The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-05-05
1esse s' :sre.na sessraers welis..

Aoo"s.se uuFtetHUs -ESqssr ca1uttHz FG..:
Sir,-0n my return from NoreolkI found
yeur. letter Of sthes2&th ulsimo unanswered
had supposed that 1t was generally
known what my views we're In relation 10
the test-oath, as frequent occasion has been
taken by me to express the fsamesin publir
and in private. You will perhapsreme "a.
Der that the Republican party has in it's
platform proclaimed repeatedly that it does
i not believe In test-oaths OF permanent dig
Embellishments. 800
not only gave my approval to this ex-
preston of principle, but in my statement
before the Reconstruction COMMITTEES eaid
that In my judgment no republican form
OF government could long exist where q
considerable portion Of the people were
disfranchised or test. oashs we're required.
also expressed the opinion that while q
majority Of the Republican party were in
favor of an early election and the adop-
ton of the constitution as it noso stands,
still, If it was the opinion Of our Republi-
can friends in Congress that it ought not to
be submitted or adopted in it's present
form, then the Republican. party Of Vir-
ginia would not fight against that opinion.
They only claimed that the people should
have the right to make the changes them
selves. The cardinal principle vital to O
republican form Of government-that the
people should have the right to frame
their own organic law-would be clearly
violated if Congress we're to undertake to
make constitution for them. Z. .,
This view was substantially the one
adopted by the refusal Of Congress to enter
tain the plan proposed by the I" committee
Of nine" ''...s,''' '.,.R
Our mutual and highly esteemed friend
Judge Rives will perhaps remember the
interview which took place on the 18th of
March between himself, the President,
General Wickham, and myself, in which
this subject was referred to and briefly
considered. ...................... ..r. -
On the Sd Of April I visited Washington
for the purpose Of urging the passage Of q
bill authorizing the President to order an
election, and to submit the constitution in
way which should be in harmony with
the views above referred to. A joint resolu-
ton on the subject had before been intro
duced by Mr.. Farnsworth, and referred to
the Committee on Reconstruction. Pro-
curing copy of it, presented the same to
prominent member of the Committee on
Reconstruction, and asked whether he
would aid in securing it's passage. He de-
cliped to dose on the ground that Congress,
by its action upon the Mississippi bill, had
indicated purpose not to take any action
at that session providing for an election in
the unreconstructed States. .-...-
After three or four days spent in earnest
endeayor to secure favorable considera-
ton of the measure, it became apparent to
me that nothing but the name of General
Grant would secure the passage of such q
bill. I therefore sent to him on the 7th of
April, by the hands Of an earnest friend Of
reconstruction, copy of this resolution,
with the request that the President would
express his views of the bill, and by mes
sage suggest the enactment of some such
law.
The President at once gave his approval,
and during the afternoon of the same day
sent message to Congress on the subject.
The subsequent passage Of the bill is 8
matter of history. My own efforts, which
were continued without interruption until
the bill was actually signed, though not a
matter of the same public notoriety, were
we'll known to very large number of the
Republican members of both Houses of
Congress. /,
! labered for the passage of the bill be-
cause it provided q method by which we
could have an early election; because it
gave to the people at that election an OPP
portunity of determining whether they
would have constitution at all or not, and
what it's form should be. 1t also gave an
opportunity for an expression on the part
OF the President and his Administration of
their views as to what sections of the con-
stitution should be submitted separately,
and, (whatis, perhaps, mere important than
all it afforded the only practical way by
which it ives possible to bring the Republi-
can party tc cordial support of any thea
sure that might result in a modification.
1t was evident that the influence of the
Presidents name would be as magical with
tbs masses of the Republican party as it
had been with Congress itself, nor has any
thing occurred since to weaken the strength
Of my conviction on that subject, bat every
thing has rather tended to cause me to en-
terrain it the more firmly.
believe that whichever sections Of the
constitution the President prefers to have
stricken out he will submit separately, and
the probabilities are that the weight of his
name will be such that the provisions 80
submitted separately will be defeated.
In Lublic speech made by me, from the
capitol steps in Richmond about two weeks
since, stated that there could be no OBJ
lection to the bill on the ground that the
rate submission of one or more of the pro-
visions of the constitution for, after all,
it aoas only recognition of the right of the
people to determine the form of their o1on
la,cS, and # majority of the qualified
voterS should decide that the test-oath ought
to be stricken out, then no man could aoith-
hold his approval, bat all mast give their
cordial assent to this authoritative decision.
1t appears to me that this embraces the
whole subject, and really causes the test
oath to cease to be line Of division. /
never, in fact, thought it well calculated or
likely to secure, even in mere partisan
sense, the object for which it was framed,
because, while in some instances it might
keep particular individual out Of Office,
it would not put any Republican in official
station. '..'....'. er
1t was intended only as temporary mea-
sure. 1t was supposed, believe, that its
efficiency would cease whenever the State
Observation-Disclosures Therefore it was that
the Legislature Was authorized to remove
by three-ffths vote "the disabilities
therein contained," therein referring to
the oath itself; and l now believe that
public opinion will soon come to the con-
olusion that the punishment for engaging
in insurrection and rebellion ought to be
that, and only that, which is prescribed by
the sovereignty whose dignity has been in
vodod