The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-06-03
IRON the Richmond Enquirer Elk Aminer.l
LETTER FROM HON. A. ii. H. STUART

| gentleman in Albemarle county the following
|letter addressed to him by Hon. a. Fl. Ell.
Stuart. He sends it with the request that
we publish it, which we do with pleasure
/ Our own position has been taken on the ques-
tions discussed. Weare always glad, how
ever, to lay before the readers Of the En-
quirer the views from leading public men:
SrAuNroN, May Oath, 1869.
| Ny Denr Sr-When casually met you a
few days ago, you requested that would cxT
press to you in writing my views of the
course the people Of Virginia should pursue
in regard to the questions about to be submit
ted for their decision under the Presidents
proclamation. | now proceed to do So.
There certainly was much disappointment
felt when it was asccrtained that the Presi-
dent had failed to include the "county or
gonizatiion' clauses of the constitution among
those which were to be submitted to the
people to be- voted on separately. 1t was
known that the President had expressed
strong opposition to these clauses, as tending
to segrcgate the white and colorcd population
by geographical line, and to impair the
productive power of tho State, by separating
the labor of the country from the capital OF
the Commonwealth Hence a confident ex-
pectation was entertained that he would aft
ford to the people an opportunity Of striking
these Objectionable features from the proposs
cd constitution.
In the first excitement occasioned by this
ppointment, some persons expressed their
purpose to try and defeat the whole instru-
ment by voting, first, to strike out the disfran-
chising clauses and the testoath, and then,
against the instrument thus expurgated.
+ This disposition was not unnatural under
the circumstances Within the four years
which have elapsed since the close of the
war, the people Of Virginia have been sub
jected to SO much disappointment, annoyances
and obloquy, that they have become sensitive,
and in some degree soured But, unfortu-
nately we are in no condition now to take
counsel of our wishes. We are not in that
happy state, in, which We can afford to in
dulge in the luxury of little illstemper.-
| We are bound by incxorable necessity to
confront the stern realities Of our situation,
and to make the best we can Of them. a
/ After giving to the subject the best consid-
Grafton, L have satisfied myself that it is the
| true policy of the people Of Virginia to vote
to strike out the test-oath and DISTINGUISHING
clauses, and then to vote for the adoption Of
the residue of the constitution. I,tadmit
that it is a painful necessity, yet it is not the
less necessity. It is true that we will not
get all that we had expected to. get, yet ]
think it is obvious that by so doing we gain a
great deal The constitution, even when
expurgated will be very Objectionable in
Lot oarfa y,lu ,,,i,oh hat fhor
in its original form, and, in my judgment, il
| is infinitely preferable to no constitution al
, all. We can at least live under it for a
time, with the certain assurance, that after
while, we can greatly improve it.
/ 1t would tax my time and your patience
too largely to give all the reasons which
! have brought my mind to this conclusion
But will state one OF two Of the most prom.
4 inent: 5
1t seems to me that in casting their votes
under the Presidents proclamation, the peo
: pie are called on to decide where the politica
: power Of the State is to rest hereafter, ane
who are to control her destinies in the future
: They will have to elect between three com.
/ peting propositions, neither Of which is en-
tircly acceptable, but there is no other oper
to us. These propositions are:
LIST, To take the Underwood constltutio.
pure and simple.
I'd. To vote the whole constitution down
. Sd. To adopt it with the disfranchisemcn
and test-oaths stricken out. 5 M
Let us now consider what is the practical
bearing and effect of each one Of these pro
positions. Let us see how it will affect the
: future status of the political power of the
} Commonwealth.
IF we allow the Underwood constitution te
be adopted with all its disqualifcations it il
obvious that we voluntarily disfranchise our
selves for generation to come, and place the
J political power-the power to control oul
lives, liberty and property-in the hands O.
the carpet-baggers and the worst classes O
our own people. / presume there arc few
intelligent and upright men in the State wht
) will favor this proposition, and I therefore
pa IS it by without further commentary
Let us now consider TIE second. Suppose
. we vote the whole constitution down-wAat
follows Some contend that matters woulG
stand as they are. Assuming such to be the
fact I ask is not that bad enough? W.
I would have Wells for our nominal Governor
and all our Offices filed by aliens and stran.
gers. We would have justice administered
under military supervision and by appointees
of a military commandant. But what as
surance have we that matters would remain
j as they are How do we know whether oul
situation will not be rendered more intolera
Bile than it now is BY voting down the
constitution altogether we in effect re- commit
the whole political power of the State to {
radical Congress. Has the past action Of
that body been such as to render it desirable
that they should again assume unlimited
! control over our destiny? / must aoknowl
! edge | think not. If we. virtually decide
that we will have nothing to do with shaping
our fortunes, we compel Congress to take
upon itself that Office -
+ The third proposition is, then, the only one
that offers any hope Of escape from the ter
] rible evils by which we are threatened. II
we strike out the restrictive features and
i then adopt the residue of the instrument
while we do not gain all we want, we at least
place the political power of the State in the
hands Of the better classes of the people Of
Virginia. We snatch it from the grasp Of
the carpet baggers and their allies, and We
j Withdraw it from the control Of Radical
. Congress. ~
We will entitle ourselves to restoration te
our rights in the Union, aud to the Withdraw