The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-10-25
THE COMING YIRGINIA.

The President, whose only policy has been
the execution Of the popular will, is seeing
that policy restore to the Union Its full In
tegrity In such manner that no funda-
mental error eudsngers the stability Of the
reconstruction or mars Its completeness.
No State has been incorporated into the body
Of tho nation until 1t was animated by its
soul. Under the pupllage OF the reconstruc-
ton laws tho people Of the States lately in
rebellion have at last mastered a principle
which even the stern lessons OF war did not
teach them; that before the laws Of man all
men must be equal, because all men are equal
before the laws Of God. 1t is In the pro-
fession of this faith that virginia, standing
erect and ''clothed 10 her right mind" asks
admission into the fellowship OF FREQ States.
She will be admitted.
All the prerequisites to her full restora-
zion to the national unity have been fairly
compiled with. ner people have measured
the distance which separates them from the
Union and cleared 1t at q bound. She has
adopted q constitution republican In form,
which provides for universal suffrage and
eha'sAoot Stue2hious ohC hhs iatihca tht
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments elected
loyal Representatives and chosen loyal Sen.
ators. We repeat, sho will DO received by
the great loyal national heart with feeling
somewhat akin to that Joy which reJoiceth
more over one sinner that repenteth than
over ninety-nine just that have never gone
astray. There IL no feeling OF revenge in
the national heart.
Virginia Is to-day, to use the familiar term,
more perfectly reconstructed than any State
south OF the Potomac. In all the other
States the very foundations ofloyal State gov
ernment were upturned, but at no time dur
ing the rebellion was Virginia without a
State government loyal to the United States,
and exercising authority Of considerable
territory. At the close Of the war there wa,
loyal State OF Virginia which had never
missed step to the music Of the Union-had
abolished slavery, had furnished troops for
the service Of the United States, and been
partially represented In Congress. Had the
| devil got Booth few days sooner than he
| did, there Is but little doubt that this vol
untary reconstruction Of the State by its
loyal citiEens would have been accepted by
President Lincoln, and at his recommerda-
tion been admitted to its full quota of Rep
resentatlves in Congress, and not subjected
like the other Southern States to another
process Of reconstruction. But Andrew
Johnson's policy, more successful than rebel
arms, destroyed this loyal State BY making
| Its Gpvarnnr ptarp0tnt AND hia nf1cta1a IN n
of his provisional governments"
Congress found 1t In bad company, and 1t
went the way Of all 1esh. But during the
whole struggle 1t had kept alive in Virginia
State authority subject to the supreme au
thority Of the nation, and upon the flight o
the rebel State government at tho fall oil
Richmond had not only preserved the Stat
from political chaos, but had accustomed
the defeated population to loyal civil polity
and paved the way for reconstruction under
the acts Of Congress. That reconstruction
completed, as 1t will DO In few months by
the admission Of the Representatives Of Vlr'
ginia into Congress, devolyes new response
bilities upon the Republicans of that State
They have In Governor Walker q capable anG
efficient executive, and experience has proved
that 1t would have been well had the Repub
lican party In tho gubernatorial canvass
needed his counsels In reference to the dis
| reimbursement and test oath clauses. Though
possibly losing the control Of the Legislature
for want Of party union at the last election,
they have majority of the voters of the
| State In favor of the Republican policy al