The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-05-13
Virginia.s I,ebt to Dr. Horace Greeley

DR.. Greeley's kindly feelings toward the
South were never manifested more >trik-
insly than in the important part he played
in the reconStrlrtitn OF Virginia, the facts
respecting which have never been made pub
lie until now.
The convention that framed the present
Constitution of Virginia was not only Re-
publican but extremely Radical. As that
instrument came FROM their i!:;ii;ls IL tom
tanned a test-oath aid clause disquailying
| all from holding any office who had taken
any part in the rebellion or aided it in any
Way whatever. OF course these provisions
would have excluded from office nincty-livc
out of every hundred white Virg'nans;
The Convention ordered the Constitution
| to lie submitted for ratification as 4 whole.
The people of the State were greatly
alarmed, but did not know what to do. BY
rc!lISin" to rtify the Constitution they
| would doom themselves to continued mill
tary government and if they ratified it az
framed they would put the State govern
mcnt absolutely in the hands of the newly
enfranchiscd blacks. who were in minority
| of over $4,000 in the State. Their only hope
waS IN appeal to Congress TO permit Il scpa-
rate vote to be taken on the obnoxious
clauses. But how to get at Congress in such
| A WAY us to secure favorable action WAS the
question.
Just in the midst of their pcrplcNitics
| three Northumberland Malone, General
| Imboden, and Colonel Flournoy-happcned
| ~ meet in New York. and in discussing the
| situation at home it occurred to them to see
| Or. Greeley and seek his counsel and advice,
Is he was then known TO be influential with
| the President, THEY mti DR.. Greeley ut his
| office hv appointment, the conference lasting
| from till II !. NJ. The result was that Dr..
Greeley cordially adopted their views in re-
card to the obnoxious features Of the Con-
>ttution. and said that he would 20 and ste
President Grant at Long Branch, and en-
dcavor to induce him to recommend to Con-
| .rrsS the passage Of an enabling act or Joint
resolution to take the separate vote desired by
the NirginianS. lie went TO Long Branch,
aud spent long time with the President,
but returned little encouraged. After Il fur
| thcr conference with the Nirginans. he adj
ri>cd them 10 call in the mid Of several lead
ing Republicans of this city. They attempted
| to do this, but failed. Dr.. Greeley then went
second time to Long Branch, spent the
| night there. and next day reported his belief
that his mission had been successful, us after
ward proved to be the fact. The President
sent SHOIl llleSSiSc ~ NOliitSS Oh TIE SuB-
| ject, which resulted in the immediate passage
OF joint resolution, under which the vote
| on ratification WAS taken, the Constitution
purged of its odiouS features, and the State
relmbilated. with the best government in
the South.
The Presidents mind was known to be
inclined against this course before DR..
! Greeley saw him. 1t is almost certain that
| but for thee earnest efforts of DR.. Greeley Il
separate vote would not have been allowed.
So great was the desire in Virginia to rees-
tablish civil government that the ConStitu-
ton would perhaps have been adopted as it
was framed. Had that been done, three
fourtlls of all State Offices would be filled
to-day by the ignorant blacks; for i'll many
counties there was not Il single white man
who could have taken the oath prescribed to
ill any Office. This conduct OF Dr. Greeley
has endeared him very much to liberal
minded EirginillS.--Nctc York !Smn.