New-York tribune., 1869-01-14
AMNESTY AND SUFFRAGE.

The Virginia newspapers reflect all possible
shades OF opinion the proposition OF Mr. A. II. IL
Stuart and his associates to accept negro suffrage in
turn for amnesty The Richmond Wing journal Of long
established reputatiOn and influence in Virginia which
seems to be the special organ Of the movement
Our situation Is peculiar If Gen Grant could get time
from other weghty matters TO bring his practical com
TO bear npon the southern situation for five
He would that whatever may be the patriotic wishes
and of people, we cannot OF ourselves extrcae
ourselves from embaTassmCnts. We the victims
OF circumstances over which we nave no control The
Radical party Of the North looking more 10 party tna
TO country have favored the keeping of the South in
disturbed and unsettled condition, that they might
at any time fire the Northern heart by raising tho of
n "New Rebellion" On the other hand the
Northern Democratic party, with perhaps rs
little patriotism, are opposed To any pacihcation,
and rejoice 10 hear that the South is harricd and
raided by African militia and rapacious carpetbaggcrs
for shamefuy are oppressed the better the
The generous people OF the North Between the two
are crushed and almost ground into powder We could
not and help ourselves Our best and wsest
know that our true policy was TO nave 20 connection
with any OF the national parties, Dut To devote all our
energies To the recupcTaton Of our ruined fortunes and
10 that end many Of them have diligently ab0red But
vain Both the great parties Of the North, being de
alternative but TO take the blows OF both sides Our
only hope for extncaon from ms unnatural and painful
sltation-one into which have been forced and are
kept against wishes, and IN spite of cur efforts for
cscape-is in Gen; Grant his commanding position,
us from the harrassng prosecutions OF the party,
and the equally destructive ana cruel endearmentS OIL
the other
And The Whig's correspondent wIitesfrom Washington
There are two points Of extreme deicacy in this
ment: is To act with such discretion ana wisdom as
run risk OF offending and shocking the true Virginia
feeling. and the other Is TO show To Congress ana the
Government willingness, may say an earnest desire
FOR any such conditions OF adjustment as SHAH not ho
altogether unreasonable, and cannot fan 10 pave inc
FOR arespectful hearing To be successful the action
this committee be such VIII carry along WIN
great body OF the Virginia people. There u hand
Iu OF eheme ana yoic men Tno
Of the unconditional surrender OF everything into ther
hands. IL must be remembered that men VINO @ lcau y
public movement must almost necessary 90 S't a. vi
the people pace or two ihose az the neau o5 n99 n99
movement sagacious and thoughtful men, alG VIII
be pretty certain not To advance too lar aLeao the
people Of Virginia cannot trust the' "hOm can theS
trusts
On the other hand. The Enquirer and EIaminer which
sti retains the fre-eating proclivities Of its duplex
origin, says
But what must be tho amazement Of tho people Of
Virginia when they learn that these sclfapOined cli
zeus have actually inauglated movement whose sole
eject If il succeed viii be to surrender the common
wealth into the hands OF It's onemies-not Tor Day D
Tor an time 70 come What will be tleir indignation
against THIS scheme whose fret resolution proposes 10
accept" negro suffrage as the organic Ia" ol 'HGl
10 endure for generations 20 come ana whose second no
vldes the means 10 give effect o this purp"sc!' This
is the sum and substance " the action Of tho scl
appointed Representatives" Of the people OF virginia
Tho mct at tie Exchange last week 1t is a peace
Offering" which sacrifices every thing Tor Wch We nave
ground and places IA entirely the % Of the en-
emy bound hand aud foot For ourselves we most ear
nesty protest against such action being received da W
spred by the sentiment Of Virginia There j. not ~ Tue
broad limits Of this glorious old Commonwealth enough
white men to form constituency for single COuglr'.
man who. under any circumstances. VIII ever achuoWI
edge the equality Of the negro race, no matter uhlcf
what coercion and 10 matter how pressing the mpogiu-
titics of "cTpedency" The mention of such project
will the spirit Oi Virginia. aud the primary met
ings which these scfappointcd gentlemen reconlnrd
will sound the note of md guatiOn against such trhue
with tine honor Of the Commonwealth IN tones "hlch VIII
reyerberatc from the seashore 10 the mountains.
The Enquirer and EnGpiiner followed this with pre-
dlcton. which proved It's powers Of prophecy exactly
equal to its political slgaciiy:
The most lamentablc feature connected with that l
advised proceeding In our Judgment. was IT. develop
violent opposition The difference does not, ~ course
involve any distinction ~ To character on PATRIOTISM
events with an equality ~ y,iOn thoro could De 10 pos
sibiity Of divided counscl.. Patriotism Is "a quality
which does not admit Of comparison Every c.tzen must
either be patriot traitor. for there j. no middle
ground between them IL is only upon tho best means 81
And We couccdc to s Stuart and his associates us the
same patriotic devotion 20 The Commonwealth which we
a most ridiculous failure al erery hTn. iAfy a." 10
s,bbed at Washington. and hen reDudiaed bB ne pSo'
al home But lesson which they Will learn vail bo
sufficiently bitter without adding other topoaches. AID
shall welcome their return to the Conservative RANKS
with cordial good Will. We VIII have no th,rd party 10
Virginia!
The Rchmond state Journal. which speaks for Gov
Wells and the party Of the existing state Government IS
almost as fierce against the movement its recatug
neghbor. Here is one Of Its late articles
II is singular event In political astronomy That Nir'
Horace Greeley and the recent Democratic cdbAl u t-
city are conjunction on the question OF universal rui
fare and universal amnesty II Wonla nr curious iudf
To aualyzc the motives which Inspired TIN, political hhl
mony on both sides but II would Doc especially nie"ihg
% trace out the causes Wlch ed ne p' p'Aucil, Z" Pro
pose 10 put their relief from political di-ahes In
scale ard the cnrac i,euent 81 ir c."frl man ih
the other scale IL Wouh nt Fovu '"". I'i ' ''.n"
crats. no doubt, but Why should There De- any
dicher abou II ~ all II colored or universal 'n3s
from political disabilities bo cxpcdcut ara night Just
now. as an independent proposition. Why Should either
ne used a. an equiv acn Tor the oth'rt Ihc IdC M o
Democrats seeing thai universal or coorod suffrage n
this state is inevitable. and that their iudi'
crlminatc hnd speedy ichei In h't so lh','lI
.bIr, would like 10 trade little. Aud
when hey propose TO trade lCoh ogt Tor chgaunE N"%
there i Just and only one way Tor Congress 9r Nr
giua Democrats, FOR Virginia Republicans aud thr rsi
ccpt OF The incWtaDh Wlch j. coior'd suhrHto III
ua and Just fast and so Tar as The Democrats snow
and do works meet for repentance, or III other "oIds
discover true loyalty by appropriate nous n, ro iHst
aud far relieve them. Universal amnesty was just ~ a
prOprate and cHpedcnt On the day Of Lees surrender a'
II Is today.
Throughout the state the press equally divided
The Maiio,, star calls the movement officiating. Te
Ieersbg dcr retortshat the real drteaters those
who seek to defend every practical means for escaping
the nncton Of tho Underwood Constitution and says
We should think that the violent opposition Of Wells.
Underwood Co.. 10 the new movement, should gave
that portion Of press pause, which has been ndurng
IN acrimonious criticism upon 10" virginia committee
IL is one OF the curious Things IN the ~hIygs OF Amri
politics 10 hnd portion Oi Inc virginia conservative
press, cooperating with tho mortal foe Of her peace IA
opposition To movement whch j. supported by ma
lorty Of her most asecing, devoted and unSesh sons
We only explain the phenomenon Dy tho dctun or
Taleyrand that everything happens
The bristol NeUSifnvOr tho movement; The Mature
Vnginidn gives II quasi approval The Abn0doH Ib'
Ginian speak mildly and hopeessyTbe Bedlord SenHe
doesn't like IL at all, Tho ydRey Igiia and The Wyhe
rie Dspach publish the Endorsement f The Dispatch OF
Richmond without comment
We quote below medley Of opinions from other papers
in all parts Of Virginia. called forth by tho proposition Of
some 0f most trusted statesmen To accept Impartial
Suffrage and Universal Amnesty:
The gentlemen who are now IN Washington as a com
mttee from late Conference held III Richmond have
u very delicate duty 10 perform, both on account OF thc
they VOuch Tor the