The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-14

Temporary had gone as Tar as aay paper IN
vtrr,n,a would ever dream Of going when u
aupearetl before the public With the articles
from which we copied some extracts yes'er.
day. Hut we we're mistaken. The Wh'g o.
the fs,h actually coutaius On editorial srga.
ing n effect that Virginia IS not c,eqns.
STATE with the other States In the Un'on' ~
Al which have right uodcr the FedeFa'
CONSTITUTION to change their const'tu.eas 70
su,, themselves. "No matter what haooc
,.lsnh. Massachusetts,, or any other STATE
MAY da.v oucth the Wing. 1.-the compact
s.w that the Constitution Of Virginia "sAd"
..,rr NJ Charged so as to exclude from the
hsI,ot.box, except for crime, any citizen or
,nv class Of citizens who were voters uaoer
the UNDERWOOD Constitution as II csme
from the hands OF our masters' we
discussed this point year or TWO
400 with Republican editof, put we
MAYER expected to have to try 10
conyince any Conservative editor that
..tbe compact " TO which that RepuoNcan
editor called our attention was nudum pdc-
firm. Indeed, IL wasn't that mueb. "
wasn't anything but waste Of woros anu
raper. 1t was like the agreements printed
mon the back Of railroad tickets, which
are put there by only one OF the parties 10
the so.cslled contract, and never seen oy
the other party until he Is a good part OF
the way toward, bis journeys end.
But let US see what this attempted ouV
rsce was TO which the wig gives the name
of ga COMPACT On the goth january
1870. an act OF Congress was approved by
General GRANT which purported to De an
act 10 admit Virginia 10 representation IN
Congress. That act contained the words
following:
"First. That the Constitution Of Vir.
pjnia shall never be so amended or chdngtd
as 10 DEPRIVE any citizen or class OF Gill;
xeus OF the United States OF the right 10
vote who are entitled 10 vote by the Con-
stitution herein recognized, except as
punishment for such crimes as are no,o lei.
onies NJ common law, whereof they shall
have been duly convicted under laws equal.
IL applicabie to all inhabitants OF slld
State: provided that any alteration OF SAID
Constitution prospective In its effects may
be made in regard to the time and place oi
residence OF voters"
Now, all lawyers, including the editor OF
the Wing, know that Virginia derives her
right to representation in Congress from
the Constitution OF the United States, and
that any act OF Congress pretending either
TO take that right away from her or TO give
II TO her Is an outrage upon the Common
wealth. When this question was under
discussion year or two ago we challenged
any Republican in Congress to bring In a
resolution depriving Virginia OF her repre-
sentation In Congress on account OF the
contempt with which she had treated THIS
Infamous attempt to control her action as
body.politic. No Republican IN Congress
has ever dared 10 assert upon the floor OF
either branch OF that body since 1870 that
Congress either had any power TO make
such an agreement or has any power to en-
force il. Virginia stands to-day as the
equal OF any other State in the Union, and
has Just the same right to change her Con-
stitution in any respect whatever that Mas
sachusetts or Vermont has.
Think Of it. An unconstitutional law
which no Republican has ever had the I'M
blushing effrontery to attempt to have en-
forced Is held up to the voters OF Virginia
as good reason why the negroes OF this
State ought not to be required to pay any
capitation tax. We quote from the Wing
OF yesterday:
"Unless, then, the non-payment OF cap
Col OF
law. Applicable to all Inhabitants OF the
state. and the man claiming to vote should
have been convicted OF the offence. IL is not
seen how, under this law, this contract, this
condition which was accepted by virginia
before she was admitted 10 representation
in Congress as one OF the States OF this
Union any man. black or white, can be
legally excluded from the polls for nom
payment OF capitaton tax. But there was
no such penalty, then or now, attached TO
nop-payment of taxes; and therefore the
law in question Is breach OF faith, II not
Illegal, in view Of the ab0ve-accepted con-
ditiop.
"This view is strengthened into certainty
by the prOriSO that any alteration In the
prescribed justification OF voters may be
made In regard to the time and place OF
residence OF voters. EIpreSsio anus ex'
ciusio alterius."
..And the compact is, II shalt neuer De
changed - no matter what Rhode Island,
Massachusetts,. or any other State may do"
s.But the Funders have restricted the
colored people In the exercise OF this right
under pretext Of general provision, yet
really aimed at them. And now they, the
r.shriekers, the sacredness-of.obiiga-
tious people, omplain Of the ReSdj usters for
restoring right as II they were creating a
revolution, and thus make the good faith
Of the Rexdjuste:s the ground OF COM
plant, and advise the colored people TO
vote against their friends.
"The coiored people ought TO know that
their right has been restricted; that the Re-
adiusters wish TO remove the restriction
and the Funders TO continue 1t. And it
can be demonstrated to them how, IL they
fall Into the Funder trap and desert their
friends aow, they can have no right to hope
for such aid again."
The ebiei organ Of the Rezdjusters thus
recognizes as binding compact an uncon-
s;itutiouaI act OF Congress. Nay, the men
who passed the set were guilty themselves
OF shameful vieiatioa Of the Constitution
of the United States, the fourteenth article
OF amendments to which expressly recog.
nixes the right sf every State TO regulate Ia
is ewn way the right to vote That amend
ment provides that II the night 70 vote Il
denied or abridged by any State for causes
other thaa those aamed la the amendment
the State shaft lose part OF sts representa-
ton In Congress proporti0ded to the mum