Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-12-14
OLD VIRGINIA.

The grand old State is not yet member
IF the glorious Union, Notwithstanding her
ready compliance with all the demands made
upon her patience and her honor, by the adj
r,;nistration and the Yankee pedagogue who
holds the position of law officer of the gov.
eminent. 1t was expected that the cordial
recommendation of the President, in his
,,..sooe. that the State be admitted at once,
Id secure for her chosen representatives,
an easv entrance to the two Houses of Con-
press, but this expectation has msst sadly
failed of realization, and Virginia still remains
conquered province, awaiting the bidding OF
the merciless tyrants, who have not yet satiated
their thirst for vengeance.
Butler now holds her political destinies in
his reconstruction sweatbox, and what the
issue is to be, must be left for the develop
ment of time. 1t is hardly to be hoped, how
ever, that the doughty hero of Big Bethel
and Bermuda Hundreds, with his keen sense
of remembrance of the incidents of the war
ON Virginia soil, will wish to confront her sons
on the floor of Congress-unless it be such
of them as he can readily control, and use for
his own purposes and those Of the Proscrip-
tive party with which he is identified.
y correspondent of the Baltimore Gazette,
writing from Washington on the 10th says =
= It seems to be conceded that the smother
of states and statesmen" will be admitted
into this glorious Confederation of lndepeu>
dent Soyereignties some time next week.
But how? The public vas COMPOUNDED at the
Importance attached TO the requirements by
Butler that the committee of the "Legls-
lature" and the "Governor" of Virginia, nom
here, should consent an 10rtttng to guarantee
the perpetuity of the provisions of their pres
entGonstitution. No one could imagine What
authority Walker and his confreres had ts
make any such agreement, and the assertion
ofButler, that he you'd rely upon the promise
= or these men, because they we're .'Firgini'
q gentlemen" notwithstanding it was manifes
they had no power whatever to make 1t good
extremely puzzled every one. 1t has, how
ever, leaked out to-day that the consent
referred to, and that given an tcrittng, vii
probably be Incorporated into tie statute o
qdn,isston-so that the State Till get in upoI
condition of qood JchGrior hereGfter--that i
to saw, she will be allowed to remain in TIL
Union Just so long as she shall Uote the Rodic0
ticket, and acknowledge the political equality
if not the supremacy, of the negro race
This is what Butler means By trusting to IT,
"pledge of Virginia gentlemen"
This matter ESQ buuglingly hasit been man
aged on the side of those who now contrc
Virginia affairs) might be passed over, if it
influence were confined 10 the status of :ha
State. But if Virginia shall be admitted con
ditionallJ, doubtless the precedent sill b
followed in the cases of Mississippi, Texa
and Georgia. The latter will now, no doubt
be required to adopt the Fifteenth Amend
ment before she gill be allowed representation
in the Senate, and to comply With WhateTe
ether conditions" may be now annexed tt
the admission" of Virginia. The man@uvr'
is also, in fact, an entering wedge to new
doctrine, namely: That all of the seeding
eleven States are still the wards Of Congress
aud liable, az any time, to be remandsd to 1
provincial condition Buffers committed
meets to morrow NC ming.