The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-04-16
THE Olive Branch.

.haro has been no single measure relative
- Tho southern States passed by Congress
which showed more liberal spirit than
these which had gone before it until the
passage Of the election law the day oeiore
Tho adjournment Of that body. The policy
. ,ovards those States grew worse and worse
and ND to the sending Of the message oy
Gzneral GRANT asking for the passage
~ the measure which did pass, there
was no sign of relenting-no apparent dis
position in Congress to relax the rigors Oh
southern reconstruction.
General GRANT, in conformity to his per-
s;stent declarations in behalf OF peace
soon after he came to Washington gave his
attention especially to the condition OF VIZ
cinia and the constitution which had peer
framed for her by the UNDERWOOD ConVen-
ton. (which WELLS and his followers are
now moving heaven and earth TO h1 upon
the neople of Virginia. He saw at once
the monstrous character OF seVerai Oh .ne
nroyisions Of that instrument, and ne ala
mt hesitate to express his decided hostiIty
70 them. He declared that no people ought
to be required to live under them. "hen
waited upon by the "committee OF nlne'
With his Unknown frankness he declared
himself against the disabling clauses OF
the constitution, and with much emphasis
AGAINST the "county organization clause
which. he said, would, if it prevailed, COM
pel many citizens to leave the STATE
WELLS is using all his influence to keep
this in the constitution, and is printing the
negroes to vote against any change IN a'.J
Frankly and faithfully has the President
adhered to his opinions, and has lost no OPP
portunity to express them to congressman
and others interested.
He had hoped for something at the hands
of Congress, but finding that that body was
about to adjourn without doing anything
he very generously yielded to the sollclta-
ton of committee of Virginians, and in
calm and sincere communication urged
Congress to pass Law for on early election
in Virginia and other States, authorizing
the submission of the Virginia constitution
in separate parts, 80 that our people might
get rid Of the very obnoxious clauses-those
clauses which he 30 cordially condemned,
and which Governor WELLS is now sum-
moning and marshallipg ell the powers OF
darkness to fasten upon the people whose
PROSTATE condition has so excited the SYM
pathy of the President.
Here, then, is the olive branch. 1t has
been extorted from harsh and unconcilia-
tory Congress by the frankness and earn
estness Of General GRANT. We should
thank him for it, and receive it in the
spirit in which it is tendered-as means
of relieving the Virginia people from
state of wretchedness, and of avoiding
worse fate, which Governor WELLS, acting
in utter faithlessness to the President, who
has, under erroneous influences, confirmed
him in the seat he fills so unworthily, is
working might and main to fasten upon US.
This is indeed an solve branch" We
may now restore the State under on endu
rable constitution, from which We have the
power to strike the most Outrageous features.
We may thus restore the people of Virginia
to eligibility to the Offices Of their own
State and that participation in State affairs
which will enable them to protect their
own interests and reestablish order and
confidence in the public administration.
Suppose we reject the profer-what then 7
In all likelihood the constitution will be
adopted and WELLS elected. We then pass
under the yoke-the "rings" for manipu-
lating the assets of the State for the per-
sonal behoof Of the rulers will be COM
pleted-the public money will be wasted
We shall be burdened with taxation, while
we grow poorer and poorer, to sustain the
wasteiulness and frauds of misgovern-
ment. To the proscriptive principles of a
relentless band of Office holders We shall
have TO trust for the removal of the disa-
bilities of say one hundred thousand citi-
zens of Virginia who are to be relieved
according to tle constitution, one at time
each by separate vote Can we put lin,
its to the prostration, the humiliation, Of
the State under such tyranny, or can We
imagine limit to the duration Of the disa-
bilities whose removal is thus left to 8 mer-
CHESS band of plunderers-a combination
of greed and barbarismf
Again: Suppose we defeat the constitu-
ton altogether. What then? WELLS is
Governor. If the Federal Government
fayors him, the "rings" for fleeing the
State will be achieved, and the greater part
of the evils above enumerated will ensue.
And how long are we TO remain under the
mixed provincial, military, and civil 60
vernment, with WELLS, the enemy Of the
Presidents policy, the enemy Of the people
OF Virginia, at its head Are we to have
convention and what will that convention
do' Will not Congress, in the bitter and
revengeful spirit that we have seen, con-
slider our rejection of the constitution, with
the chance offered us of voting down its
worst features, as contumacious, and seize
1t as the pretext for imposing upon US worse
measures than any yet proposed And
what is to become Of our material interests
during the period Of determining our fate
These are questions that force themselves
upon US all, and yet who can answer
'nem Shall we reject the profsr made
us and take our fate in either of tho two