Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-04-28
WEDNESDAY MORNING, April %, 1869
THE CONVENTION TODAY.

ana nave been Specializing upon the re-
suits Of its deliberations. We have al
ready remarked that we do not see how
its action can affect the True Republican
party, unless it chooses to indorse its
men and accept its principles.
The Richmond State Journal is also
filed with anxiety, and is uncommonly
DESTROYS that the Convention shall keep
a Conservative in the field as candid
ate. 1t will be shameful and cowardly,
says that paper, in then if they deser
it now. The reason of this is perfectly
transparent, and gives us an improving
hint The Journal knows that it would
be fatal to the Wells ticket to have only
two candidates in the field, and Walkers
election would be certain. And then,
what would accompany his election
The adoption Of the expurgated consti-
tuition and the complete triumph of the
Presidents programme for the recon
struction of Virginia. The State Journal
is DESTROYS of the cooperation of the
Bourbons in the unhalowed work of i'm
posing an oppressive constitution upon
the people of Virginia, when they are
disposed to accept the better terms
obtained for them from Congress by our
gallant and patriotic President.
We say, then, that if the members of
that Convention assemble to take ground
against reconstruction and renominate
Witbers, or any other man, upon that
platform, they will commit a crime
which the people Of Virginia will never
forgive. All men acknowledge the ne
cessity of restoring the State, and her
people, having no power to enforce con-
dtions OF their own, are constrained to
proceed in that way which tho overrul-
ing power of Congress, backed by the
dominant Republican party of the coun-
try, shall choose to dictate. But what
State in the South has ever had corce-
ded to it the measure of lenity--the IA
vorable terms-now offered, and pressed
upon our acceptance by the Administra-
ton of President Grant? Not one; and
these terms were obtained for us by the
patriotic Committee of Nine, backed by
the exertions of the True Republicans of
the State, headed by Col. Walker.
How stands the case then The pur-
poses Of the Conservative organization
having been accomplished by the (now)
acknowledged defeat of the obnoxious
features Of the Constitution, the candi-
dates put into the field for that purpose,
and for the defeat of the Constitution
solely because of those features, became
functus ot1icio, and have long since been
regarded as being no longer in the can
vass; and the people, endorsing the
True Republican candidates and plat
form, have given no authority for the
meeting of this Convention, which can
not therefore, speak for them. They
are without authority Gf they meet at
ally and, being self-constituted, can bind
nobody but themselves.
We shall hail tho action of this Con-
vention as in accord with the feelings of
the people ONLY i. they shall nominate
the True Republican ticket already in
the field, and 60 in heartily for the i'm
mediate reconstruction cf Virginia upon
the administration plan. Any other
course will be blunder, which will re-
suit in the adoption of the Constitution
and the election of Wells, which, in our
opinion, will lead to further dislrau-
chsement and oppression.
But the skies are bright, and the way
ia clear for our escape FROM the laby-
rinth in which the people of Virginia
have SO long been involved. Our ad-
vices from Richmond are encouraging
that the majority OF those who assemble
there to day will wisely consider that
the time has come to cease opposition to
reconstruction, and to take up in ear
nest this salutary work which our peo-
pie are bound to accomplish before we
can have any tran guilty, any advance
ment, any real prosperity. We cannot
have peace in this cauldron of opposing
elements and uncessing strife. The
Bourbon faction, which kept up all the
irritation, has been growing small by
degrees and beautifully less" and the
press of the State will be represented at
Richmond but by three or at most four
fractions fossils, who will probably be
" spanked" as Senator Nye said, into
and " let us have peace"
They will doubtless submit with bad
grace, but then their Seeding will be
squelched, and the sober people OF the
State can 60 on tremendously, to vote
down all the bad, and accept all the