The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-12-09
tiles OF TIRGINIANS, &C.
Special telegram to the Dispatch.


composed of Speaker Turner of the House,
Mr., Owen Of the Senate, and Messrs. Ma
hood, Burkholder, Wood, McCaul, Ashby,
Walker, and Crenshaw, OF the House, paid
formal visit to the President at noon to-
day. Mr.. Turner, on behalf of the COM
mittee, addressed the President, stating
that the committee represented over two
thirds of the Legislature, and heartily ten
dered the Executive their thanks for the
decided course taken in regard to the early
admission Of the State, and assured him
that the Constitution of Virginia as adopt
ed would be carried out in good faith.
General Grant replied that he had no doubt
of the speedy admission of Virginia to the
Union. He thanked the committee for their
visit.
Mr.. Turner assured President Grant that
the committee had come to Washington to
pay their respects to tho Executive and to
have an interview with the Reconstruction
Committee, and not to ask appointments
for Virginia. The President informed the
committee that he had just nominated to
the Senate the Hon. George A. Pearre, Of
Maryland, to be United States Circuit Judge
of the fourth circuit, which includes Virgi-
mia. The committee then withdrew. Colo
mel Thomas S. Flounoy was present during
the interview as spectator.
At 8 o'clock this afternoon the same com.
mittee had meeting with General Butler,
chairman Of the Committee on Reconstruc-
fpn ,>1o Of
dence of General Butler. Messrs. McMul-'
lin, Flournoy, Segar, and Marshall, We're
present. Speaker Turner informed General
Butler that the committee had called to
have an informal meeting with him as chair.
man Of the Reconstruction Committee.
General Butler said "Gentlemen, I'M
derstand the object of your visit, and am
glad to receive you. It has been given out
that I intended to oppose the admission of
Virginia. This is incorrect. am only de-
sirous to be cautious. Congress admitted
Georgia, and she has broken faith. She
adopted constitution, and gave all her citi-
zens free and equal rights. As soon as she
was admitted into the sisterhood Of States,
she not only abrogated many ofthe Republl-
can principles of her Constitution, but de-
MED the right to colored members to hold
seats in The Legislature. Georgia has gained
admission by fraud and as all frauds can
and must be summarily dealt with, Con-
grcss will compel Georgia to keep her
pliehted faith She will be dealt with on
account of her fraud. and thus Congress
acts constitutionally. Tennessee has also
broken every bond and pledge, and now in
that State the coored man is little better
than he was ten years since. Every prlncl-
pie of the Republican party is there set at
naught, and what has been declared as the
law Of the land set at defiance. l desire to
guard against the repetition of such frauds.
Georgia and Tennessee have tricked the
Republican party and the true Union peo-
pie of the land. I am determined to assist
in guarding against any more such trickery
from any other State"
Delegate McCaull then read a memorial
which the Virginia delegation had prepared
for presentation to the Reconstruction Com
mittee. The memorial, in brief, states that on
the 9th of July last, pursuant to the laws Of
Congress and the proclamation Of the Pre-
sident, the citizens Of Virginia adopted Il
constitution thorough republican in form
and provisions, providing, among other
things, for a thorough system of free
schools, etc.; that this Constitution was
adopted almost unanimously; that the
two clauses defeated were voted upon
separately by permission Of Congress
and the order Of the President, and
that Virginia had complied with all The re-
construction laws. The President has
already declared the Constitution adopted
by Virginia acceptable to him; that the
Legislature elected under the provisions Of
the Constitution had organized and elected
officers; had ratified the fourteenth and
fifteenth amendments, and elected two gen
tlemen rs United States senators against
whom no objection could be urged. The
men who composed the Legislature seemed
acceptable,t to all that throughout the State,
representatives to Congress had beepchosen
against whom no one thing Objectionable,
so far as constitutional rights was concern
ed, had been made that her people had
elected Governor whose loyalty, truth, and
honor none doubted, and who had been
accepted by the President as loyal and
proper officer, and who at once gave even
State authority to him as soon as he was
inaugurated. The memorial closed by say.
ing: "Having thus complied with all the
terms required by either branch Of the
General Government, we respectfully ask
bI OF Iy,,iff al a Gtof
OF the Federal Union, and that the senators
we have chosen and the representatives
whom the people have elected be at once
admitted to their respective seats in this
present Congress-"
General Butler, at the conclusion of the
reading of the memorial, resumed his re-
marks. He said Gentlemen, am de-
lighted with your memorial as far asst goes
but if you will allow me to suggest, Iwould
say that an addition Of three or four lines
will settle the matter, and Virginia will be
admitted within IN hour after the committee
report the bill for that purpose, which am
sure will be DONE"
At once several Of the gentlemen said to-
gether, "What are the lines' What is it
you desire?"
General Butler answered: ~ think it
better for you to pledge yourselves as the
Legislature, and for your constituents, that
you will see that the provisions Of the Con-
stitution as it now stands will be faithfully
carried out, and that no trickery will be
done, as in the case of Georgia and Tennes-
see. II you do this, assure you that Vir-
ginia will be State in the Union before the
expiration of the present week. will say,
further, that such pledge made by you as