The weekly standard., 1869-10-20
To our Virginia Friends.

To Our Virginia Friends. "a
When the WALKER men carried the Viz
ginia election they did SO as Republicans.
They announced in plain terms that they
were True Republican, and were anxious
Stabring Virginia into the Union upon the
basis of honest acceptance Of the results Of
the war. They also announced their un-
| yielding support of the administration of
President GRANT, and that they were acting
in sympathy with him.
7 Many regarded these professions Of; the
| WALKER party as hypocritical, and made
for she purposeof deceiving the authorities
at Washington. ,.,, t.,,.r .,- ... h..
Many. believed that the WALKER party
was composed of men who were hostile to
the Union, and who made these avowaIs
simply because they believed 1t to be policy
to do SO. I4i,.,,5. ..h..egl. 1na.
70 We did not stop to ask whether the sus-
picions Of the doubters were well-founded,
for we did not wish to believe they were.
We were willing to take the gentlemen of
the WALKER party upon their. own declara-
tions. Weiwere willing to believe that that
which they SO continually and earnestly as
severated was the truth. We were willing
to receive them as Liberal Republicans. go,
From that time until the meeting of the
Legislature we have seen nothing to cause
US to believe that the WALLER men. spoke
falsely when they ayowed. themselves to be
Republicans They have apparently been
anxious to show the sincerity Of their
pledges, ..ti,s .,s l,. /, 80 ,..r, s,l, d
The Legislature has assembled, but The
proceedings thus far do not exactly accord
with the previous professions of the party.
True they have passed the XIVth and XVIII
amendments, yet these were things they were
obliged to do in order to be admitted to the
Union. Therefore our friends of the WALK
Err party can claim no especial credit for
doing what they were obliged to do in any
case in order to attain the end they desire :
the admission of Virginia. a. n..s,
The first voluntary act of the WALKER
men we do not like. We mean their choice
for Speaker. The two candidates might be
termed representative men. The one was
true Union man. The other has the reputa-
tion-whether deserved or undeserved-ot
being hater of the Union. Both were
prominent WALKER men. The Union man,
notwithstanding he had done most towards
the success of the party, was defeated and
he who had the reputation of being hater
of the government was elected.
This has bad appearance and will do
much to cause the people of other States to
doubt the sincerity of the WALKER party.
Even allowing that both were actually equal
ly true to the Union, Difference should have
been paid to the opinions of the people of
other States, and to the opinions of the gov
ernment of the United States which is the
representative of the people.
Our Virginia friends should remember
that this is no common occasion. They
have sinned against the government, and
are now preparing to give evidence that
they are worthy to be taken back.
Practically speaking there is to-day no
Virginia. That state disappeared when it
rebelled against the government and in its
place is now Military District No. l."
1t wishes to again be member of the
Union. 1t processes penitence for its
errors, and willingness to do all in its power
to atone for them. 1t is now engaged in
proving to the government. e., the Uniied
States-that it is worthy of being again
trusted as State. Consequently each act is
carefully scanned by the country, and the
motives which occasion them sought, that
the sincerity and fitness of the men who
were SO lately traitors may be Judged and
the amount of their penitence ascertained.
1t was therefore very unwise, to say the
least, for the WALKER men to elect as their
chief officer man reported to be hostile to
the government, even if the reputation is
undeserved.
By this step they have done much to arouse
suspicious that the seeming sincerity of their
previous declarations had allayed.
We would suggest to the WALKER party
that the chances for the admission of Vir-
ginia to the Union have been greatly lessened
by this act, and that few more of the same
kind would render her rejection certain.
The government of the United States re-
quires certain things to be done before it
will consent to forgive State which has
rebelled against its authority. These things
must be done literally, and must be done in
such amanner as to stay done. The admission
or rejection of Virginia is in the hands of
Congress, and Virginia may be sure that
nothing less than perfect work will be re-
ceived. 1t is useless to argue what can or
cannot be done. Congress has the power to
reject the application of Virginia and will
do so if 1t thinks proper.
Our Virginia friends should remember
this. r..r1 B.. ..--