Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-10-03
SMOOTH WORDS OF THE PRE-.
SENT and THE PAST.

SENT and THE PAST.
'Fine words butter no parsnips" and
Judging from the past record Of the Radics
party Of Virginia, even any considerable
number Of conservatives were mad enough
to listen to the smooth talk Of the ''party o.
good feeling" now, and let them into power,
they would soon have no parsnips to butter
Time dims our recollection Of wrongs, but
it does not pale the purposes Of tho Radi-
cal party in this State. It will be refresh
ng to the memory Of our Conservative read.
srs to read the following extracts from the
testimony Of ex Gov. Wells, Of Virginia,
when on his oath before the Reconstruction
Committee Of Congress, while our Commit
tee Of Nine, representing the white people
Of the State,w pleading with the national
legislature against their disfranehisemeDs
by the Radical State Constitution. 1t is
particularly in place when We remember
that Robt.y W. Hughes supported Wells for
Governor when be ran on the Radical ticket
The extracts are from the official record Of
the u. S. Government, and the Committee
was presided over by Ben. Butler:
ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO DIsFRANcHIsE As
MANY WHITES AS MAY BE REQUIRED.
Question by Mr.. Beck Suppose you re
move all the disabilities you can. and mako
suffrage universal, SO far,as in your power,
why should not such ) Constitution protect
you @ l4s
Answer Because believe that would
put class Of people in power in such mum.
bers that it would be impossible to protect
the minority Of voters The whole tenden.
cy ever since the fall Of Richmond has been
to do that very thing. What mean by
that 10 this: discovered that it was am
nounced as distinct proposition. enter
tanned by the great mass Of all the whit
men Of Virginia, that they would submit to
negro suffrage only temporarily, and in coD'
sideration Of gaining . boon on the other
hand. Now, then, believe if those gen.
tlemen are sincere in what they say on the
subject, and really opposed to colored SUI
frsge, they will avail themselves Of the first
opportunity of placing the negroes back ss
near as possible to their former condition in
this particular. Therefore, think 1t is
absolutely necessary. IN order to carry out
Z Effectively the provisions of the acts Of Con-
gress, to disframchise a certain number Of
REPRESENTATIVES, NUMBER MAY BE RE-
oUIRED. -"
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WILL NOT ACCEPT
THE CONSTITUTION WITH THE DIsERAN-
cHIs1Na CLAUSE STRICKEN OUT.
Answer to Mr.. Beck: think the Re
publican party is strong enough to carry
the constitution with the DISTINGUISHING clause
stricken out, with the allies it would receive,
but / do not think 1T aoould accept the con.
ststutson thus amended.
UNIVERSAL NEGRO SUFFRAGE, LIMITED WHITE
Question by Mr. Boutwell, And do not
think it in accordance with the spirit Of the
reconstruction acts while enfranchising one
race to disfranchise another to any extent
you see ft
Answer Yes, sir, if it is not in conflict
with the reconstruction acts.
Doesn't it seem like madness for the same
men and party who advocated this, now to
ask the white people of Virginia to vote
with them, and wouldn't it be worse thar
insanity for them to do it. 1t is the "party
Of good feeling and here is sample of the
good feeling. After the election in 1869,
which the conservatives carried, the Hon.
Chas. H. Porter, the member Of Congress.
from the Richmond district, offered in tina
body petition for the setting aside Of thai
election, the petition having been adopted
by the Radical State Convention which as.
sembled ct Richmond on the 18th Of th'
following November. Here are two ex
tracts from that petition: s
We would most respectfully ask thai
your honorable body guarantee repupl
can form of government to Virginia, e the,
I by ordering mea0 election and by submit
ting the aohole Constitution to cote Of til.
people, or BY requiring The test oath Of H.
members of the Legislature, and awardins.
the seats Of those aoho cannot take 1T to Mos
eligible opponents aoho received the neat
highest vote, where the circums ances shos
that the electors must have known .hs
they we're casting their votes for ineliglb
candidates. In the event Of new Ell ction
we would ask for a military force suficiens
to protect us in our political and civil rights
We believe that the secret Of our defeal
can be found in the unfortunate submission
to separate vote Of the test-oath and dis
tramchising clauses Of the State Constitu
ton. in direct conflict with the action of our
constitutional convention and in opposition
to the deliberate and unanimous opinion o,
the rank and file of the Republican party
of Virginia.
The Radical party complain of being
hated by the whites Of Virginia and pro
scribed. What have they to answer to these
evidences Of their own hatred and proscrip.
ton ohen they had the poaUer-when the
affairs Of the State were yet within the con-
troll Of the national government.
Il EOTWG 10 Sc (LON1HER A NOnTdT