The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-05-26
The Alexandria Constitution.

The Alexandria Constitution.
There are those who are still lingering
around the Alexandria constitution as thin
,v-clsd persons about the camp-fires of a
departed army, consoling themselves with
the expiring embers. AS well might the
shiyering figures hope that that army would
ret,,rn and exalt them to thrones as for the
dcvotees of the Alexandria law to expect
that tho State is to be restored to the Union
hv any decision of the Supreme Court
bringing 1t in under that constitution
We are about to vote upon constitution
made out of the Alexandria constitution
Strike out the Objectionable DISTINGUISHING
and disqualifying clauses, and this constltu-
ton is so nearly identical with the Alex an
dria constitution that the striking out OF the
communicating clause would he all that
was wanting to complete the resemblance,
If we acknowledge, as we must, that negro
suffrage, being inevitable, must be put into
any constitution with which we can be adj
mittcd into the Union. The disqualiiylne
and DISTINGUISHING clauses will be stricken
out beyond all possibility Of doubt. The
gerrymandering clause can be remodeico
before q second Legislature is elected, ana
the county organizations can be robbed OF
all their terrors by u wise administration
and conservative Legislature.
Then, for what would we wait! TO SUI
fer the agonies of war between the legisla
tive and the judiciary departments OF thf
Federal Government? Would ii bring IL
ANYTHING more than that disastrous strlft
over our bodies between the executive and
the legislative departments? Would Con-
press which has had its own way concerning
us be ready at this late day to submit 10
heing oyerruled by the Supreme Court !.
Would thev not reform the Court into ultra
Radicalism to defeat that result: Would
not General GRANT, after what ne tlhqucS-
fionablv deems his friendly acts, consider
the rejection of the cxpurgatcd constitution
On net of obduracy? and would not Con-
oress deem it an act Of contumacy! Would
not Congress be disposed to visit upon Us
new Dunishments, which General GRANT
might not be disposed, if he had the power,
IN protect us from? And all for what:
WHY, if ace succeeded IN the Increment, 10
oct precisely the constitution IRE can no"
hare By roting out the objectionable clauses
and adopting the constitution thus e1p"r-
gated!
Why are we to he triflcd with by such
advisors? Could there he anything more
idle and absurd? Is it q time for such folly:
What would be our condition during the
tedious time of discussing our cause before
the Supreme Collrt-that great house where
Delay is enthroned? Every public and pri-
yate interest would be suffering and wasting
away. A despairing people would execrate
the counsels which subjected them to longer
suffering in the intermediate political hell
and gradually by attrition would the spirit
and independence Of the people be worn
away, and whenever and in whatever way
our fates were settled there would be no
power of resistance left, and we and all our
hopes would pass under the government OF
corrupt adventures allied with barbarism.
1t would take generation to lift the State
UP out of the abyss of degradation and in
anition into which so fatal an error would
be sure to plunge it.
Oh. plague us not with the AleXandria
constitution But let ut 90 straight ahead
to work out our glorious destiny at once.
The armies are embodied and rapidly be-
coming disciplined for the grand pitched
battle in which, if there is courage and
constancy left in Virginia, we shall gain the
victory. Stop us not--disturb not the line
of march-but let us, like the ancient
Greeks on the eve of battle, think of nothing
but the struggle, and prepare for it withthe
.l,nurc,,lnnrc in nirnl lr cnrtain trinmnh.