The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-02-18
For the Virg inian.
nWhs+ noas II Meono',

| iiiieA'
What Does it Mean?'
! have read with satisfaction, in your last Is
sue, ycur structures Oh the proposal OF the Geh-
eral Assembly to amend tho Constitution OF
the Stale. These structures are eninently 1ts5
and appropriate. l trust they VII arrest the
attention and excite the rehe"tion OF your read
ers.
This curse OF the Assembly is clear mani
festation and, in fact, q part Of thaJre0cttoaGry
policy upon which, fear. the whole Democfa-
tic party OF the South has resolved and enter.
cd LII other States it has taken the shape OF
insu-rectiohary violence in this, tits a stealthy
process Of sapping and mining the citadel IN
which are stored the fruits of the war. Here,
the arts OF duplicty and the resources OF state
craft are relied on to eiface and abolish the
principles Of nationality and emancipation,
| which the sword achieved. Farther south. the
more impulsive character Of the people revol.s
at the hardness Of these temporzing schemes
and flames out into open revolt The latter
display far more honesty of purpose and bra
very OF action, though it lacks that threacher-
Gus prudence, on which, it would seem, our
Conservative leaders in Virginia, vaunt them
selves. Having paved their way to ascendancy
in this State by false pretences that now stani
confessed before the world. and founded their
rule on the prejudiccs of race, they now mag
inc themselves strong enough to wipe from the
| Constitution, the stigma that is recorded there
upon their doctrines of secession, ana the Gee
laration of nationality which may oppose and
stand in the way of their future plottlngs.-
What dishonor; what moral treason what a
blighG upon the prospects OF the State, is lnVol-
we'd in this movement, is,sheWn with great force
and clearness in your lmiable article.
In view # the express conditions on which
this State was re-allnitted to the Union, what
/ is meant by the proposed restriction ON the
right OF suffrage? Is not that franchise placed
by the act Of Congress out OF the reach OF stch
OF any restriction? Now let us look at me
terms of the act approved january 25th, 1870,
Is vol. U. S. stats, p. 'e23. ask you to atats-
else it, 1t is as follows:
ssAad provided further, That the State Of
/ Virginia as admitted TO representation an Con-
gress, as one Of the States of the Union, upon
the following Fundamental conditions: FIRST,
that the Constitution Of Virginia shall aae0er be
so amended or changed as to deprive any citi-
Ken or class of citizens of the United States of
the right to rote aoso entitled to cote By the
Constitution herein recognized, except as pun
ishment for such crimes as are nooo fetonles at
common lav, a0bereof they shall haze been duly
convicte@ uades laaos equally applicable to att
the inhabitants of the Stete provided, that al
teration Of said constitution, prospective IN its
effects, may be made IN regard to the time and
place'of residence of vohrs.
Second, TAatH shall neuer be lascful for the
said State to deprivs any citizen Of the United
States, on accountof has race, color, precious
condition Of sereAude, Of the right to hold Of
flee uedsr the Constitution and ta0s Of sad
State. or upon any such ground to require OF
him any other qualification for office than such
as ore required Of all other citizens.
Third, That the Constitution Of Vsrginio
shall neper be so amended or changed as to de-
prize eng citizen or class Of citizens Of the
United States Of tile school rights and privileges
secured By the Constitution Of said State"
This act deserves to be emblazoned in your
columns It is the sheet-anchor OF the Repub-
lican party here; nay more, it is a great stat
ute of repose and safety to the harrassed and
ruined people Of this State. Without it, our
Bourbon leaders, taught nothing by the past,
would hasten to imperil the peace and fortunes
OF the State by their abdurate devotion to the
passions OF caste, and their unvanq uished OPP
position to the progress of Liberty and Educa-
tion. Let all good citizens OF this State, with
oat distinction Of party, cling to and revere
this Fundamental condition OF reconstruction,
as Il sacred and irreversible canon of Universal
| Suffrage. Equal Rights and Common Schools :;
and let even those, wheseassent it cannot com
Inand, bow to it as the decree of Fate and a
/ bond OF Peace.
1t cannot be supposed that our Legislators
are ignorant of these provisions OF Law. Do
they mean, then, to violate them? The require
.nent OF Il capitation tax OF 81 of each voter is,
undoubtedly, a new qualification and restrc-
ton OF suffrage, and will deprive Of the right
to vote, those who are now entitled, under the
present constitution, to vote free OF any such
qualilica ion. Hence, this measures the first
step to eylle the conditions on which the State
was re-adinitted into the Union. 1t is tentative
"a steaithy effort to see how far they can go
towards undoing the hated measures OF Re
construction. 70 this they are, no doubt, per-
suaded by the prospects OF a Democratic Res
toratlon, and a consequent condonation Of their
jnif h:yS S{t
may be the professions of some OF them, to re-
peal the recoustructions acts in order to propi-
tIate southern votes.
In the same way, they will expect the other
two conditons-of equal official eligibility and
common scholastic fall before this coalition of
Southern Rebels and Northern Democrats
Ii these be their calculations, common decency
and common honesty would require them first
to ask Congress for the repeal of these condi-
tons; but that might arouse a betrayed people,
hence, they throw aside the obligations of Hon
or and Plghtea Faith and commit a fragrant
breach OF the condition. upon which the State
can alone claim its representation in Congress.
But shall this avail them? At common Law,
an estate is forfeited by the breach of the condi
ton on which it is held. Shall not the same
principle apply here, il the people shall sane
ton at the Polls this proposed abridgnlent Of
suffrage? In the one c.lse, as in the other, there
is no necessity Of q penalty or enforcement !;
Will TIC IlUeltLLOn the Ill CltlS
particular, the rights and the place of the State
in the Union, are Forfeit and she is by that act,
Instantly RENTED to her status ante quo, that
is, of a rebel st tie.
Let it be understood, then, and proclaimed
in the Republican Press of the State, that this
dishonorable violation of the compact of the
Union will not be submitted to; that the Re-
publican patty, at least, of the State will de-
mand the faithful observance of all it's gllaran-
ties, and will not ingloroasly lose any Of their
great Fundamental rights by failing to assert
them in all the forms of law
You know, Mr.. Z litor, the popular cry is
now for war against the reconstruction acts
aoathln the Union upon this reactionary plot,
the next Presidential election is to turn. Now,
then. farewell to the liberal progress achieved
by the war; to the great cause of emancipation
and general eiucation to all hopes of return
ing prosperity, il the Assembly shall be able to
commit their constituents to this reasonable
defiance of the National Will, and so emn
fundamental compact.
TOCSIN.
A large number sf che members of the Vir-
ginia Legislature have signed petition to Gov.
Kemper for the pardon Of VIM. D. Coleman,
now serving out a term Of four years in the
penitentiary for embezzling State funds.
The butter consumed annually in the United