New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-01-23
WASHINGTON.

LOUISIANA CONTESTED ELECTION r TaS
NATIONAL BANKING RECOMMEND],A1I ms
THE ALASKA CHARGEs-GEN' HAkNi1T,fFNT
BURsEMENTs - NEW WAR
BUILDING. ., rr,dav Jan. o. 1852.
The sessions Of the Reconstruction itarest,np
.everal DAYS past have been unusu@n' e yTiroiria
the question being tho reconstruct Add 1ester-
IN .ast;monv Of Gov Wells was conciuueu 20 =;
tno oss'.r a., Col John b. Baldwin was hearu III
10Y ,at ar Committee and the new movement i0i
No - so,oe forty OF fifty FlrglhahS "e4o
,ocino many leading politicians, some u
-, were monument Republicans CU. Doru"i,''
H., desire Of the Chairman, Mr"BoutWeI' nisV 'h"u0
,oto,opt in respect to the clause IN INC new con,
stltto ofectine the property of the Methodist ana
Is,,toriap Churches showing that the effect was 10
oct aside the long-established policy OF inc o'"'o ~
dindicate titles instead of leaving them 10 'ho
iol tribunals before which cases are now Peh"lns
After some remarks by the Rev. MT fheips' Coi'
baldwin made statement upon the general sltua-
90 3; VIRGINIA in connection with the Underwood
Cns.itntion He explained the position Of his Com
;t+oo that they did not claim to represent any po-
11.;oo1 orgonization OF party, but were convinced
- .bo,, were in unison with large majority OF
tbo neonle Since the close OF the war the Peopio u
VIRGINIA had paid little attention 10 teueIH Po'iT
,oinc only interested in questions relauhg u 'n0
,oconstruction and the restoration Oh tneh
state They had sided with the Demo
cratic marty only because that party hau sen.
,nost willing to reconstruct their state III
with their views Of public safety ana polo'. -
decision of the country and the deciareu poiio -
a. covornment in respect to negro suffrage they
',io a. consult and respect fully and unequiyo-
couv in their organic law 1t would DE laise ''ii"
disingenuous to say that they were voluntarily III
fovor Of negro suffrage. They had 45OVO coioreu
Ill and the admission OF SO many lg-
- rersons even if they were Whlte
nos very different thing from what u
was at the North. They all viewed IL as
a very fearful experiment, but they accepteu inc
noIicv of the Government in good faith ana Wouiu
arrr il ont In respect to the Acknowledgement 1or
the ballot of some 1900 persons, many OF them not
eomprehended by the Constitutional Amendment, ne
said that the number not enough to enect poliu
eal mower but il would be source OF bitterness
he desired to remove the obstacle to an entre ana
comnIcte medication of the State. As for the Con
stitutional Amendment they asked no action at
present from Congress- and no relief from their own
disabilities Passing to the iron-cad oath for
office Col. Baldwin said that the disfran-
chisement was much over 90 per cent. Inc
people of Virginia before the war were much divided
as TO the propriey of secession but after the war
began they all engaged in it. This universally OF
sentiment was a fact that the Committee might re-
gret and disapprove but it was fact which states
men should take notice of, as to make complete
and harmonious settlement He desired to leave
the past entirely behind them, and to press
forward in the line of prosperity and peace lie took
II for granted that no member Of the Committee de-
sired measures of vengeance The suferngs OF their
people had been such that their worst enemy would
have nothing TO wish for on that head The Com
mittee he supposed would favor these disfTancblse
ments only rs measures of precauton and safety On
this subject he stated that since the war the state
Covorumeu mt had boon entirely IN the hands OF the
white race and for the general order peace, and
pure administration of justice. he challenged COM
parison with any State in the Union. The State
Judiciary was composed of learned men never ex-
trome in their opinions In single session they had
changed their whole body Of legislation to conform
to the fact Of Emancipation notwithstanding the
opinions and prejudices of generations They pro-
posed now to deal with all men in the State
upon fair and equal footing He mentioned
that one of their Committee, Mr.. Owen of
Halifax County was Union man throughout the
war Judge Rives and Mr.. Franklin Stearns, lead
ing Union men, would bear out his observations
about the Constitution. Since the close of the war
they had been harTassed by set Of men such as had
never afflicted any country befOre-the deserters
from the Confederate army and the refuse scum Of
the Union army, claiming to be exclusively loyal,
and sought to root out from Office and places Of
trust the native population. For this class
it would be uncandid to deny that the
people had feeling Of contempt and they
claimed the right that the meanest creature
has in reference to the highest the right to with
hold their respect, but even these they had no de-
sire to Cypress OF annoy and they proposed to place
every man under the equal protection of the law
Mr. Boutwell, said that some Of them looking to the
case of Georgia, feared that extreme men would
come into power in Virginia and Cypress their
friends and the loyal men of the State and these
they felt bound TO protect Col. Baldwin declared
that be fully appreciated such a sentiment and
speaking for himself and his friends and for
the people of Virginia, be declared that they had no
such hostile purpose toward any portion of the pOpu-
htiOn. They earnestly desired to pacfy their State
aud leave the past behind them. Mr.. Paine also put
one or two interrogatiOns. The remarks of Col
Baldwin were exceedingly clear earnest eloquent
ana so eonciatory throughout, that the friends of
the movement, while gTatifed at the hearing thus
obtained before so important Committee. only
regret that all the Republicans in Congress could not
have been present. When he had concluded. Mr.
Franklin Stearns of Richmond, Republican and a
consistent Union man, emphatcally confirmed his
statements, especially as to the good faith of the
leaders OF this movement and the pure administra-
ton OF justice in Virginia. He had never heard of
corrupt Judge in that State. majority Of the
property-hoders were with the movement Mr.
Stearns is gentleman of large wealth and the men,
Der OF the National Republican Committee for Viz
glnia He has long been citizen of Virginia Int
stated to-day that he was born in Vermont. Col
Baldwin said that they all believed that the plan of
TINS Committee would DO ratified by an overwhelm-
ing majority He leaves tomorrow, to address the
people OF Augusta County on the issues involved.
~ the senate today somewhat amusing colloquy
fOnk nlace hn4,r.... II ~ t.1