Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1871-03-10

Elsewhere will be found the action Of the
U. S. Supreme Court, in the case of Virgin
ia Us West Virginia, concerning the ques-
ton, whether the Counties of Berkeley and
Jefferson are still part and parcel of dis
rupted old Virginia, Or of the daughter torn
from her side. and called West Virginia.
The Court decided that they were part
and parcel Of West Virginia, en- the ground
Of an agreement between Va. and w. Va,
to leave the question to the vote of the peo.
pie Of these Counties, and that the vote,
certified by the Governor of W. Va, was in
favor Of West Va, which settled the ques-
ton.
We have expected nothing else from the
Supreme Court, but the action of that body
does not render the whole transaction any
the less Ubiquitous. A few men styling
themselves the General Assembly of Virgin
la, (while that body was in existence at the
Capital agreed to the dismemberment of
the grand old State. The vote, under gag,
was taken in the above named counties, and
the result, of course, under the circumstan-
ces, in favor Of being united to and forming
part Of West Va. But the last tribunal
Of appeal could not see that vote, under
duress, was anything but fair vote, though
the large majority were and still are firm in
their allegiance to their old mother Vir-
ginia.
We once heard an out and out Northern
man, and determined Radical, assert that
the U. S. Supreme Court was "the biggest
humbug efthe age.' We took issue with him
and defended, as best We could, that august
body. But knowing Of case Of Southern
man Us several western men, which we
thought SO plainly in bis favor, that the U.
s. Supreme Court, in all their purity, could
not fail to d cree in his favor, yet they did
and on a mere technicality, and following
this with their decision in the above case, on
the result Of pretended election, we are
growing to believe that that Northern RAD
lca was not SO very far wrong, on one point
At any rate, we shall beg leave to reti re
from our self assumed position OF even
feeble defender Of the last tribunal of legal
appeal in this country
|
| The Forty-frst Congress, which cover
ed two years of President Grants admins
tration, closed its career on Saturday last.
at II NJ, and the Forty-second Congress
began its session. Although the Forty-frst
Congress was not SO vrulent as the prece-
ding Congress, yet it was sufficiently SO to-
wards southern men and measures. to pre-
vent even tear being shed by us Oh its de-
mise on Saturday last.
The Forty-scccnd Con gress, composed of
some of the old members and MANY new
ones, elected at the Fall elections, is a great
improvement on the Forty-frst That body
had Republican majority in the Senate Of
forty-eight and ninety nine in the House -
The Republican, majority in the present
Congress is only forty in the Senate and
thirty-three in the House, with some fifteen
or sixteen vacancies to be filled, which will
not materially change these majorities. A
writer from Washington says, that The mi
nority are mere compact and harmonious
than the majority can possibly be, and that
the loss of the two-thirds majority of the DOM
inant party is the great feature Of the New
| Congress, on account Of which, number of
the pet schemes Of the President, including
the San Domingo speculation, will fail.
1t is to be expected that the legislation of
the present Congress will look more to the
general interests of the whole country. Our
only fear is that the members of the domi-
nant party, who, like all old and profession
al politicians, are as willy as foxes, will en-.
trap the minority into acts, with the view Of
throwing the onus of unpopular Legislation
on the Democracy, to effect the next Presi-
dental canvass. The minority should be
on the alert, and 'keek through" their wi
ly opponents with certain sly inspection, J"
and thus illustrate their best laid schemes.
The Forty-second Congress it was thought
would adjourn this week, but the President
Oh Tuesday last, requested them to continue
in session, assigning reasons. One was
that he expected to convene the Senate in
extra session at an early day, as he was
quite confident that the Joint High Com
mission would speedily and satisfactorily
conclude its labors, and submit through him
the result to the Senate. Another was the
condition of the South CD Ku Klux outra-
ges &c. which he was poweress to prevent
and wanted additional legislation. Has
Congress nothing better to reform than the
mythical Ku Klux ? We think they might
find great deal else and not 60 out of the
limits Of Washington. Wonder if the Pres.
ident is not getting scared abe ut his chances
Of carrying the South at the next Presiden-
tial election and Goes not desire to get as
much controlling power as possible in his
hands.
Virginia has but one Senator in the pre-
sent Congress. The Conservative members
Of the Legislature met in caucus on Thurs.
day night and it is believed they will re-
nominate Senator johnson. He is good