Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-06-09

bonic PLATFORM and wait for something else
to turn up. We didn't wait long before we
heard the roar of the radical lion, and the
gpashing of his teeth, and the lashing of his
Sides in regular reconstruction convulsion.
The storm broke upon us on the I'd of March
following the rejection by Virginia of the
proposed amendment and, in my deliberate
opinion, was the direct result of that rel &c
ton. 1t came in the shape of can act to pro-
vide for the more efficient government of the
rebel States" and the preamble commences in
this remarkable language, showing beyond
all reasonable doubt that | am not mistaken
in this matter: "Whereas no legal State gov
ernments, or adequate protection for life or
property, now exist in the rebel States of VIR-
GINA, North Carolina, South Carolina, Geor-
gia, Mississippi Alabama, Louisiana. Florida,
Texas and Arkansas" The very State that
of all others we should have least expected
to see in such category is first named, and
Tennessee, that had been under a military or
provisional governor while Virginia was being
recognized by all the departments of the gov
eminent as a State already in the Union, is
left out of the list of rebel States. Youknow
the reason why, and you know how much
confidence to repose in the advice of those
who are still opposed to Congressional recon-
struction. man is unlucky who gets his
hand into lions mouth but having gotten
it there. he is fool not to get it out as easy
as he can. gentle patting on the head or
stroking of the name may induce the monster
to relax his jaws but mind how you irrltate
him by feeble and Intellectual resistance, if
you wish to come off with whole skin. Uni
versal suffrage is not limited at in the 18th
amendment of the Constitution. But here we
have universal suffrage as we'll the 18th
amendment
The next thing in order is the registration
OF voters and the election of delegates to the
convention to frame constitution under the
reconstruction act. ANY one would have sup
posed that now was the opportunity of recov-
ering the lost ground by effecting full reg~
istry of the whites and electing suitable del
egates to the convention. The people were
urged to do so, and did register in large num-
bers, in spite of the depressing influence of
the Bourbons. They had fifteen thousand
more registered voters than the blacks had.
But when election day came, acting under the
advice of the do-nothing press, the whites
were disguised, apathetic, respondent, stayed
away from the polls and allowed the election
to go by default Forty thousand men who
had registered refused to vote Feiow-citi-
zens, you realize the consequence now. God
grant it be not too late. The result of Bour-
bon folly, and carpet-bag and scalawag gno-
rance, intolerance and ferocity, | hold in my
hand. The civilized world has never seen
the like before, and when the last COPY of the
present edition is destroyed it is not prob
able that it will ever look upon its
like again | speak of the document as
it came from the hands of the Constitu-
tional menageiie at Richmond, not as it is
to be submitted to the people of Virginia
by the President of the United States in pur-
suance of the joint resolution or act of Con-
gress. | speak of that portion of it which
emanated from the soft heads and black hearts
OF its trainers, not that portion which they
filched from the labors of intellectual intell-
gent and christian statesmen of the North.
Mr.. Ellis here read the 4th clause of sec
ton l and section z. containing the disfran-
chising and disqualification for office prov-
sions, comparing those provisions with the
declaration of rights prefixed to- and made
a part of the Constitution, severely denounc-
ing the hypocrisy selfishness and Injustice of
those who sought to fasten upon the people
of this State an organic law which disfran-
chised more than fifteen thousand of the most
intelligent, vrtuous and patriotic men in the
Commonwealth, and deprived the people of
more than one hundred thousand men, from
whom choice of officers should be made to
carry on the government, besides deprving
the prescribed themselves of the privileges
accorded to every black man in the State,
without the qualification of either vir-
tue. intelligence, or common interest with
the community.
Ana 1or what! Because, say tney they
are rebels; they committed treason
deprive men by Wholesale of their dearest
rights by an accusation, the cause and nature
Of which are underlined; convict men of the
highest crime known to the law without be-
ing confronted with the accusers and wit
nesses. With no opportunity afforded them
OF calling for evidence in their favor. or avail
ing themselves of the assistance of counsel
learned in the law, who could tell an impair
tial jury of their vicinage without whose
unanimous consent they cannot be found gull
ty"-thatno man who takes up arms at the
command of government possessing powers of
coercion, and operating Immediately upon the
will of the individual, can be found guilty OF
treason. Barring the doctrine of State SOW
ereignty, State may be guilty of rebellion
but the citizen is not guilty, unless he acts
outside OF that ofState authority. The PROPOSE
ton needs noargument, foritisadmi ted by the
Government. Who ever heard of whole
community being tried, much less condemn
ed without trial, for treason or rebellion
jeff Davis has not yet been chung to a sour
apple tree" and he was said to be the head %!
the rebellion. Gen. Lee goes quit, without
even having been under arrest. Ard yet,
they would have both been hanged IL Etsss
had been plausible pretext But without
any trial whatever ninety-eight per csnt of
the people of Virginia We're found guilty of
an impossible offence, by the Richmond me
nagerie, and new unusual, and cruel pun-
ishment prescribed, towit: having their
hands tied, and submission to the rule of car
pet-bag malignity and Congo barbarism
Fellowctizens, need not ask you whether
you intend to register to man. in order that
you may come out to a man, and vote to u
man, against the obnoxious separate provie
sions that will be submitted to you along
with the Constitution. | know that you are
not so stupidity oblivious to your interests,
and the interests of those who will come after
you, as to allow either rain or hail to prevent
you from going to the registry and the ballot
box, in order that you may stamp the heel of
condemnation on the vile effort to disfranchse
you, and tilch from you the privileges of free
men. But, having performed that duty, it is
a matter OF great Importance to know what