The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-03

country, and supporting directly tn,
national government and administration
There could be no more conclusive evidence
given of the determination of the Virgins
Il people TO become thoroughly national and
loyal than was furnished by this device Of
the politicians still to control them, while
humoring that determination. But The
result showed that the majority preferred
the direct method of supporting their gov
eminent rather than the indirect. =.
| Even the Greeley vote given by a portion
OF the people was in the line of national
loyalty, warped from direct expression bv
the trick OF the sectional politicians, and
itself confirmed his propositions of the
latent nationalism of the Virginia people.
but the majority gave direct vote in that
direction. and made Virginia once more,
alter an estrangement Of a quarter of a
century, national state. fod3s1se5
Colonel Hughes concluded this part OF
tho subject by saying that the question
now was whether the people would elect
state government in harmony with the ma
ton, and having the sympathy and
confidence of its authorities, or whether
they would elect a state government DOM
mated and controlled by the sectional poll
iticians who had ruled and controlled them
SO long and disastrously.' He knew that
the result would be the election Of the Re-
publican ticket. 1t was part of the logic
Of events. II was result in harmony
with and fulfillment of the inclinatons of |
the popular heart so often manifested in |
the manner he had described Virginia |
did not intend TO go back into sectional |
ism, with its hatreds, distractions, decay |
and impoyerishment. Her people would |
not be misled any longer, but would now |
restore their state to the position in the |
Union where Washington had placed and |
left her, by electing Republican state
government.
Colonel Hughes said that the short time
to him for speaking would allow
of his touching on but single other SUBJ
ject. lie declared that the Conservative
party, which was responsible for the losses
and poverty to which the people had been
brought by their quarrel with the Unien,
and which was bound by every considera.
lion OF honor and duty to provide suitable
relief for their condition, had not only re-
used to provide relief, but had opposed it in
every form. He adverted, in proof of this
assertion, to the course of the Conserya-
ives on the homestead provision of the
'tate constitution.
That clause gave the homestead to SOL
ilers of the Confederacy against debts con-
racted before as well as after its adoption.
The clause was a contract between all the
'eople of the state, the one with the other,
nd was as sound and valid as any con-
ract which could be made between any
wo citizens. 1t was not claw" passed |
y the legislature, within the terms Of the
lause Of the national constitution prohibits
az the states from s'passing any law i'm
airing the obligation of contracts.n 1t
Vas itself contract, entering into the gem
raj compact OF government formed by tho
eople among themselves. : But the Com
eryative party, acting through legislative
aucus, had taken pains 80 to constitute the i
)urt of appeals as to insure different ,
of this retroactive-relief fea- !
Ire of The state constitution. 1t can be il
roved that each Judge, before his election,
ad been ascertained to be opposed to this 9
AZURE ; and it was not to be wondered at
lat this court, thus constituted, had :
unanimously decided at Wytheville against
us provision. The Conservative party
SO manifested its purpose to insure the
,feat Of this provision by providing in the
W creating the special court of appeals j
at the special court should have no
risdiction of the homestead subject. 81 9
Governor Walker and Speaker Turner's
mmittee had pledged themselves to con- Z
ess, in 1869, that this constitution :.
ould be carried into effect in |" every II
in letter and spirit The
were bound, not only by :
ese express pledges, but by their duty T,
o distressed people, to execute this =
mestead provision. 1t is in vain for .
em to plead that the clause was uneon-
tutional. 1t had never been so pro-
unced by any court when they took T.
much pains to defeat it. Their nc
d faith to the constitution had et
en- fully exhibited before the courts m m
d annulled this provision, and they had, gr
all this business, SO contrived that q tn
'nfederate soldier. ruined by his service a re
the armies of his country, in order to to
We the roof which sheltered his family, OF
lst incur the odium Of bankruptcy, and e.,
as bankrupt and suitor into national =
urt for this legal boon.
Here the time of Colonel Hughes expired,
d after thanking the assemblage for the
'pectful attention which they had given ST
N he retired from the stand. ft,4 Al
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