Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-04
WHY WE ARE SOLID.
OPINIONS OF MAJOR STILES, seNA-
TOR Z q. VANCE, AND OTHERS.
Reconstruction and IT'S he>"'''
by n Number Of Able sou'ner"
Writers.

"Why the Solid southi or, Kec2 20 81, 1e
ton and It's Results" Is the t'tt. - -,
tayo of 452 pages flled WIN ~ Con"reas
by Hilary A. Herbert. Tnellbsr y. 80 Ilss,;.a5
from Alabama; Zebulou D. way ce, NI IT,,
states senator from North Carolina; Sonn
I Uemnb,U member Of Congress IRON
south Carolina; Henry G. Turner !, h pn-l.
Of Congress from Georgia. Sal.9Sri IL 30 20
United States senator rom = lol'' e., W.
Jones. Tennessee: Robert Stiles'y SSt,;'lso,,
ginin; O. $. Long and william - v;.. 49,
members Of Congress from West -. 10,
Missouri: William NJ. tlshhack' ~ 49, &c
Etholbert Bar.sdale. ex-member 2I NOn-
gress from Mississippi: ChaLies n''p "
member OF Congress from Texas d. D.
Sage. Louisiana. 1:,aod;
ii was edited by Mr.. Herbert, and y dedi;
Gated e" 10 the busine-F-mon OF inc nol.n.
In the table Of contents the loiOwins
outline Of Major Stiles's c2nt u. ,nu'''"
(Which covers forty-One pages - -''on'
Convention NJ Wheolins. Nay la.n co. noyc SJny
iltc-Convcnt0n elected PierP'lu' 5-e-,.
snd two United states Senetors-ConE r., ais "a
elected IN May Congress recoghl1Su .,..su-ns
Government: New state proposeu - $500 ~,
General Batoe's protest; West VIZ 10 CHnoroI
How: restored virginia AZ Alexan1i S..D I"
Ben Butler's derisive ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -
peal 20 Lncoln: Llncolns theory Oh hosss' =,
uon-Evidence as 70: Picrpoints co , =,
ia Richmond ropeals disirsnchtslhs Es~s 80
completes re0rganizat on u Siate' hePi
fiyes ~ virginia barred out OF Congfes5- ~ ~
Mr.. Sioycrs-The committee OF fllso.n
vocabulary ruio-freefman6 buIeaI, =
gislstion respecting freedmen; Inc I.u'N5 49,, ~
der Reconstruction; Virginia "ci'i,l'sa , m'O,
tuus i-Gcuerai Stonemans hePo,t,-i1o r,s
fsctons--1he Committee OF Nins ., odo ~
chieing clauses stricken 0ut-Cohru .itiot, ".-oP
ed-Sfaie restored: Tho CONSTITUTIONS. tu"s-
tlon-Precticaly settled f0rever--OonelusiOn'
REORGANIZATION.
After bringing his story up 70 the perlCd
when Pierpolnts Government, WI S 60
ltehed in Richmond IN 1865 MAJOR Stllos
SAYS: t.-;.,.4;,,
were stricken from tho limbs OF Virginia
sons aud the ancient COmmonWeall Ilily
oruauiZed and equipped stood ready 10 al
vance and reoccupy her Old position IN the
American Union Of sovereign ana co,
equal States. Her right 70 do SO would
nppear 20 have been unassailable even py
the most preludiced political foe. She was
road, and offered hcrrelf with q govern
mont oroauized i'm the dark days ct secs
sion. under the immediate suggestion ana
superylsion Of Federal authority ana conse-
grated hv the devotion Of the handfulot Nlr-
girieps then and ever LOYAL and faithful 10
4hn CrioD-n Government afterwardsrect
r,zed nv the Congress of the United States
~ the true and lawful government OF N'r;
riUia. upon whose rlghtful authority ana
consent. according 90 the theory 81 Con,
rrees. were based the division OF the old
Commonwealth. the existence and admls--
sion of West Virginia. and the transfer and
annexation Of Berkeley and Jefferson
counties to that Srate-a government re-
coonized also by the Executive OF the
United Statcs in solemn presidential pro-
clamation of its legitimate right-a gov;
eminent at last happily acqulesced I'D ana
SUPPORTED by substantially nj the citizens
Of Virginia.
DESTRUCTION.
The life of the Stale and the hopes OF her
people beat high when, upon the assem-
bling If Congress in December. 1863. me
dulv accredited representatives OF Virginia
ren,,irod to the national Capitol. Having
dcpositad their credentials with the clerk
thev look their seats upon the moor, nlt
mon he preliminary call OF the House II
appeared That the Clerk had not entered
the name # q single representative ol 2
southern state upon the roll. ihere MAS
ro onDortuultv fOi defence OF debate, not
even Tor protest. Tho outrage was con-
-ummated "a soon a. suree TED. Upon
what ground can 10 De- defended:
Here Wa 10 tANIu~lDA bl 'litif i'lhti'f' t'f
tast-oath " for personal disqualification.
Tho thing was done wholesale, and of ne
ce-sity upon the theory, that the late
rebel States were not entitled 10 repre-
scntatiou.
WhyY Was it that these States did not
have "A republican form OF government,
and that Congress felt bound 90 guarantee
TINS To them. or. thit they did not seem
likely to have 2 Republican majority IN
elections. and that Congress felt anxious
to ~uarantre this TO them: From 1861
restored Virginia - lad been represented
iu ConTc-s-WaS her Constitution repubil-
can in form from 1851 'Gt AMI unrepuhli-
can in 1861 Aud if 50. did the existence
of e-t-oaths and acknowledgements and
1IaQualifcaUons make her Original COnsti-
tuffon republican. and the exDUrCation OF
These features mdAc he amended ConSti'u.
ton uurepubhcany Vas the Perpolnt
government of Virginia entirely satlsiac-
tory while II did notaclually represent one
in twenty Of her citizen, and entirely nm,
satisfactory when rs came to represent al
of them? Were the constitutions OF the
several northern States. which III 1863 dld
not recognize negro suffrage, republican
IN form. and the constitutions OF the SOUTH
ern states. which did not embOdy such re-
cognition, uurepUbhcan!
These are grave questions. We throw
! what hight we may upon their solution ny
! having upon the conscience OF an inteIl-
! gent ana candid people one question more.
Would the representatives from the south
eru states have been barred out of CongTe *
| ia 1865 il. either with or without negro SUI
| fIagc these states had been so organized a5
| % give far assurance of substantial lie
/ publican maIoracs?
However his may be, two things at least
are clean first. there was nothing IN
/ the condition OF affairs in Virginia
/ 30 resistance 10 national authority, no
! excitcmcut. no disorder. no insecurity
| OF life or prOpeftv- which even anpr1Ni-
/ mated 10 @ justification of this sudden
/ smothcTng 0i tine fresh life of the state,
! the fresh hopes OF hor people and slciHi,
/ tins summary election 0f her represents
! tiye= without reason assigned or chance 20
! be heard. did moretO cugeDdeI IN Virginia
| a deep sense Of wrong ard 10 rctard the
return II good feeling than tho entire
military operations OF any one year Of the
war.
1t shouldbe remembered that the mass
/ Of the people OF virginia having teen
honestly and heartily devoted TO the
cause Of tine Coufederaoy, justly tet
that they had gono very far IN
| the direction of concession and 3oD-
citation. when they accepted Gpd
" honestly aud cordially sustained the
! PierpOnt government. thus adding 10 II the
| great seal o. popular ratification, which i
| specially lacked. and for lack OF which II
had been frequently sneeIed at. even by
| the extreme leaders OF its own party.
! They felt. too that that government aud
the State organized under 1t stood, OF
ought to stand, in an exceptionally strong
position with the Congress and Govern
ment OF the United States. as having far
nished not only the first nucleus and rally
ing point for Union sentiment in the
South, but also the first suggestion aud
mOdelfOr Union oTganization--as Attorney
/ General Bates expressed IT. the plan
adopted both by Virginia and the General
! Government for the reorganization OF The
! revolted States and the restoration OF the
/ integrity OF the Union" And tuey iurthe
felt II TO % an utter violation, not only OF
logical and legal consistency, but OF good
faith. 20 bold the Pierpoint government
even without popular support. basis sub,
, clent Tor The creation and admission o.
! West Virginia, and yet. with popular sup.
port added, insufficient for the statehood
ana admission OF Virginia herself.
7HE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION.
| 1of In tba dfv:.,o, e Viii, .,,J al