Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-03-05

kansas and Tennessee, AMI IL we're mere
folly to expect, and madness TO await, some
miraculous interpostiou.
This . Constitution Congress still held
| in its power. IL had been ordered by the
Hense of Representatives., with all the Nor
tGl conSequents where with il was pregnant
uncorrected within 1t, to be submitted TO a
| vote at an early day, aud was now before
the Senate. NJ voos from Virginia had as
yet been raised tn point out its hAgrancy,
'r even its palpable Coatravention Of the
Congressional policy of reconstruction
while those who had fashioned it, and were
| to profit by II, were lis ant, and lressing il
on, win All It's enorml'les on us head, 10 8
vote--snd To Vote IN fraud OF even the
leurtallcd WMte vote authorized by Con
gres.
IL was hardly to be expected, under such
! circumstances, that Congress would very
actively intervene to protect those who took
no trouble to protect themselves, or In the
press OF business, very critically examine
an instrument, which, unless so examined
no one could conceive, could possibly be
fraught with such enormous and Ubiquitous
provisions IL then wanted las IL wants
now but tue concurrence OF tue Senate TO
D. thrown, In all lts deinrm'ty, before the
people to 10 voied on, and personally know
thAt 1t was iuily expected, oy an authority
apt to possess the best information, not that
the vote would DO taken on II In May, but
on u, without any chsnge or modlhcauOn
whatever, before tue lOtn OF reorulry.
ms became known 10 me ID the nst days
OF January, ana as thlrty Gays notice was
pre- requisite 10 IT'S submission, all viii
agree thaL u anyth ne was 10 DO attempted,
II mist be done al once.
"hat shoud nave Deen attempted =
clearly thlnR, what tue wnole WHITE popu-
lstion, possessing any stake IN the State,
lave tnst "reteh'o crew Oi cihce-hunters
whose stake lay IN iheir impudtnt claim on
inc vote OF the deiuied oiacks,l were united
10 desiring, tn wit-escape from the intoi-
cradle tyranny ana curse OF The Under
wood Constitution. But one means OF es-
cape mad, Til thea, been possible. IL was
universally expected that tue Constitution
~olld he submitted straight way, as 1t
'lc ~, To the popular decision Tue defeat
81 II, thereiofe, AT the poils, as u came
from IT'S trainers, seemed thAt 'nly chance
"f escape, ana all addressed themNelVes to
that work.
" course every Just ground or objection
was urged ag inst u among them the vastly
augmented di'trAn, isemcn's II ordained
TOR the whites, while secured universal
suffrage to the blacks almost total inell g.
with cons qnent political supremacy aud
rule of the Latter. The opniou wa, and is,
almost universal, in tho Old constituent
hody OF the stare, mat inc oiacks, speaking
generally, are mint repositories OF the right
OF suffrage Tue opinion was quite nniV'r-
"a, not excepting any one WHO might nave
shld themselves Tor price I" pretend dlI-
ierent one, mat governments In the hands
OF the col"red race exclusively, wan such
recreant whites only as were VIKING 10 be
their instruments IA description by no
means nes'gn 10 apply lnolscI 'm na'ely 10
me Republican party OF inc otate,t would
b. wholly lnc"nsiAtent with puOhc order,
perhaps even WIN personal sale.y. Such a
constitution, therefore, submitted as whole,
h'n, now, OF AZ any time, would nave en-
conntered, and encounter, the almost IN
divided condemnation, at the polls, OF the
white race OF virginia
At this POINT OF time, Congress took the
instrument "a question nuder us coatrol,
withdre" II iIom vote, ana l4lo IL on the
shrt to await ITS pleasure.
1me tHrther retrnspect OF the cUcum
Stances at our H"uStl"n is mere proper.
Nrgro suffrage, as requirement Of Con-
greSs, had already been yielded, and IN i's
highest manifestation, thu OF mIul ing the
fundsmentai Law OF tue . ate. Ia common
| With military rule, ana all the other pro.
Visions Of the Reconstruction Acts, II had
been acqhiesced IN qua submitted ga, IN Tact,
IS well by those Who opp SEQ It by their
votes, "a those Who opposed Il by their re-
iusal to vote, Is consequences Of our sur
render, which, hoTever repnghant, or how
ever contrary to our expectations, we were
utterly p'wrrless TO prevent Bnt, 20 far,
| To all these requirements of Congress, the
people Of virginia did not profess to yield
anything beyond the compelled obedience
of the COZ q1ered, nj der the u rms Of their
surrender; for, ~ far, snd until the recent
decision of that part OF the American pro-
| pie WHO govern tho Government, the Recon
Sirnct'on policy OF C'ngrrss was an open
question, and largely divided the ophions
of the constituent body, The Eiain feature
nf that policy we're the claim of Congress
on behalf Of the United States, to hold tn"
| Southern STATES a. cobquest-out Of the
| Union under military rule, and to ix the
terms of their return into the Union-and
of thu Sc term, the capital Cne was polit cal
ranalitv Of their inhabitants without regard
| tn color Tue opposing theory asserted the
unbrok connection of those States with
ih,. Union, irrespective of the war, aud their
consequent title tn all rights and franchises,
| tor theus Ives and their citizens, held by
the other States and people OF the Union -
aud foremost OF these, that Of regulating
suffrsgs within their own limits.
The iudgmhnt Pronounced by the con,
stituent body was not equivocAl, The ex-
pouent o. the reconstruction policy, Cen.
! Grant, was elected by large maiorties, both
II the people aud the electoral colleges.
Nearly cotempOrar eOus elections further
ratified that decision, by returning b. a now
Congress the men mainly who devised the
Reconstruction policy, aud others who ap
proved IL, and for the reason that they ap
uroved IT,. OF the will, therefore, in that
r,ptrd, Of that portion &C tho American
| IL ,rho now r. n rol tina G. nvprnmcnt ot