The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-11-15

anu ask the consideration OF the House tG
what would have been our condition if. in
1861. just that clause had been laid as q
shackle on the President of the United
States, and il he had had no army to put
down rebellion and instruction in any
State? What better ground for successful
revolution, of the overturning of the repub
lie, could have been had than such law?
ask whether gentlemen on this floor mean
to-day to lay plans for future like that, if !;
rebellion should arise in the North, or the
East, or the West, or the South We did
not suppose in 1860 that such thing as did
occur would ever have occurred in America.
The awful example i'll our history through
which we have passed makes it important
that we do not siackle our Government as
lection Of its life. | ask all men who wish
the perpetuity of our nation not TO lay a
shackle Of that sort on our Government.
do not by any means imply that there is
any purpose to re enact the scenes OF 1861
trust that there is no such purpose any
where in the land, but | say, in all kindness
to the gentleman from Mississippi, thst the
proposition, coming as it does without ap-
parent reason now, will cause anxiety
throughout the American Republic. 1t is
not enough that our poor, unpaid, starved
army has been held up here for these many
days to further starvation, to be, cut down
by death in Indian warfare. AMI given to
understand that merciful Congress pro-
poses to cut it still deeper, but that at last
its Communicating Chief should be sllackled,
and the army OF Representatives should take
command Of the army and post fonr cavalry
sergeants where it pleaseS. We might as
we'll take command of the picket line and
say where the guards are to be posted. j
This amendment of Mr.. Hooper received
only thirty-eight votes, all democrats, and
among them Messrs. Hunton,. Csbell, Tuck
er, Walker Douglass, and Prdemore of Va.
Mr. Goode made Il speech against it, basing
his objection on the ground mainly Of the
Presidents conciliatory policy, and he and
Mr.. Harris voted against it. Mr.. Goode said,
his judgment it would be exceedingly IN
wise and impolitic to engraft such propo-
sition upon the bill. He had supported and
voted for a restrictive clause in the army
appropriation bill last session, but now the
circumstances were entirely different
Would his friend from Mississippi ignore
that change OF circumstance After the
accession of President Hayes ne had made
an order for the withdrawal Of troops from
the Safe Houses i'll South Carolina and
Louisiana. That meant to indicate that the
President was willing to trust the PIT ople of
the South. 1t meant to indicate that the
President regarded thom us brave and
said when they protested to renew their al
legiance to the Governments; and that in his
judgment the use of the bayonet was not
necessary to enforce law and order and
peace at the South. That is the way that
tho people of the South understood it--they
regarded it rs an overture of peace. There
was nothing which they SO earnestly and
anxiously desired as lasting and endurin!
peace. The people whom he represented
were unwilling to refuse to take the right
hand of fellowship when it was held out to
them by the President.
We submit that the spirit manifested IN
the affirmative vote or the Hooper amend
ment, is an ungraclous return for the acts
of confidence and Cancellation of the Presi-
dent, and, if we are not mistaken, will meet
the rebule of the constituents of the Vr-
gina members who voted for it.