Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1869-01-07
1irginia Conservatives in Council
important Action.


RICHMOND, January For two days
past conference of some of the men in
the State has been in session, attended by
Hon. A. H. Fl. Stuart of Staunton Hon.
Thomas S. Flournoy, formerly Wing.
candidate for Governor; john N. Marye.
Jr, present Conservative candidate for
Attorney General; Wyndham Robson,
formerly Wing acting Governor of the
State; George w. Boiling; james ~
johnson, former Wing Senator; Frank
Rufin. Gen. John Echols, w. F. Suth-
erin and others Last night, after mid
night, they agreed on preamble and res
olution, which set forth that while the peo
pie of Virginia do not believe that the me-
groes, in their aneducat d condition, are
as yet 6t for suffrage, yet in view OF the
expression of public opinion in the recent
national election, and in the hope of res
toration harmony and union. they are
willing to accept universal suffrage coup
led with universal amnesty.
A committee of nine was appointed to
visit Washington and urge Congress to
legislate so as to secure this to the people
of the State. The committee is composed
of A. Fl. Fl. Stuart, Wyndham Robson,
j. B. Baldwin, James Neeson. W.
Sutherlin, John L. Marye Jr.. and ) +.
Slaughter. on the part of the DO Some
things" as distinguished from the "Do
Noth;ngs;'' the former desiring to make
some advance towards meeting the Recon-
struction acts and averting the disabilities,
test oaths, &c., of the new Constitution,
and the later believing that the people OF
the State should under no circumstances
sanction negro suffrage, which they believe
disastrous and degrading.
The Resolutions passed at the Meeting IN
Richmond.
RICHMOND, Va, January 5.-The fol-
lowing are the resolutions adopted at the
meeting of Conservatives on Friday night:
The undersigned. residents Of different
portions of Virginia, having, upon invita-
ton of some of their own number, assem-
bled in Richmond for the purpose of hold
ing conference in regard to the present
imperilled condition of the Commonwealth
after full interchange of opinion, have
come to the following conclusion, which
they respectfully submit to the calm and
patriotic judgement of their countrymen:
While the conviction of the undersign-
ed, and, as they believe, of the people of
Virginia generally, remains unchanged
that the freedmen of the Southern States,
in their present uneduc ted condition, are
not prepared for the intelligent exercise of
the elective franchise and the performance
of other duties connected with public af-
fairs, and are therefore, at this time, un-
safe repositories of political power, yet in
view Of the verdict of public opinion in fa-
vor of their being allowed to exercise the
right of suffrage as EXPIRE ssed in the recent
elections, the undersigned are prepared,
and they believe the majority of the peo-
pie of Virginia are prepared. to surrender
their opposition to its incorporation into
their fundamental law as an offering on
the altar of peace, and in the hope that
union and harmony may be restored on the
basis of universal suffrage and universal
amnesty.
To give effect to this purpose, and to
spare no effort to effect speedy and per-
manent restoration of union and harmoni-
Gus relations between the portions of our
country which for some years past have
been alienated. the undersigned will APP
point a committee of nine from different
portions of the State, rejecting as far as
may be practicable the public sentiment
of the State, whose duty it shall be at an
early day to proceed to Washington and
be authorized to make known the views
and purposes hereby declared to the Con-
gress of the United States, and to take
such other measures as they may think
proper to aid in obtaining from that body
such legislation concerning the organic
law of Virginia as Congress in its wisdom
may deem ezpedient and best under all
the circumstances The delegation so to
be constituted may gil vacancies, and are
authorized to enlarge their numbers i'll
their discretion. ..-
The undersigned recommend to the
people Of Virginia, by primary meetings;
to appoint delegates to popular conven-
ten to be held in Richmond on Wadnes-
day, the 10th day of February, 1869, to
receive the report of the committee appoint
ed by the foregoing resolution, and to
adopt such other measures as may be deem
ed most expedient to promote the objects
herein indicated.
Alexander H. FL. Stuart. Augusta;
Thos Branch, Richmond; D. c. Do Jar
nette, Caroline; Thomas s. Flournoy,
Halifax Wyndham Robertson, Washing
ton county; William D. Quesenberry.
Caroline; i. H. Magruder, Albermarle;
George W. Boiling, Petersburg Asa D.
Dickinson. Prince Edward; Johh L..
Marye, Jr., Fredericksburg; W. c.
Knight, Richmond Robert Whitehead,
Nelson, J. F. Slaughter. Lyncbburg; A.
G.. Pendleton, Giles james D. johnson.
Giles; n K. Trout, SStaunton d NJ.
Bell, Staunton John Echols, Staunton !;
Matthew Harrison, Ioudoun; Frank =.
Rufin, Chesterfield; G. c. McRae, Ches-
terrified R L. Walker, Chesterfield; W.
T. Sutherlin, Danville; j L. Darlington,
Richmond; William e. Cameron. Peters
burg James F. johnson, Liberty Thorn
as j Niche, Staunton james Neeson,
Rich ..ond