Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-12-09
virginia Reconstruction.

ate, and MeSsrs. Mah0od, Burkhy'dyr, Wood |
MctIauU, Ashley, Walker aud tIe0shaw, OF
the House, paid a formal visit to the President !
at noon Yesterday Mr. Turner, on behalf of
the committee, addressed the President, stat
iur that the committee represented over two
thirds Of the LEGISLATURE aud heartily tcudered
the executive their thanks ior the decided
course taken in regard to the admission OF the
State, and assured him that the constitution,
a. adopted, would be carried out IN good faith.
3 General Grant replied that he did not doubt
the speedy aG.al'-i 90 1t the state lie thank
| ed the committee 10. thelr visit
Mr. Turner assured the President that the
committee had come to Washington to pay
| their respects to the Executive, aud 10 have an
! interview with the reconstruction committee
| and not to ask appointments tor rglnia.
| The committee then withdrew. Col. Thos
| S. Tourney was present during the Interview
rs a spectator.
At FIVE o'clock il the afternoon the same
committee had meeting with Gen, Butler,
chairman Of the committee on reconstruction.
| The meeting took place at thercsideuce of Gen.
Butler ilcssrs McNuliin, F'ournoy, Sc.
gar and Marshall were present. Mr.. Turner
informed General Butler that the committee
had called to have an informal meeting with
him, as chairman Of the reconstruction com
| mittec.
Gen. Butler said Gentlemen, :uuder
stand the object of your visit, and an glad to
receive YOU Ii has been given out that | in
tended to oppose the admission Of Virginia;
this is incorrect am only DESTROYS TO be eau
tious. Congress admitted Georgia, and she
has broken faith; she adopted the constitu
ton and gave nil her citizens lrec and equal
rights, but as soon IS she was admitted into
the ssterhood OF States, she not only abrogat
ed May OF the republican principles OF her
constitution, but denied the right to coiOred
members to hold seats in the Legislature.
"Gcrrcia has gained admission by fraud
and as all frauds can be and must be summari'
" dealt with, Congress will compel Georgia to
keep her pghted faith. She will be dealt
with on account OF her fraud, and thus Con
eress acts constitutionaily. Tennessee has al
50 broken every bond and pledge, and now IN
hat State tho coored man Is little better OF
than he vas ten years since. Every principle
OF the republican party Is there set at naught,
and what has been declared as the law OF the
land set at defiance.
81 desire to guard against repetition OF
such frauds Georgia and Tennessee have
trcked the Republican party and true Union
peoplo of the land. | am determined to assist
in Guarding against any more such trlckcry
from any other State.
Mr.. McCaull then read a memorial which the
delegation had prepared Tor presentation to
the reconstruction, committee. The memorial
in briel states that on the sixth of July last,
pursuant to the laws of Congress and rrocllma-
ton of the President, the citizens Of Virginia
adopted constitution, thoroughly republican
in form, providing among other things Tor a
thorough system OF Tree schools, Nc; that this
constitution was adopted almost unanimously ;
| IL. a.. oIo oil
scparatoly by permission o! The act OF Con
cress and order OF the President and that
Virginia had complied with all the re
construction laws. The President has al
ready declared the constitution acccptab Ie
to him; that the Legislature elected under
the provisions Of the constitution had organic
ca and elected officers; has ratified the four,
tecnth and fifteenth amendments, and elected
two gentlemen As Uaitci States Senators
against whom no oIechoh c'I'I DC u!GtI,
men whom the Legislature deemed acceptable
to all that throughout the State Represcn-
tatiYcs to Congress had been chosen against
whom no one thing Objectionable, so lar as the
constitutional right was concerned had been
made; and that the people had elected Gov
ernor whose loyalty truth aud honor none
doubted, and who had been accepted by the
President as loyal and proper officer, and who
at one, gave State authority to him as soon as
he was nauguratcd.
The memorial cosed saying: "llavinG thus
complied with ali the terms required by either
branch Of the general government, We respect
fully ask tina, Virginia be at once admit
ted as State OF the Federal Union, and that
the Senator's We have chosen and the Ecprc'
sentativcs the people have elected be at once
admitted to their respective seats in this pres
| cnt Consress.
Gen Butlcr at the conclusion Of the reading
ofthe memorial, resumed his remarks. lie
said
''Geutlcmcn, | AN delighted with your mem
ora as tar rs it goes, but il you will allow me
| TO suggest | would say that an addition OF
three or four lines would settle the matter, aud
| Virginia will DC admitted within an hour after
the committee report a bill for that purpose,
which am sure will be lone at once.
Several Of the gentlemen said together,
FWhat are the lines what is i, you desire
General Butler answered II think it better
for you to pledge yourselves, as the legislature
and for your constituents. that you Will see that
Tie provisions OF the constitution, rs 1t Low
stands, will be faithfully carried ont, and no
trickery done as in the case OF Georgia and
Tennessee II you DO this, assure you that IL
GINA will BE- u State in the Union before the
expiration OF the present week. | will say,
further. the. such pledge made by you as a
legislative body and gentlemen, will perfectly
-atisfy me. n it doubtless will all members OF
the committee. | am always ready to accept
the pledge Of 4 Virginia gentleman.
Speaker Turner then assured Gen. Butler
that these linns, with the pledge would be ad
ded and said that they supposed that being
sworn officers was sufficient, or the pledge
would have been given in the present paper. -
| lie said the committee would hold 4 meeting
rs soon as they retired to their hotel and make
the necessary addition
Gen Butler then said: "Wei, gentlemen,
that settles the mat;er aud the reconstruction
committee will bc prepared to receive you
and your memorial at ten O'Clock tomorrow
| morning
He further sad Il like the constitution
adopted By your people; it is really, in many
OF its features, much better than the constitn
ton of Massachusetts,, and vastly better than
many OF the constitutions OF other States now
in vogue. | have no hesitation in saying that
| d. not believe the Senator's and Representa-
,ives OF your State viii be 4 day behind the
admission OF the State | am very DESTROYS to
have the vote in the llousc unanimous. | hope