New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-27


national councils" You will thus perceive that our re-
Construction record is not bad after athat though
On G yat handed our pacs with all possible rapidly
from the passage Of the Dill 70 te
ciared NV an oyerwbslmng vote that 60 back into the
Union we will II Congress Will allow ua
WHAT THE ELECTION MEANS.
And In the result OF that election and vote, what have
we donei or rather what have VIC not donei Have we
not DONE or do we not stand ready to do all that Con-
ress has ever demanded We required to
give the negro equality before the law by giving him the
right Of suffrage. We have, by very large majority,
adopted constitution that allows every sane colored
twentyone years Of age the right boh TO vote ana
TO hold office. Though 10 not nominated In the
bondD when the -sheabarger scheme was pro-
posed "a fnslity the further condition recently
Imposed that before we shall be readmltteu we must
the rghtuncss and good faith of this sfterthought We
unhesatngy assent; and In loss than two hours aer
our Legislature shall assemble Amendment 10 Will 80 Ar
es Virginia concerned, be part OF the Constitution
doubt whether there five Conservative members eject
who will vote against it, Many count on a unanimous
vote In its favor It's adoption was indeed, part aud
parcel Of our reconstruction programme In 0tne[ .c
spects what have donei We have elected Northern
man for Governor who stands your
Suffrage and Universal Amnesty-and WHO'S stralghtOuI
reconstruotons Congressional plau Every candi-
OF the expurgaton virtually commended 10 us by Cen
gress and each can take the ironclad OATH Mr. Mines
Ia Northern man, who served III the Federal army nr
Rdgeway, Union first and last, whose bosom never
har6ored secession sentiments Mr. Gibson, ditto; Mr..
McKinZie every hour under the old nagi MT mayer
and MIR Booker WHO both ran in Fourth district are
both Union men above dstrust and the writer OF TINS
letter. elected Congressman at large never TOT ono
moment gave up the Stars and Stripes and has been.
without falterng favor of redistribution under the
laws OF Congress- And, at least nine out OF ten OF the
members elect OF Legislature are pledged 10 sustain
Article u.s. while every is eligible under Article a.
Could have done moreI With what we DaVe done, or
stand ready to do ought Congress and the country to
hesitate one moment 20 recognize Legislature and to
take back the Unionl True, have elected what
is termed Conservative Legislature; not that
ShOud elected
platform OF Universal Suffrage and Universal Amnesty
and Of Congressional reconstruction, and chosen Legs
lature different platform
VIRGINIA OBJECTIONS TO GOV. WELLS.
But 1t complained that the result Of tho contest was
not Republican but Democratic triumph. because we
did not elect Gov Wells In preference to COL Walker
Why are not both Republicans and both reconstruction
lists on the Congressional requirement. If Gov. Wells
had been as unexceptionable Col Walker we should
have had little concern who should be the victor But
we could not cast our votes for Gov Wells. We had to
him nsuperabe objections He the advocate OF pro-
scrpton and acknowledgements In respect to ballot no
would put the negro above the white man, though we
ourselves were willing to allow tho coored political
negro-to which have not said nay-but would dis
franchise as to tho right to vote tul oneenta 81 inc
ton for state Office Of nearly every white man ~ Viz
gua and though afterwards, he declared his intention
TO vote against the esoath clause there was GOODNESS
I'm his words and actions the subject that was reOn'
cabe with sincerity and it turned at the election
that his supporters turned out in almost solid column to
retain the acknowledgements and testoath clauses OF hs
constitution The people Of Virginia could take such
their Chief Magistrate. Tho people OF Virginia,
who emnenty lawl0ying and law-abiding as any
the globe he grossly illuminated by declaring before
committee Congress that loyal persons could not be
safe within her limits without the DISTINGUISHING OF
portion OF people Vrgnian ought not be expected
Governor whose constant and assduous effort has
been for years and for his political advancement 70
rouse antagonsm between the white and the black,
and TO destroy the good WIN and good understanding
which the interest and safety OF both In eAcourag
ing this be struck at tho foundation OF our
labor system and at the bread and meat OF our people
In this way he has done the White people lheaSuSDs
harm by rendering cOlored labor precarous and unre
liable But above all we are not PREPARED 70 latr ar
one great reiances for recovering our ancieat
prosperity aud consequence. To our railroads we LOOK
for agricultural, commercial ana manufacturing 9evet
opment and for that other and potent agency OF recu
by our internal improvements because they will furnish
10 those who shall come among us rapid and cheap tran
sit " market.
NOT A DEMOCRATIC VICTORY.
Now do not mean to that the effort founded
in corrupt motive but 1t stands established by irresh
BILE proofs that effort made to sell out the Virginia
and Tennessee Railroad 20 foreign company-that Is to
q company outside the limits OF the state. The selling
OF tho road might not be bad thing; the full money
value might have been contracted for but the money
value OF railroad Is not its value The 10 which
1t shall be put, particularly II it be the property of
state looking commercial and general develop
ment is the exponent Of its real value Under tho control
Of state agency It will minister TO state and not to out
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad is OF the most I'm
portant thoroughfares IN our whole system OF public
line 10 seaboard with entangllng connections on
the way It would bo all we'll And to promote tho con
tnuity the road thorougharo between the South
West and our great seaport Norfolk, and TO command
the agH iS5 that S Our hard rasae % M
antagonLng interests Choso interests being foreign
TosG ot Which tho Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
and infinitely she most important one because OF Ms
consolidation in other words put the three south side
railroads extending from Bristolt0 Norfolk under unity
minister the prosperity and trade Of virginia and her
cities and the rates OF transportation rednced 10 me
lowest possible minimum TINS consolidated hLe IS the
very apple Of the eye of the people OF virginia Already
10 our matchess seaport TO build up what we
much want foreign export and Import trade Take
nessee Railroad, and the consolidation Is DESTROYED
and visions OF commercial glory blasted
II so happens too that tho NrS1a ana tennessee ai
road meets at Lynchburg the orange ana AleGandrla
Road extending from Lynchbug to the Potomac beyond
Baltimore so that under an adverse MANAGEMENT the
Virginia and Tennessee Road might, by partial dscrnl
Enforcement and be made vehicle Of trade to Balti.
moro instead Of Norfolk In other words, a railroad
pass to the virtual propretorshp OF the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company, ana DO manipulated by the
instead Of Norfolk. Now, it is beyond dispute
that the negotiations for the sale OF the
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad were not with
Virginia citizens but with foreign spectators nimical
TO Virginia interests and 10 as well asceraned that the
object
our consolidated line TO fixed and permanent connec.
ton OF the Virginia and Tennessee with the Orange and
Alexandria road. Gov. Wells the agent IN this
scheme threatening TO the vital interests OF Virginia.
and revolving the pride and patriotism OF her people
and though first understood avorug the policy OF
consolidation he has modified his opinions on that
subject as TO be totally unreliable for any connection
with the chief material interest OF the state her neerna
improvements Conceding him unlmpeachable integrity
his opinions against and that enough How, then
could the people OF Virginia, Just catching the first
cheering ghmpses OF reconstruction and redemption and
looking with "bnght particular hope 10 her internal i'm
proyements as one Of the agencies that TO lift them
up from the ruin that las for held thom 60 the
dust-I say, how could the people OF Virginia, under
~ fhaip Nvfaa