Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-06-04

| >AAS
cians in the State, has written lengthy let
ter to the Enquirer, in which he sets forth
his views on the political situation On ac-
count its length VIC can only publish the
following extract concerning the rejection Of
the Constitution, which We ask our readers
to read carefully and weigh we'll
In justice to Mr.. Lyons we state, that he
advises voting for Walker in preference to
Wells as choice between evils in the event
of the adoption of the expargaied Consti.u-
ton.
AS to the czpurgated Constitution, he
says:
''Ihls Infamous constitution once put up-
on us by orr act, and he will be fortunate
who will outlive its excesscs-and long lived
who shall witness its repeal. On the other
hand If we reject it, the Supreme court will
ultimately set us free from it for the irresisti-
BILE logic Of the Chief ustice leads to no
other conclusion, and the returning sense of
ofJustlce at the North. and the personal IN
terests OF ats people, will remove our disabili-
ties and allow the whites to come into the
political field upon equal terms with the ne
groes.
On the other hand if we adopt the con-
stitution, we fasten all its ills upon us, with
out the hope of relief from then-sink our
selves to its level-and exclude, forever,
from every Office in the State, every man who
ever served you in any office or place which
required him to take the oath to support
the constitution Of the United States. Lee and
all our officers With Mason, Hunter, Wise,
Smith hetchcr. Moncurc. Allen, Daniel,
Robertson Joy Brockenbrough, Mere
dith, and all the other circuit judges; every
man whoever wasa justice of the pence mem
Der of the legislature, sheriff or consta-
bic is to be prescribed until Congress shall
please to restore him, which will never
be under the present administration.
Will the people be guilty of an act so
selfish and so ungrateful ? To induce
them to adopt the constitu ton its advo-
Gates say. "Only let us get into the Union
and all our disabilities will be removed and
emigrants from the North will flock to Vir-
GINA" This, | submit, is mere dclusion,
unsupported by any fact or show of proba-
bllty. In the first place, by the adoption
even of the e1purgated ESQ., called) constitu-
ton, we shall ratify the Fourteenth and
Fifteenth Amendments Of the Constitution
Of the United States, now void as to US
one of which imposes the disquali6cations to
which have alluded, and the other estab-
fishes forever universal negro equality
What reason is there to believe that two
thirds Of Congress will be found willing to
remove the disabilities !? Is it to be found in
their refusal to remove those Of such devoted
Union men and Wells men, as Riyes and
Wickham Nay, will they not be less apt
to remove them after they get us into the
Union with Radical, negro government
when the removal will tend to unsettle that
government, than before protest against
this humiliation and voluntary bondage, but
if it must come, I hope none but negroes
will be elected to Congress, in either branch
Let us ''play out the play ;" and return the
chaltice to the lips of those who filled and
drugged it.
But say many, 1--WE agree with you as to
the propricty ofrejeeting the constitution, if
We were at liberty to act as we think right,
but we are not, and must be governed by
policy. The Northern enigrants and land
buyers arc waiting for the 9th of July, and
will not purchase or come here until after
that day, because they will not purchase and
settle if we reject the constitution Now is
not this conclusion simply an erroneous as
sumption ? That many are waiting until the
9th of July, do not doubt but are they not
waiting to see whether we are to have ne
gro constitution and government or not, de-
termined that if we do have one they will re-
main where the white men govern in fact
[ have no doubt that such is the fact, and |
caution the advocates of Walker to beware
how they put the State unde, a Wells ne
gro government; for if they do, while they
they may get into the Union. they will GER
tainly get into steel trap, the sight Of which
will deter every Northern purchaser from
coming among US. The Northern people like
negro equality in the form of constitutional
amendment, which inficts nothing upon
them !; but they hate it, and the negro in
fact, and negro supremacy still more, and
will never submit to it, l. say again, there
fore, beware how you put the State under
negro government, or take the chances of
doubtful fight even. If you loose the fight,
you loose all, and Virginia will become
new Alsata. Let the politicians fast little
longer"