New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-27
VIRGINIA.
4 LETTER FROM TIE HON. JOSEPH sEGAR-
WHAT THE LATE ELECTION MEANT-PARTl
ISSUES IGNoRED-RECONsTRUCTI VS.. Nc


SIR: We In Virginia Ilank you IOI lilo BOV"
cheer which comes to in the "hope" which you fright
heartily express that Congress will promptly and joy
fully Virginia her place In the ma
tonal eounclsD You says "Tho recent triumph OF the
Walker party was the ground OF acquescence IN
the recOpstructIon measures OF Congress- Ana AGAIN
"The Walker movement absorbed to itself men OF all
parties and Of no party at ALL" To US In Virginia VINO
have 80 long stood out In tho cold these WORDS are as
"appes Of gold in pictures Of silver" My dear slr had
you been actively engaged In the canvass in every pre-
cnct in every county in the State, you could not nave
more precisely struck the truth OF the case Ater more
than thirty years connection with the political contests
In Virginia. truly say that there has never been IN
my time political struggle in which the Issue was 30
singled out entirely simple so incorporated as III
tina late Virginia elections and votes 1t was naked,
accomplished, unmixed issue Of reconstruction under
the laws of Congress 1t my fortune to have poem
actively engaged In the from beginning TO end,
and to heard most OF the speakers who parcpaeo
In its discussions, and do aver that during the whole
canvass heard not solitary alluslon to party pones
Nor do hesitate to express the opinion that such
aluson would have eHcited instant and marked dsap-
probation, to the extent perhaps OF public Missing NO
man. however gifted orator. or however popular as
man. could have gotten hearing In this remarkable
canvass who would have dared to minge party politics
with the grand absorbing issue which exclusively en-
crossed the popular mnd-rstTH TO he Union u'dcF ms
reconstruction laws Of Oon0rssS.
The whole people seemed to have raised for themselves
this issue Of setpreservaton and the deep con-
ycton seemed have seized every mind that there was
help and hope for the State and her people Dut m
side the Unon-tha there could be restoration to our
ancient rights and privileges, recuperdton OF our
broken fortunes by returning to the Union There
WAS no party ISSUE and OF there could be no party
triumph Not single candidate OF the victorious party
was there who not outspOken ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
and none other could possibly have been elected to any
office in any county In the State How them can the re-
suit OF the late contest be claimed as Democratic VIC
tory No. Birl 1t was a victory OF Reconstruction
party and It was msnOmer to apply tho title CoSerrd-
tire TO tho victorious paryt should have been Recon
struotion party"
VIRGINIA RECORD on RECONSTRUCTION.
And, my dear Sir, not only now fully In our
senses this subject Of reconstruction but 1t VIII be
found OH examination Of tho facts, that have far
better record to present the subject than has been
generally assigned When Congress adopted tho l4th
Amendment AZ condition precedent TO tho readmisson
Of the seeded States tho people OF Virginia we're not
very forward acccde to the condition. But they were
altogether without They had thrown down
their arms acknowledged Secession TO have been forever
ignored by the conclusive arbrament OF arms had ac
cepted the result as permanent settlement OF all ques
lions arising out OF the and expressed desire
honest, 1t waste return to the Unon ana 10
be again subject 20 the authority OF the United states
Their parole had been required not again to take up
arms against the Unitod States and they had given It,
very largo majority InOuBuL luc5o oNAOHS
and pledges should have allowed their return to ale
ganoo TO the United States without passing any further
ordeal They thought that Article IL involved question
OF the sincerity OF their pledges and went beyond tho
spirit Of the Of surrender at Appomatox Court
House. 1 differed you well know. with my fellow.
citizens OF my state TO the policy OF adopting Article
a. With ample opportunities for forming correct opin
ion had satisfied my mind that Congress had firmly re-
solved 10 take itself exclusively the whole task OF re-
construction and being further satisfied that no better
terms could be had and probably worse II we continued
recusant 1 advised the adoption OF the 1Hh Amend
ment so that the State might DO readmted to the Union
Ike Tennessee. My counsel not heeded and not
very ohartably criticized and tho amendment was unan
lmously rejected by single vote But supposing
this to have mistake, not pardon something
10 the spirit OF proud people chatting under the morrill,
cation OF having their paroles OF honor dsrusted and OF
huuilations not regarded by them reconcable with
the terms OF Confederate surronderl think that for
tho seeming hardness OF people In coming TO terms
the end OF tho year 1858 and the rejection by our
Legislature OF Article H. Northern brethren may well
make quite liberal allowance. And the moro so that
people not slow In discovering their mistake
and reotifying their error. Very little time lost
The very moment the Sherman Shellabargor bill be-
law they took steps TO conform TO It's require
ments And It Is due to tho people Of my State that, in
this matter tho truth Of history should DO yndieated
few days after tho passage of the
bill the Legislature OF Virginia convened In extra
session. and the very first proposition made In the SEN
after s organization one submitted by hr Boil
ing OF Petersburg raise committee TO report bill
for calling a convention 20 frame a constitution on tho
basis OF the Sherman sheabarger act embracing uni.
yersa negro suffrage On the fourth day OF the session,
bill TO that passed. but four votes being cast
against The House OF Delegates not acting with like
prompttude Congress In the interim oustcd our egsa
tive Jurisdiction by taking charge Itself OF the whole
subject You will thus perceive that we came mp as
rapidly as was possible, while we had control We have
had no authority In the premises since, q convention
having been called by military order TO make for us
new constitution, on which had no opportunity OF
voting until the 9th Of July inst Had constitution
been framed In accordance with the Reconstruction laws
Of Congress and vote allowed there is no doubt
whatever that 1t would have been promptly adopted,
and that long ere this state had resumed her position
in the Union But the Constitution that was framed for
us transcribed tho requirements OF the Reconstruction
laws and contained provisions utterly uncomfortable to
any people OF AnglosaxOn blood We could,
would have voted for that Constitution as 1t came from
the hands OF its framersno We would have borne
military government in despoto form, forever before we
would have acknowledged Constitution which the old
| Barons of Runnymede would have pronounced mon
| strosty.
II our foowcitzens OF the North knew what in this
Constitution they would say at once, Gen. Grant inti
mated Our brethren OF Virginia ought not 10 have
| this Constitution put upon them as as Gholei" What
are Its extraordinary provsonsi BY one section at least
10000 OF the native people Of the State denied the
right TO vote while every colored man, however gnor
ant or degraded he be but years Of age and OF sound
mind, though he be pauper has that right Another
ton provides that shall hold Office under his
Virginia government that cannot take the roDcad OATH
and at least out OF every 100 white men in Virginia
wero form other implicated in the Rebellion,
at least 81 out OF every white in the state
take that OATH and arc In consequence debarred the
privilege OF holding Office under the government OF their
own native State while every negro years old can