Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1869-07-01

Union as it ought as soon as possible {
establish and maintain, and to give TO al
its people those equal rights under tn
law which were asserted in the Deolara
tion Of Independence in the words of on
Of the most illustrious of its sons"
The message of the President was refer
red, in the House of Representatives, {,
the committee on Reconstructons. Tha
committee the next day reported bill fol
the reconstruction of Virginia, and also O
Mississippi and Texas, The character O
the bill sufficiently appears by the first
two sections relating to Virginia.
BE ii enacted By Tbs Senate and House o.
Representatives ofHe United States of Amer,
ica IN Congress assembled, That the Presi.
dent of Che United States, at such times
as he may deem best for the public inter.
est, may submitthe constitution which was
framed by the convention which met in
Richmond, Virginia, on Tuesday, the Sd
day of December, 1867. to the registered
voters of said State, for ratification or re-
jection; and may also submit to a separate
vote such provisions Of said constitution
as he may deem best,
SEC. 2 And be IL further enacted, Tint at
the same election the voters of said State
may vote for and elect members of the
General Assembly of said State, and all
the officers of said State provided for by
the said constitution, and for members Of
Congress; and the officer commanding the
district of Virginia shall cause the lists
of registered voters of said State to he re-
vised and corrected prior to such election,
and for that purpose may appoint such
as he may deem necessary.-
And said election shall be held and re-
turns thereof made in the manner provid-
ed in the election ordinance adopted by
the convention which framed said consti-
tuition"
1t will be seen that by this bill the peo-
pie of Virginia were to proceed in the work
of reconstruction at such time as the Pres
ident might deem best, and that such re-
construction in all its parts was to be on
the basis of equal political rights. The
Constitution to be submitted was framed
bya Convention, in the election of which
,olored citizens participated, aud of which
,olOred mon were members. The "regis |
.ered voters" who ore to vote on its ratifi-
'Aton or rejection, and also for members
If the General Assembly, for State officers
md for members Ct Congress-, include the
,olored men of Virginia. and if the Con-
ititution Is adopted, it secures to them
'qual politioR rights in that State. The
neutrality-suspicious. of the bill provided for
he reconstruction of Mississippi and Tex.
IS on the same principles. and left the
ime and manner to the discretion of the
'resdent.ss
This bill was reported tothe House of
representatives aud unanimously agreed
lpon by committee, of which four mem
'ers were Democrats. The most distin-
.uished Democratic Representatives of N
,ork and Pennsylvama advocated its pas
age, Out of about seventy Democratic
MEMBERS of tie House, only twenty five
oted against it, and the only Democratic
lembers from Ohio who voted on the pas.
age Of the bill, voted for it,
II thus appears that upon the recon-
lendAtion of Gen. Grant oven the Demo
ratio Party Of Ohio, by their representa-
ives in Congress voted for equal political
ghts in Virginia, Mississippi and Texas! {
nd to-day the sgreat body of the people !
those States, Democrats and Conserva-
YES as well as Republicans, have yielded r
lsent to that great principle. In view of
ese facts submit that | am fully war.
nted in saying that Gen, Grant has be- >
IN The work of reconstruction in mas.
rly way and with marked success.
Again thanking you for the honor YOU
dana ma I ss, a. | =