Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-11-01
LeNis's Record-Read 1t virglnlans.

4 LeMis's Record-Read 1t Virginians.
4 We understand Mr.. John Amblel
j Smith took ftup0n himself, ut Alexan.
dria, to challenge the accuracy of Maiol
/ Daniels statement that John r. Lewis
j while q senator Of the United. States
and for the section authorizing Grant ,tC
suspend the writ of hobeas cor,pfts in
, theae down trodden States. No wonder
\ he denies it. It seems incredible that
I any man should have the audacity tc
face the gallant people of Virginia as q
u candidate for any positiOn In their gift
i whose record Is so indefensible, so ex.
i eorable as that Of the Virginia Senator
4 Most of all is 1t incredible that q man
4 with suchsa record should aspire to the
i exalted position Of q Lieutenant Gov
4 ernor Of Virginia. But the evidence ol
his guilt 1s overwhelming and iDdis-
putable. Mems memory may fail about
these matters, but the printed record re-
mains. Here IL the whole story. II
i bears repetition:
] The Senate met March A, 1871, and SO
Intent were the C0nklings and Mortons
on dragooning the South that they re.
solved to consider no legislation ut that
session save the Appropriation bill and
Il measures'to coerce the South.
i On the'28thHo of March bill was intro
j dseed, ostspsibly to enforce the provi-
bions of the Fourteenth Amendment.-
This bill provided for the suspension of
j h0beus c0s7Dsss at the will of Grant, for
his Intervention IN State affairs at his
/ xlouo fnv fka t,sx v1cI
4 It deprived the State courts of jurisdic-
ton to try vast line Of causes Of offence
! against person or property, and trans
ferred to United States courts, then held
Ilby the most malignant and ignorant
partizans throughout the South, all such
cases. It empowered Grant to call out
the militia and the hand and naval
forces of the United States to. interfere
In any Southern State, whether called
on. as provided under the g Constitution,
or not, and made him the Judge of the
necessity ofinterference. II made new
definition of rebellion and gave Grant
the power to say when rebellion exist
ed and then authorized him
To sslspend the privilege of the wyst
l0f HABEAs CORPUS and To declare and
le,y0rce, sx15ect to the rules and articles
of sodr and other loWs ot the United
States, saos0 in force. applicable to cases Of
ltREBELLION, MARTIAL LAW, &c. i
Il Well was this bill denounced by every
Democrat as the most hideous travesty
solely to intimidate the South into vot-
ling the Republican ticket in the election
soon to follow. i
But 1t passed.
Every Democrat of course voted a.
lIgainst it, but along eide of the Conklings
land Mortons, who were thus wreaking
their vengeance on the South was the Re-
lpudiat0r candidate for Lieutenant Gov
ernor of Vir, ,inia. LEWIS VOTED
AYE. Congressional Globe, April 18th,
1871-p. 831.)
/ In the course of the discussion of this
bill, Sherman, whose malignity exceed
ed even Mort0n's, moved an amendment
to turn another screw on the unhappy
people of the South.
Putting them under Grants thumb,
authorizing the sweeping away of their
Liberties, setting up Marshal law In the
South, substituting the army resula
tfons for their State codes might satisfy
others. But his venom was not SO easily
appeased, and his ingenuity was more
fertile, and he placed the cap stone on
this arch Of ipfamy by an amendment
Of his own.
This amendment provided that. if fany
of the political outrages. with which the
Radical journals were full at that time.
I was committed on person or properly,
the United States Courts should have
cognizapce of the alleged offense, should
tTyaehe case by its own juries, and q
verdict being obtained, as would always
follow, the county, city. or town where
1t happened sh0uld pay all damages
awarded, and upon judgment being
obtained, EXECUTION MAY BE LEVIED
ON ANY PROPERTY, REAL OR PERSON
AL, OF ANY PERSON IN SAID COUNTY,
CITY OR PARISH"
i This Infamous attempt to put the pro-
fperty of the white people of the Soush
at the mercy of the faithful allies" and
Underwood & Co., excited the In
i dignatt0n even of such Radicals as
Schurz. Morrill,, Freelinghuysen, the
carpet bagger Spencer, and other bitter
gainst it,
1 BUT JOHN F. LEWIS VOTED AYEl
i Congressional Globe, April 18th. 1871
lip. 7O5
Failing to purge the bill of this in
fanny, Mr.. Trumbull, In the interest of
American liberty, moved to strike out
the despOtic provision authorizing
Grant to suspend hobeas corpus, and
4 several Republicans, to their credit be
\ 1t said, united with him. But all the
malignant Radicals, and with them
JOHN F. LEWIS, OF VIRGINIA, voted
II No" Congressional Globe, April 14th,
II 1871-p. 7O5.)
II This bill of abominations contained Q
1 proviso as follows:
And provided, also, that the provi-
/ sions Of this section THAT authorizing
, suspension ofhubeos corpus aud declara
ton Of martial law) shall not be In forct
after the end of the next regular session
Of Congress-"
Stewart moved to strike it out SO as tc
make this vile law perpetual. Only four
teen senators, out of sixty-two voted fol
the proposition. These were. of course
the bitteresl Radicals in Congress, AMI
3 LEWIS WAS AMONG THEM.
II The Ayes were Ames, Chandler
: lConkling, Gilbert, Howe, LEWIS
Morton, Nye, Osborne, Pomeroy, Rice
: Sherman, Spencer, and Stewart (C0n
! gressionaI Globe, April 14th, 1871-p
705)
} This is the record of forty days o
] senatorial lab0rs IF John F. Lewis
; Read it, people of Virginia, and cas-
your votes for this champion repudiato
{ If you can.
D When our speakers charge Lewis witt
9 this terrible dereliction of duty. thi
3 coalition with our enemies, this treason
. TO Virginia. let them have this paper a
. hand, aud they will speak by the card
We have printed more than was neces
sary to defend Major Daniels assertion
| because the whole story is inLerestin
1 reading. and paints the Coalition candi
4 date In his true colors.-C Conservative
: Democrat.
!. RooT-CELLARs.-The leading feat
I ures OF a good root cellar are, proc
against frost. neatness, drying. ventils
ltion, and cheapness. If a hillside