The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-01-28

become - Respectable = kppubltcanSy
We shonid like TO hear from the Dispatch on
this question --Rtchmoad Enquirer.
The versatile chronicler who has recently
taken charge Of the Enquirer affects "A ig-
norance which he does not feel IN regard to
the opinions Of the Dispatch. Surely he
knows that we are not in favor of selling
out to the Republican party in order to get
rid Of test -oaths. II would be more rea-
sonable for no to ask the Enquirer whether
it is in favor of selling out to the carpet
baggcrs in order to keep the test-oath in
the constitution. The Enquirer and the
State journal, SouTHALL and WELLS, COLE
MAN and DUDLEY, PHELrs, PAINTER. HUM
pHREYs. WHITTLEsEY, and others, certainty
cordially unite in their Jealous eflor's ~
prevent the committee OF nine from having
thst cath struck out of the constitution. Inc
Disnntcb seeks only "the things that make
for neace." We have forborne to say harsh
things of the opponents Of the new move
ment. We earnestly desire that the people
Of Virginia shall remain united. We have
cordially seconded the efforts of Messrs.
STUART, BALDWIN, NELSON, SUTHEELTN,
SLAUGHTER, JOHNSON, MARYE OWEN, and
BOILING, and many others of the trucst
men in Virginia. to have the odious test
oath struck from the constitution before
that instrument is submitted to our people
for ratification or rejection, but we have
never attributed base motives to those who
cannot agree with US; and We have over
and over again said that if it was not struck
ont we would mid in voting down the constl-
tuition.
The Dispatch has never go deceived
itself or its readers rs to believe or
to teach them that the northern people or
the Supreme Court would come to our as-
s;etance. Here is the remedy which the
ENQUIRER prcpoeed about two years ago,
soon otter the passage of the SHERMAN
SHELLAEARGER bill:
uour only mode OF making this defence Is
ny an appeal 10 the courtS. This it is orr dn'F
10 mako. A cnse mnsr he mad" MP: Hhn W.,
suppose itmay he speedily done nnder the miro
OF the above recited points, on the qnpstion o
the eligibility to office. 1t will be contenden nv
the hnngerarS ana fhlrSfeTS lnht INV pi'S''N
ton will displace those liable To il who are now
in office. Nm order for ejectment. or m app'-
cation 10 prob 1t. will get the Question ne
fore the courts II il ha held that our S'a''
governments IRE valid and according 10 IN"
Constitution. then all the attempts 10 a'L'T
our suffrage. and 10 dictate qualifications ,nr
State office. will he pronounced void We
must bring TO judicial test also the right nl
Congress 10 mass marti'l law, and 10 snhord'-
nate the civil to the military in these states.
in "a time of profound peace, publicly pro
claimed.
"This is alithat we can do: hut this it's our
duty 10 DO. and the Legislature should MAKE
suitable provision
And in it's simplicity the Enquirer ex-
rected to "see ererv man at the North who
"was impressed with the enormty of thar
"hill g." opposing it's execution with un-
"tiring energy, and by every allowable
means." That parer was very severe
upon us because we told the people then that
the Supreme Court would never do aught to
cid ns, declaring that we "Sneered" Eyes,
the Dispatch two years ago actually "Sneer-
edt") at that august tribunal. We quote
from the old Enquirer again:
1--WE look therefore 10 every man n the
North who is impressed with the euormiiy of
indeed he he n man, to oppose its execution
with untiring energy, and by every allowance
This is his duty, and not Il listlesS |
looking 10 see what the South will do.
We believe-and the Enquirer must ex-
cuse US for saying so. though we know that
the present editors Of that journal did not |
write the articles we have quoted from -
that but for bad advice MI the whites not |
disfranchised would have registered their |
names as voters, and elected q convention
which would not have put q test-oath into |
the constitution. But supposing no doubt
that "every man at the North who was
impressed" &c., and that immaculate tri- |
hunal the Supreme Court of the United |
States, would "AROUSE" themselves to |
put down the Radical reconstruction pro-
gramme, thousands of our people, refused
10 register, and thus placed the convention
in the hands of the negroes and carpet
baggers, instead Of electing, as they might
have done, almost or quite half the members.
Too many of our people, perhaps one-ffth,
were thus induced to stand upon their dig.
nifty, and to refuse to" sell out that valua-
bic article for the sake of securing tolera-
bic constitution. The results of this "digni-
fed" bearing are now before us in the
shape Of the most odious constitution that
was ever framed for the government of
free people. We would still lift this bur-
then from the backs Of our people and in
order to do 30 we have approved the action
Of the self-sacrifcing gentlemen who, at a
heavy expense to themselves, and though
derided by the Enquirer and all the Radi-
cal papers in Virginia, have gone to Wash
ington to endeavor to induce Congress to
give us constitution under which we can
live with some little degree of comfort. The
Enquirer, however, still calls upon the peo-
pie to defy Congress, as if they could &C
complish any good object by that defiance.
1t asks them to remain idle and let Congress
force the constitution as it is upon them, as
If it would be fine thing to live in
chains which they did not fabricate
themselves, but which were hung upon
them by q resistless enemy. "Here
we are in bonds, but we did not agree
"to be bound. We would not ask to be left
"free, for that would have been unworthy
"of our blood and breeding. These letters
(which you see were put upon US by me-
'groes, carpet-baggers, and scalawags.
They will keep Us in the prison-house of
disfranchisement and disqualification for
many long years. Nevertheless, we wear