Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-04-29

last, and, after several days of labor, pro-
duced the following remarkable declaration
of principles:
|. An immediate enforcement of the
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the
national constitution, in letter and in spirit,
and the adoption of any other measures
necessary to guarantee universal freedom
of thought, speech and action.
2. A general and universal system Of
public education at public expense, under
national law, whenever such system is not
adopted and enforced by State governments.
3. The fifteenth amendment having be-
come a part of the constitution of the Uni
ted States, by which universal suffrage is
secured to the masses Of our people, we de-
clare in favor of universal amnesty, subject,
of course, to the legislation of Congress
4. The encouragement Of internal inn
provements by the State and nation. keeping
in view the careful protection of the interests
Of the people from the encroachments of
naonopolies
5. An immediate. honest, and full en-
forcement Of our new State constitution in
letter and in spirit.
6. A hearty and generous support Of the
administration of President Grant, in its
foreign, domestic and financial policy, and
of the pelicy of the Congress Of the United
States
The first is ridiculous, from the fact the
whole civil power, of the country, backed
by the sword, is now enforcing these amend
ments, and that, at this particular period,
there is no opposition raised or likely to be
raised against their rigid enforcement, Chow
ever Objectionable they may be to many from
the extraordinary circumstances which now
obtain. They are declared to be fixed facts
of the past, and therefore, ridiculous and
farcical to be introduced as principles of the
present.
The Second is useless, though a generally OBJ
tanning principle. The progressive spirit of the
age demands the largest opportunities to all
for thorough education and all agree in this.
Hence, as distinctive principle in party,
it is more than farcical to present it.
The Third seemingly declares for univer-
sal amnesty, but concludes by leaving it to
the whims of Congressional Legislation,
and is, therefore, no principle at ALL
The Fourth, though contested in the
past, is scarcely to be made a subject Of
contest in the present.
The Fifth may occasion an argument as
to what is an ''honest and full" enforcement
of the new constitution, ''in letter and
spirit It is however being enforced and
we should judge fully, from the objections
made by many who voted for it.. Those
who voted against it seem willing, however,
that it shall be carried out in the letter and
spirit. AS distinctive feature, it, like the
rest, is izzle
The Sixth, however, contains most
anomalous declaration-the endorsement of
the policy of the Administration and also
the policy of Congress.
If there is one thing that we have most
assiduously sought it is the policy Of the
present Administration We heard the cry
OF retrenchment proclaimed throughout the
land. and finding that national expenses
loomed up higher and higher, we looked in
Webster to see if he really know what he
was doing when he "writ" the Dictionary,
and came to the conclusion that he didn't
We have, by every other light, scanned the
course Of the present administration, to
get an idea of its policy, and were forced to
the opinion thai it had no policy. Con-
gressional policy is also as much myth
One day it admits State, the next day it
thrusts her out Of the Union. To-day eager
for general amnesty, tomorrow intensely
proscriptive. In fact, yacillating as the in
terest of party daily dictates, and with no
other policy than to keep alive a party, the
death knell of which was inevitably sounded
when reconstruction was settled upon
What will-o-the- wisp chase will not the
Richmond conferees take in pursuing
the policies of Congress and the Administra-
ton! Like the ''little joker" now you see
it--now you don't, and like the 'thimble-
rigger" we'll bet any member of the confer
ence that they can't tell where the little
joker is, as manipulated by Grant ard
Congress.
After carefully reading the above pro-
auigation of principles, we can only con-
clude that the great lack of the Radical confer
ence was BRAINS. Indeed the only exhibit
ton Of brains was made by the colored State
Senator Bland and to substantiate our state
ment, we give an abstract of the remarks of
Senator Bland below, and ask our readers
to contrast them with the silly programme of
principles issued by the leading lights Of
the party in Virginia, and judge for them
selves:
Bland (colored) of Prince Edward, was
called on, and urged at length the repeal of
all disaualfying and DISTINGUISHING laws
pas sed by Congress. All the rights which
his race could demand having been secured
by the adoption of the fifteenth amendment,
he was now. as indeed he was is the last
campaign. in favor of universal amnesty -
He was opposed to granting pardous in de-
tail. He wished to see every citizen of
Virginia the equal in every way of every
other citizen. He hoped that such would
be the action of the party, and if it were
not he would be compelled, as he had been
before, to act independently of it. Bland
wished to see, and he would make every
effort in his power to see the wealth and
the intelligence of the State in her positions
Of official trust. The charge had been
urged, and successfully. in the last cam
paign, that it @as the intention Of the Re
publican party to subject the control Of the
State to ignorance and poverty, to the utter
exclusion Of wealth and intelligence. He