The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-07-22
The Test-Oath.

be even doubt as to whether the Virgins
legislators will be allowed 10 take their seat:
without having taken the iron-clad oath
when that oath hae not been exacted in other
southern States in the formation OF their re-
constructed governments. There are, W'
believe, only two Republican ncwspa
pere north of the Potomac that advocate thu
justice and legality OF applying that oath t'
the newly elected Legislators Of this State
and they are Colonel FoRNEY's "botl
daily" The Tribune and the Times OF Ne"
York lead of in positive opposition to it, ano
all the most prominent Republican newspa
pers follow their lead. Here in Virginia
yearly all the prominent Republicans thinS
that the oath is not required Of the Legisla
ture, underthe new constitution, BY the re-
construction acts. Even the organ OF Go
vernon HOLDEN, Of North Carolina, declare
that it ought not to be exacted Of our leg's'
lators.
Upon no question that has grown out Of
the process of reconstruction has there been
such unanimity of opinion as upon this
We will not yet believe that with such
solid opposition to the oath it will be re-
quired of our newly elected Legislators.
Regarding General C,NBT as gentle
man desiring to be fair and disposed to aid
In the restoration of peace to the Union,
we cannot give up the hope that with such
an array in opposition to the opinion he has
declared, he will reconsider and revise it.
He beholds here n people just out of a
heated campaign, animated by The most
generous spirit-so rejoiced at the result OF
the elections that they are overlooking with
GOOD feeling and kindly dispostions-bid-
ling adieu to rancor and ill-will, desiring
peace and harmony, and TO return to thei,
occupations under the benign influences OF
restored government and order, settled diff
ierences. and re%stablished confidence. All
these happy manifestations were strength
ened and fortified by the belief that tn"
long agony was over: that inasmuch az
the last requirement had been complied
with, and thut they had conformed alike
10 the reconstruction acts and the policy Of
the President, and were in entire harmony
with the Federal Administration, no further
trouble awaited them. At such a thee comes
the intimation that the iron-clad oath which
they had Just voted out of the constitution
under the permission given them by Gene
ral GRANT, with the concurrence Of Con-
yress. ia to be required Of their representa-
,ivcs 1t falls amongst them like bomb
shell. 1t checks their felicitations-it
freezes their kind sentiments-it fills the
land with hesitation, and ralsies enterprise.
For suddenly appears new oppression:
behind which marches an army Of doubts
and apprehcnsons. Can il he anything bu,
painful in the last degree thus to interrupt
the happiness of n nation and turn back
the gay and limpid summer food of joyous
feeling into dark and freezing sea OF
doubt and fear? We know il must be most
painful to General CANDY, and we repeat
that as he finds himself almost solitary in
the entertainment of the opinion which
leads TO this sad revuIsion he will yet hesi-
tnte and review the authorities under which
he acts.
We believe, a. il seems the press and
public men OF the nation believe, that the
successful aud uninterrupted reconstruc-
Lion of Virginia and her admission into the
Union will do more to restore peace and
lor hn Ann
event since the war. The people of Virgil
MIA have manifested the very best spirit.
and they are not n people to practice decep-
ton, us the whole nation knows. Their re-
storation without q recurrence to the harsh
est device Of revengeful partisanry would
leave no bitter taste in the mouth, no rank
ling thorn to make its sore hereafter, and
it would be in the last degree deplorabl"
that an event 40 universally desired as the
restoration of Virginia should be married
by the thrusting Of this ranking thorn into
the public heart.
Grateful to General GRANT for the oppor-
tunity afforded them of getting rid of the
iron-clad oath, unbiased by any party feel
ing of any sort, there is no present cause
of diversion of the public mind from the
feeling Of friendship inspired by the con-
duct of General GRANT save this question
of lettering them with the iron-c!ad oath
which they have just thrown off. TO place
it upon them will be so inconsistent with
the kind policy of General GRANT as seri-
unsly to shock the kind sensibilities that
policy had inspired. Friendship is ten
der plant-it must be nourished by the
cheering sun and gentle showers Of reel
procity, or it will wither and die.
Ii may be that to please Virginia is nc
great matter. But certainly to he just, and
to propitiate that general and widespread
sentiment which has declared itself in such
AN unmistakable manner, is something, and
something important. The press Of the
Union thinks that the oath is not required
by law, and it is urgent and earnest i'll its
opposition to it's application to Virginia.
State whose past history entities it to 81
much consideration and forbearance at the
hands Of the nation, and whose entire com
pliance with the Federal laws and the views
of the President of the United States, has
commanded the confidence of the whole ma
ton.
We cannot for the life Of us bring on,
minds, as yet, to the conviction that tn,
n-clad oath-that suggestion of the ran
corous spirit of war and partisan vindic
tiyeness--will be forced upon the people o,