The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-08-20
The Test-Oath "Blunder."


Mr.. GREELEY, in a strong article under
the head of "Two Blundcrs," "speaks his
mind" with equal force and carncstncss
upon the proposition 10 apply the test-oati
to the Virginia Legislature. He first re-
cites the Georgia case, which lie calls Il
"blunder" of the Democrats, which did q
vast amount Of injury to them; and he
then places General CASBY's tcst-oath
policy upon his anvil, and brings the
" Tribune Slcdgc-hammer down upon it
as follows:
"Thc Republicans arc now urged to re-
peat this blundcr in Virginia. That State
has held an election by virtue Of an act Of
The present Congress, which expressly au-
thorized the President to submit her new
constitution to popular vote, with such eX-
ceptions, or in such parcels, as he should
deem proper. General Grant thereupon
executed from the body of the instrument
those sections or clauses which provided Tor
the continued disfranchisement and eXclu-
sion from office of all who had tallGn n pro-
minent part in the great rebellion. He was
urged to except, also, the section providing
for an apportionment of the State into town
ships but he dccided-we think wisel Y
that this was not vital matter, while dis
franchisement was, and he should submit
the constitution accordingly. The result
was the adoption Of the rest of the consti-
tuition by nearly 10000 majority, while
The proscriptivc provisions were rejected by
over 10000.
"The opponents of prescription, of course,
carried the Statc-clecting Governor, Le-
gislature, &c. Their State ticket was origi-
nally nominated by Republicans, and
was entitled True Republican, but wus
supported by all the Conservatives as
well as by many Republicans, white and
black. Probably, its 10000 votes were
cast by 10000 Republicans and 100000
Conservatives, while 100000 Republican
votes were pollcd against 1t.
{" A short time before the election, when
it had become evident that the Walker COM
bination must triumph, it was whispered
about that General Candy, commanding in
Virginia, would impose the iron-clad
oath on all who should be chosen to the
Legislature, and OH inquiry this was found
to be true. The Conservatives thereupon
consulted, and decided that they could net
change their candidates at go late an hour,
that they must vote their tickets as they
had nominated them, and trust that, if pro-
scription was decidedly voted down at the
polls, General Canby's purpose, thus con-
demned by the voters, would somehow be
overruled. So they went on with their cam
vass, and chose a large majority Of the
Legislature, all of them eligible to office
under the fourteenth amendment of the
Federal Constitution, but u good part Of
whom cannot take the 'iron-clad oath.
Z" 1t is now given out that the result will
soon be officially announced, the new Legis-
lature thcreupon summoned to meet, the
iron-clad' oath administered, all who
cannot take it excluded from seats, and
their defeated antagonists installed in their
stead. In other words, the Georgia blum
der is to be repeated in Virginia, with
merely change of parties. The net pro
fit of the operation is to be the choice of
two Wells Republicans to the United States
Senate.
eve protest against this programme as
involving perfdy, iniquity, and a most stu
pendous blunder. The only party that can
be harmed by it is (as in Georgia) that
which conceived and executes it. We have
an overwhelming Republican majority in
the Senate, so that there is not even the
poor, rascally excuse of necessity for per-
petrating it. 1t is calculated to ALLEVIATE
the Walker Republicans permanently from
the National party, and give the Democrats
such an advantage everywhere as the Geor-
gia blunder gave us last fall. 1t is resort
prompted by the modification of defeat !;
but the Republicans of the whole country
cannot afford to sacrifice themselves on the
altar Of Wells's discontinue.
"No doubt a cunning lawyer can make
out a case in favor of the proposed pro-
scription, as he can in favor Of almost any
thing; but we all know that the Government
just constituted in Virginia is in no proper
sense provisional-such as was contem-
plated in the reconstruction acts where they
prescribe the iron-clad oath. 1t is Gre
ated by the largest vote ever polled in the
State, though some thousands of the lead
ing Conservatives were denied the right
of suffrage because of the aid they gave to
the rebellion. The voters were just those
whom Congress has seen fit to make such,
the issues were well canvassed and under
stood, the election was peaceful, and the re-
suit is unquestioned. Congress authorized
and the President directed the separate