Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-10-28
which will include the campaign and the
meeting of the newly elected legislature.
A LAST APPEAL.

Among the ReadJuSJerS IN Augusta
county, there are not few, honest
men who spurn the suggestion that they
are being led blindfolded into the Repub-
lican party. They think as Mr.. Riddle
berger says, mot as he thinks. he has gone
far enough into politics to know betterl
that they can lay down their Democracy
or Conservatism long enough to whip the
Funders and then pick it up again. These
good men call themselves Democratic Re-
adjusters. or some Of thera, the old Wings.
who will never shake off their prejudice
against the Democratic party, will damn
the Democrats and the Republicans in the
same breath and say they are Readjusters
only. These men were but few years
ago, the bone and sinew of the Conserva-
tive party and helped it to save the old
State from the ruin that scallawags and
carpet-baggers brought upon the other
Southern States. To these old Conserva-
tives we would like to say one more word
before they 60 to the polls.
We will say nothing as to our quarrel
about the State debt. We can't SETTLE
that now, but we would like to throw out
a friendly hand once more to save then
from stumbling into the arms Of the Re-
publican party, for which they have no
more love than we have.
If anything can open the eyes Of these
honest old Conservatives, now Readjus-
tiers, to their danger, a review OF the record
of the man they have secured on Their
State ticket ought to do it; the man, Johr
F. Lewis who only seeks the Office Of Vir
ginia's Lieutenant Governor that he may
step from it again into the United States
Senate and again misrepresent the people
of his native State. an unnatural son ct
whom that Irish patriot and American
citizen, A. M. Kelley said, Monday night.
at the Opera House, 'never was mar
born in this South infused with such fierce
hate against his people as this same Johl
F. Lewis and he should bear the everlast
ing execration of all Southern men," This
from man who knew him when he was
candidate before a Virginia Conservative
legislature and who in caucus voted
against him because be knew him too well
ing his election he never uttered word
foreshadowing his action with the Repub-
licans against the people of his own Stat
in rivetlDg the chains that bound them
1t fact it was understood that he was lib
eral in his politics and would not forge
the people whose suffrages he asked. Blu
see the return he made a trustful people
the ingratitude of bitter politician, :
man without a conscience OR soul. SeD4
tor Lewis took bis seat OF the oath of Jan
uary, 1870. This was peculiarly the era a.
Radical hate of the South when Grant ant
his party strove by oppression and rerse
cution to drive the Southern states int
the Republican party. This severe disei
pine succeeded with some individuals bu
thank Heaven the South is still solid.
The Congressional Record of Marc
22d, shows the Republicans selecting from
the accumulated business pressing upoi
them, just those schemes which bore hare
upon the South. Mr.. Anthony submitted
the following:
''Resolved, That the Senate will consid
er at The present session no other legisl.
tive business than the deficiency bill, til.
concurrent resolution for a joint commit
tee to Investigate into the condition of TIA.
States lately in instruction, and the reese
luton now pending instructing the Com
mittee on the Judiciary to report a bill C.
bills that will enable the President ana
the courts of the United States to execute
the laws in said States.7
1.-The result of this legislation which
went into effect with the aid of the vote
of John F. Lewis, was shortly seen in the
hundreds of Southern citizens who without
cause; were dragged from their homes and
incarcerated in Northern prisons where
many died of privation ard want or after
long confinement returned to their friends
wrecks in mind and body.
This resolution was amended by adding
the words land the report that may be
made by the Committee on the Judiciary
on that subject" aud finally passed the
Lewis voting aye. and such more liberal
aud kindly Republicans as Sumner, TIP
ton, Trumbull and Window voting with
the Democrats in solid column in the neg
alive. See Congressional Record" Mar.
%, 1871, page 227. I'VE use the references
of the Alexandria 'Gazette.
Mr.. Sawyer, a carpet Dagger Senator
from South Carolina, moved to amend the
bill by adding to the SUBJECTS to be con-
sidered the following:
''And the bill to relieve all persons en-
gagged in the rebellion from the disability
imposed by the 18th amendment of the
Constitution with certain exceptions"
There were it will be understood at this
time at least $50, 900 persons in the South,
over $4,000 Of whom must have been citi-
zens of Virginia who were under disabili-
ty, paying their taxes but disfranchised
and unable 10 hold Office, not even on an
equality with the negroes in this respect.
And many of these very men and the sons
of these men are now asked by the head
juster party to vote for Mr.. Lewis. But
how did he vote on this question affecting
the rights of his people, his countrymen,
his neghbors? AS Virginia Senator
would be expected to vote? here is the
record:
1.-The yeas and nays beng ordered on
LnlS a1nenumtHG, Tue vote SCOOQ: Ayes Il.
NAYS 81. The DemocTtts all voted aye, as
did also the following Republicans who
were ready to strike off the letters of dis
ability: Hill of Ga, Robertson and Saw
yer of South Carolina, Spencer of Ala,
Upton, Trumbull of Illinois, and Henry
Wilson of Massachusetts Among the
noes was John F. Lewis, of Virginia. See
Congressional Record, March %, 1871,
page 2N.
Still this is the man Malone and his al
lies would have the Democratic Readjus-
tiers, the old Conservatives of Virginia TO
vote for with view of putting him again
in the U. S. Senate where he can vent his
hate upon the people who supplanted him
in 215 w placipu in his seat Danaoarat