Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1869-04-15
Virginia.

ViEGISIA. quiet, unobtrusive patient under
many wrongs, is still the conspicuous target
al which bowling. veugeiul Radicals aim their
bitterest arrows Of persecution the i-.nocent,
unresisting victim Of their dcalliest bate and
most fearful malediciions. Juring the Saz
years which have elapsed since tie Disastrous
close Of her uuava;Ins struggle fuT what she
deemed Der avnl constitutional rights, She
has taken no political action excep, such As
was enjoined by her rulers, but with a calm
dignity which can never be mistaken for era
ven submission, has awaited the progress Of
events, and silently acquIescej in the imPosi-
tions aud harassiug administrations Of military
governors aud Illegally appointed officers Of
State. AT he calling Of a convention, hes eis-
liens. with a faint hope that the movement
nigli be the harbiugcr Of a brighter day for
them, throngei 70 the polls, and wherever
there was the least show osan impartial cleo
zion the conservative nominees carried the day
But, such was the power Of foreign interference,
that the true representatives Of the majority Of
the people formed but a respectable minority
10 a body Of emaucipated negroes aud ignorant
scallawaes andcarPet-baggers, who we're about
as capable Of framing a constitution fitting to
the wants Of the people as the savage Hoteutot
or the rowing Esquimaux. Nevertheless, a
consdtu6on--0r an abortion s0-called-was
framed, a thing Of hideous deformity 10 many
Of its parts-yet, thanks to the constant, I'M
tiriug Efforts Of the self-sacrifCing conserva-
tiyes Of the convention who endured for FIVE
months scenes which excited their lOathing and
disgust, some Of them eujangering hesith and
even life for love Of their State, by their efforts
/. was, perhaps. mitigaied from the full ex-
tremity Of radical negroism to which the ma
iori,y. unchecked. would have broughtit
i has remained with Congress to provide
f.r an election in the State to decide whether
or not this new Constitution shall govern the
people, Gen. Sobofeli having deferred it upon
the preteEi that no provision was made for de-
frayiug its expenses. The Compromise Com
mittee which met las, winter 10 Washington
solicited a revision Of certain features Of the
Constitution specially obnoxious 10 the people,
or privilege 20 vote on them separately, but
that body failed 10 take action, thereby igno-
ring their exp1stulations and prolonging the
period Of Virginia. exclusion from her rank d
moug the States aud the disadvantages to
which her position subjects her citizens. In
his late message the President recommends
speedy action by Congress for the reconstruc-
ton OF all the States, and Just when, perhaps
measures would have been taken rendering
practicable an amicable adjustment Of the
difficulties IN the way, Senator Morton of In
diana. not satisfied with the Insults already
heaPed upon a conquered people, steps in with
an article making the ratification Of the odious
and infamous fifteenth Amendment a con-
djtion 90 reconstruction. In other words, Vir-
giuia IS called upon to vote for the permanent
Acknowledgement Of her own most noble, true
Ligbmiuded, intelligent sons, and the enfran-
chisement Of ignorant negroes and low, IN
principlcd importations-or rather c2uiations
from Northern States.
Moustrousl II would be suicidal to put all
the voting and Of course all the governing
power into such hands. Being almost without
exception Unsuitable ofice-seekers, they would
work into each others interests until the whole
would become such mass Of corruption as we
sbuiier % contemplate. Better, far better,
that the Old Dominion remain, as now, in a
state Of digaifei exclusion, and biie her time
ull Justice and Right regain their voice in the
high places Of the nation, than thus, by her
own act, consent TO such degradation, disgrace
and ruiD