to liberty? If SO,
don't register and don vote
At meeting at Spottsylvania Court House
on Monday Of last week. Mai. J. Il. Kelley.