The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-01-25
Fcom the Chicago Tribune lRadicaO.

The State of Virginia has not been re-
constructed, and the reason for the failure
nas been the obstinacy and fanaticism Of
the extreme rebels and Of the extreme Re-
publicaus of that State. Neither of these
parties has had the least liberation for any
| difference of opinion, and both have there
fore preferred to have the State remain
under military rule than yield one word in
the new constitution. Virginia has had the
| misfortune to include among her native
politicians the most impracticable of the
old school of State rights men, and also has
had the misfortune to have fallen, since the
war, into the hands Of that portion of the
| Union party led by the Hunnicutts and I'm
| lerwoods. The latter faction succeeded in
| getting control of the convention held to
| form new State constitution. They made
| a constitution from the Hunnicutt- Under
wood standpoint.
Congress has permitted this outrage to
continue much longer than justice required.
| Ii is time that there were reconstruction IN
| Virginia Of which the Hunnicutts and I'm
derwoods will not Of necessity be a part.
| Perhaps in this matter of reconstructlng
Virginia, Underwood and Huunicutt will
step aside in order to let the country be
familiarized with the great deprivation ii
has yet to endure when they will no longer
be with us to guide and control the desti-
nies Of their countrymen. large body OF
the people of Virginia, of all shades Of poll
tics, and of all grades of previous loyalty,
have grown restive under this stagnant
policy. They argue, and truly, that, all ex-
pectation or desire for renewed rebellion
having passed away, the material interests
of the people, if no higher motive, demands
the speediest possible restoration OF civil
government. They have come to Washing
ton, and tender, SO far as they can do SO IN
advance of an actual vote, the hearty CO.
operation Of the people in establishing a
State government upon the basis of the po-
litical equality Of all persons, and the re-
moval of all obstacles in the way of Impair
tial suffrage. In other words, they ask for
Virginia universal suffrage and universal
amnesty, and on that basis propose to estab-
lish State government in Virginia.
This movement is resisted by all those re-
bells who refuse under any circumstances
20 acknowledge negro freedom, and by oil
those Republicans who want suffrage and
holding Office in Virginia confined to com
paratively select few. But the American
people have no sympathy with the narrow
intolerance of these factions, and will insist
that whenever the rebels in good faith &C
cept universal freedom and political equal
ity that they be at once admitted to politl-
cal rights. We hope Congress will provide
Cor q new registry and new convention in
Virginia, and for the admission Of the State
upc0 new constitution adopted by ma
ority vote of the whole body of enfran-
chiscd people Of the State. The voice OF
disorranizng faction has prevailed too
long at Richmond, and Congress can do no
better work than to give the people of Nlr-
ginia liberty to reconstruct their State in
| their own way.
The belief, as expressed by gentleman
who was present, is that the committee was
favorably impressed with Mr.. 8aldwin's
| remarks. Nevertheless, the "outside :"
Conservatives who are here from Virginia
watching the progress Of events predict an
| utter failure of the Richmond programme,
particularly in view Of the violent action
of the House of Representatives in retain
| ing Radical member in his seat after the
Committee on Elections had twice reported