The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-03-26

! ;aoualifcat;on clauses, it's test-oaths, and
IFS county organization. / think the day
] far d;sfronchisement has passed. think
] the day for good feelings has arrived. do
| mot believe you can reconstruct the state
nromptly. that you can have Q stable
State government, unless all her peo-
nIe are united and peaceful. I have
| heen in favor, as said before, Of
executing the reconstruction laws in good
faith, It follows as logical sequence that
have been in favor Of placing the colored
man upon an equality with the white man
90 far as his civil and political rights were
concerned. deem it necessity for him.
deem it necessity for you to-day. IL ls
q grave question whether it will ever an
aver in q government constituted like ours
to have any large body of our fellow-eitl-
zens disfranchised, and unable 70 e1erclse
the right to vote for those who shall govern
them. The same principle which l Wouio
apply to the colored man !! apply 10 Inc
white man. say let everybody vote. :,
Put everybody upon an equal OASIS, ana
then let the best man win. That has Deen
nv doctrine. That is my doctrine now.
It ia because the constitution to Whlcn l
have referred does not recognize this prln-
ciple that am against it. :,
But strike from it these Objectionable
clauses, and will vote for it; not because
I approve of all it's other provisions, but
because, under the circumstances, 1t is the
best we can obtain. Let Congress strike
out these provisions, or submit them to 8
separate vote, and I have no doubt the
balance of the constitution will be adopted
by an almost unanimous vote. hope and
believe that Congress will do the one or the
other, and that speedily.
What is needed in Virginia to-day IS
reconstruction. What is needed is resto-
ration to the Union. Commerce is paralyzed
Trade, agriculture, everything has the
blight of disorder resting upon it. The
remedy for all these evils is in reconstruc-
ton. We want within our borders "peace."
We want peace upon the basis of equality
to all men in their civil and political rights,
and when you grant that and oil recognize
it, of every order and of every variety of
society, you will have peace in your Dor
ders, and Virginia will again march on,
again keep pace with her sister States IN
| Improvement, in progress, in financial pros
perity, in wealth and responsibility and
power.
When the chosen Chief of this country
in his letter of acceptance proclaimed that
one single expression, " Let us have peace"
it flew like lightning Throughout the land.
It was echoed from every hillside and from
every plain of the South. The southern
people, with one acclaim almost, said Let
us have peace" We believe that General
Grant, in making use of that expression,
meant what he said. We believe that he
intends to carry it out in good faith. We
believe that what he said in his inaugural
he meant honestly and sincerely. We be-
lieve that he intends to execute all that he
laid down in that inaugural. If he does,
why then, again we shall have peace
within our borders, and good will
among men everywhere. said
moment ago that what re need in this
State is early and immediate recon
struction. You need reconstruction to
build up your railroads. You need recon
struction to finish your canals. You need
reconstruction to utilize at the eastern
point of your State the grand harbor which
nature prepared for you, and commerce
which shall vie with New Tork-Which
shall vie with any city in the Union in it's
extent and Importance. You need recon
struction to bring within your borders emf
grants from the North as well as from Eu-
rope. You need reconstruction in every
sense of the term. You need restoration to
the Union. With that will come these
blessings. With that will come peace with
in YOUR borders. With that will come
oil the blessings which flow from happi-
ness, contentment, and prosperity.
1t has been long time since have had
the honor of addressing any audience in
public, or since I attempted to make
speech of any kind, and l feel from what
little have already said that my lungs are
feeling the effects of it. must wait until
I get cleverly in harness, when l promise
to address you again, and more fully and
more at length. believe l have indicated
to you oil the chief points, the main issues,
the real questions upon which this organi-
cation will conduct its campaign.
Thanking you for the attention you have
given me for my brief remarks, bid you
good night.
REMARKS OF JOHN B. CRENSHAW.
After Colonel Walker concluded, Mr.. John
B. Crenshaw, of Henrico, made few re-
marks, which we're heard with marked at
tention. He said that he was entirely lit
tie used to public speaking, and a7erse to
taking any part in political life, but crisis
was now upon US which makes it the duty
of every citizen to do what he can to save
the State from the ruin which threatens to
engulf her. he said this advisedly, for if
the constitution framed in 1867 be adopted
without modification we are ruined peo-
pie. Its adoption would ruin both white
and colored. We would be compelled to
give up all hope Of enjoying the good re-
suits Of immigration, for immigrants such
as we would welcome are careful to inquire
as to the laws of the country in which they
propose to settle. These are different
class from the carpet-baggers ''-men
who come here with nothing but their car
pet-bags, and who have no thought of the
prosperity of Virginia.
Years ago Mr.. Lawrence, of Massachu-
sets, had visited Richmond, looking for q
remunerative investment, and was charmed
with the water power of our noble James.
But looking into our commerce laws, he be-
came satisfied that an investment would
not pay, went back to Massachusetts, and
founded the great manufacturing city OF
Lowell. The adoption of the constitution
unmodifed would have the same effect upon
the capitalists of the present day, and our
resources must still remain undeVeloped.
MIR. Crenshaw, then addressing himself
| - tho oolnrad poop1o cold nc