Year: 1869




Committee ON Public Lands. The House soor


after adjourned.


Speech of Colonel Baldwin Before the Re


construction Committee.


Extract from the Editorial Correspondence oi
/ the Dispatch.]


! After giving Colonel Baldwin's explanation
| (made at the request of the Committee) touch


ing the church property question, the writer re-


ports his remarks In reply to Wells: ~


Ihls argument was about as clear, frank and


forclhle as any | ever heard. 1t was uttered in


a manner that carried conviction of its sincerity


and truth. Generally he asseverated the earn
estness of the people of Virginia in their desire
for restoration and peace. They were tired and
sick OF strife, and the delay in the restoration
OF order and harmony was disastrous to their
interests and those of the nation He pronounc-
/ ed a eulogy upon the fairness and ustness of
| the courts of Virginia and the purity of her
Judiciary and declared that nowhere on earth
was justice administered with more impartiality
and integrity. Contending that this was suf
hclent guarantee of the fair and just disposition
of the public mind, he declared his solemn con-
viction that there was no disposition in Virginia
to harm or lnjure any one through denial of
justice under the law, and he believed that if
| Virginia were restored according to the plan of
the committee no mortal being would suffer
from such thing as partiality and malice in the
administration Of law.


Virginia had Immediately after the war;
| through her Legislature accommodated herself
| to the new order of things produced by the war,
and had voluntarily accorded to the negro all
his rights as completely as they were accorded
by the State Constitution of Pennsylvania. IL
linois, Ohio and other Northern States; and if
| there had ever been an attempt to impair the
r hfc nf -hah bod -
He begged that if anybody thought differently
with regard to what he had stated they would
say so. He felt that what he said could not be
contradicted, and would not.


Virginia having had no voice in national af
| fairs, was not divided by national parties True,
her people had had their opinions, and had
sympathized with those who had offered them
the most liberal terms of readmission into the
Union. Therefore they had desired the success
OF the Democrats In the recent election; but
when that party was defeated they considered
the question settled, and now were anxious for
restoration, submitting to the national judg
ment, which they could not evade. True, they
had opposed negro suffrage thing not con
sidered probable at the expiration OF the war in
any quarter-and they even now stated frankly
that they did not consider the negro qualified
for voting, Ignorant and just out of slavery as
he was. 10 the people Of the North, where
the negro stood as one IN twenty thousand, ne
gro suffrage was matter of no consequence,
but In Virginia we had 100000 negroes. To
admit so many uneducatcd whites suddenly in
to the constituent body might Justly be con
sldered perllOus to the State. The experiment
could not give rlse to less apprehension because
it was made with blacks.


But Notwithstanding all this, they were un
willing to continue a struggle upon q settled
question, and regarding it SO, were anxious TO
return to the Union and to see an end OF strife
and bitterness. They were earnest, and would
act In entire frankness and good faith.


Mr.. Baldwin, III much that he had to say
which was in direct opposition to what Gov
ernor Wells said yesterday, aludedto the state
ments OF that gentleman Ill very plain.terms =
He showed them to be not only unjust, but at
variance with the wishes and sentiments ofsome
of the more reliable and influential Of his own
party Alludlng to Governor Wells accusations
touching the disposition of the people towards
Northern men, Mr.. Baldwin stated that there
were two kinds OF immigrants into Virginia
the Immigrant proper and the carpet bagger,"
whose motives and conduct had affixed that
name to him everywhere. The former the pee
plcrespected; the latter they execrated. There
was, just after the war, a large number of de-
serterS from the Confederate army, and degrad
| ed men, who came forth from their hiding
places, and a large number Of camp followers
| and Others the debris Of the Federal army, who
were thrown IN the CONFUSION upon the South
and no country ever was cursed with so rayenous
and unscrupulous set of men. These had
rapaciousy seized upon the offices of the South


brutally driving out gray haired and dependent
occupants. These persons were regarded with
detestatlon. But the sincere and honest im
migrant was held In respect and confidence
All who thus came to live with US and cast their
lot with ours were heartily welcomed. They
would be ever received with open arms, and
would always be respected and valued as useful
members of society. The carpet bagger could
never be regarded except with contempt in Vir-
ginia. Hurt him we would not, in his person
| or in his rights. He could be safer In these
nowhere else. But We claimed the right which
belonged to the meanest creature on earth-to
withhold from hlin our respect.


Mr.. Baldwin called the attention Of the com
mittee to the patent triple acting, self-feeding
machinery explained yesterday by Governor
Wells 1t &C insisted OF a committee to three in
each county. Mr.. Baldwin wondered that it
was not four, as there were four principal offices
in each county, This committee was to re
ceive the application of every man in the coun-
ty who wanted to have his disabilities removed,
/ and pass upon it; but no man holding an office
could have his application considered He must
disgorge-reslgn; that was siae qua non The
Office was wanted. Now, after receiving and
| passing upon an application, it was sent to the
Central Committee, and if it was fortunate
enough to get through there, it had finally to
| receive the endorsement of General Wells him
self before it was forwarded, duly recommended
to Congress and that body had been informed
that 1t would be highly imprudent for it to re-
| lleye any one from disabilities who had not run
| the gauntlet OF these committees and obtained
| the final approval Of Governor Wells. He would
make no comment on such extraordinary ma
chinery as this. He left it to the Judgment of
! tue committee


| Mr. Baldwin was interrogated briefly only by
| Mr. Boutwell,, who stated that the Government
felt obliged to Union men in the South, and
would not be willing to place them in position
of danger. They must be protected. He saw
the difficulty of exacting any guarantee of the
people of Virginia with this view, or rather, be
saw the difficulty of giving guarantee; but he
desired Mr.. Baldwin to state what he could say
on the point.


Mr. B. replied in substance, with an earnest
ness and fervor that must have impressed even
Mr.. Boutwell,, that he believed the people of
Virginia were incapable of partiaiity or cruelty
in the administration OF justice, and that those
called loyal or Union men would be as safe
in Virginia as they could be anywhere on earth
He believed that large majority of the people
OF Virginia sustained the movement aGtempted
to be carried out by this committee and speak
ing upon his honor as Virgnian and /; gen
tleman. he believed they were acting in good
faith, without qualification or reservations and
would carry out the laws In all fairness and
equality to all men and classes. Their past
conduct, their patience, and respect for law,
that had maintained the most perfect order In
thn 11E