Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-09-02
SHIRT Mem cries.

UOOu NIdWu 10 ILLS ldCt ny d I0ftIcuCc WHICH
we lately had occasion to make to the pro-
ceedings of the meeting of number of cit
liens of Virginia. who assembled in Richmond
on the 3lst Of December, 1868.
It will be remembered that that was one of
the darkest periods of our history A majority
of the States, if not three-fourths, had already
adopted the Fifteenth Amendment of the
Constitution of the United States, which con-
ferred the right Of suffrage on the colored pop
ulation, and the House of Representatives had
already passed law requiring the people of
Virginia, white and black, to vote on the I'm
derwood Constitution, with all its infamous test
oaths and acknowledgements, as whole, and
nothing but the intervention Of the Christmas
holidays prevented the Senate from passing
this bill, which had been sent to them from the
| House.
In this crisis-duriog the holidays-the meet
ing was held in Richmond, the gentlemen who
composed it rightly supposing that if they
would formally coucede the right of suffrage
to the blacks, which was already fixed fact,
| Congress might be induced to allow the people
OF Virginia to vote on the test oath and dis
franchsing clauses separately, SO as to strike
| them out of the Constitution.
The Richmond meeting 1.-THE proceedings of
which we publish below after anxious delay,
on 1st January, 1869, appointed the much
abused Committee of Nine" with instruc
| tons to proceed to Washington and endeavor
to arrest the action of the Senate on the House
bill, and to make the best terms they could for
the State Of Virginia, on the basis of ''univer-
sal suffrage and universal amnesty"
The Committee accordingly went to Wash
ington, and. after appearing before the Com
mittees of both Houses of Congress and hold
ing free conferences with Senators and Mem.
bers, and with President johnson and Presi-
dent-eect Gen. Grant, during sojourn of two
weeks in Washington, they did succeed in ar
resting the passage of the House bill, and so
deeply impressed Gen. Grant with the justice
Of their cause, that after his Inauguration he
induced Congress (by special message) to al
low the people Of Virginia to vote on the OBJ
jectionable clauses separately, and thus strike
them from the Constitution. 1t was this friend
ly interposition on the part of Gen. Grant,
which enabled the people of Virginia to save
their State from all the wrongs and expressions
which now paralyze the energies of our sister
Southern States, and to retain control of the
State 10 the hands Of the better class of her
own people.
Strange to say, the Committee, who had, at
their own expense and at the risk of all political
| popularity, volunteered their services to rescue
the State from the ruin which they deemed i'm
pending, were most bitterly assailed in macy
parts of the State
And what is stranger still, some of these as
saults were made by men who then charged the
committee with making unmanly concessions
to the negro, but are now claiming to be the
peculiar friends of the colored race.
We invite candid perusal of the proceed
ings Of the Richmond meeting. 1t was this
meeting which was the germ from whence
sprung the Walker movement in Virginia BY
which the Conservative party riumphed in
1869, and which is destined to achieve another
glorious triumph in November next. The pro-
ceedings of that meeting are as follows:
A meeting of citizens from different portions
Of the State of Virginia convened at the Ex-
change Hotel, In the city of Richmond, on the
3lst day of December, 1868, for the purpose
Of consultation In regard to matters explained
in the narrative of their proceedings hereinaf-
ter supplied. was organized by inviting Hon.
A. Ii. I'll. Stuart to the chair and by the ap.
pointment of @ G. McRae as Secretary.
Mr.. Stuart, on taking the chair, explained
the objects for which the meeting was held,
and the circumstances under, and the manner
in which, it origin ated.
After considerable discussion, in which a
large number OF the meeting participated, and
in which much harmony of feeling was dis
played, it was determined that Committee OF
eight in number cot which Hon. A. FL. Fl.
Stuart was made chairman of the meeting)
should be appointed, charged with the duty of
celebrating and reporting in regard to suitable
business for the consideration of the meeting.
The chair being requested to appoint the re-
naming members OF the com mittee, accordingly
named Messrs George w. Boiling of Peters
burg, Thos S. Fournoy Of Halifax, John L..
Marye, Jr., of fredericksburg, d. G. Dejar-
nette Of Caroline, Frank G. Rufla of Chester
field, B. IL. McGruder of Albemar!e and James
Johnston of Bedford; whereupon the meeting
adjourned to convene On the ensuing evening
at the same place.
According to the order Of adjournment, the
meeting again assembled on January Ist, 1869,
when the committee appointed at the former
session. through It's chairman submitted re-
port, the distinct features of which, being sep
arately considered, and acted on as whole.
after elaborate discussion, was finally approved,
with some notifications introduced by the ac-
ton of the meeting, by vote nearly unani-
nous, only two gentleman who participated in
the meeting expressing unwillingness to concur
10 its fioal action. The names of several other
gentlemen who acted with the meeting would
doubtless have been added had they been pres
eut at the time of adjournment
In the progress of the meeting the following
proceedings occurred: 1t was resolved that
Hon Alex Ii. FL. Stuart be requested to serve
as Chairman of the Committee Of nine per-
sons to be appointed to visit Washington. for
the purpose indicated in another part of the
proceedings, and that the chair be requested to
appoint committee of three to recommend.
for the consideration of the meeting. the names
Of eight other gentlemen, who, with the chair
man, shall constitute the delegation referred to.
In accordance with the foregoing resolution.
the chair uamed Messrs John Echols, E. G..
Rufiin aud James d. Johnston as the commit
tee, who, after short retirement, reported rec
ommending as the delegation, in addition to
the Hon. A. H. III. s uart as chairman, Messrs.
john l.. Marye, Jr., of Fredericksburg, James
Z. Johnston Of Bedford, w. T. Sutherlin of
Danville, Wyndham Robinson of Washington
county, w. E. Owen of Halifax, John B.
Baldwin Of Augusta, James Neeson of Rich
mond, j. +. Slaughter of Lynchburg. The