Year: 1869

| are misled by improper influences exercised over
Inem by those who are looking only 10 ONCE and by
dstrust OF rs, wh0 they are made 10 believe.
| would use political power unjusty and to their in-
Jury. twill not be long before hey learn the true
them, and in time trust they will dismiss their fears
OF us Should this state OF things he brought about,
! society Will move more harmoniousy and happily.
But whether does or not, with the removal OF the
Two great dsquallfying clauses In the constitution
tne whites viii WELD the political power oil the
state-a power TO which they entitled by the
tests OF intelligence numbers and property, whether
| considered separately or together. The Underwood
constitution administered by the conservatives Will
be very different thing from the same
constitution administered Dy Wells and his
That the government which Is best administered Is
best, but believe that very much depends on the
administration, ADM SO much that a bad government
may De so administered rs to become tOlerabe, and
a. good government may he so badly administered as
10 be ntolerabe. The operation Of the county org
the character OF the men WHO III the offices. II the
constitution be eXpurgated proposed, the whites
III most OF tne counties can protect themselves. A
| conservative Governor and Legislature can do much
IN Legitimate way to mitigate the mlschicfs or this
anu some other provisions OF The constitution. But
tbe whites, II they have the majority, amend the
constitution and after there Is some experience of
the operation OF this instrument think It probable
tnat many OF the blacks Will unite in call for the
| change. Those at least among them VINO hold
! property and understand their interests.


But there Is yet another consideration which
makes me desire to rehabiltaIe the State and
her TO the exercise OF political power. wish to see
,ne representative seats OF Virginia IN Congress
esty; who will look to her honor and interests and
not sell them out to cater to the avarlce anmosy
OF her enemies. Let the power to which she Will be
| entitled under the constitution as II now stands be
Welded by such men IN her defence, and they Will
1nd Inc means to protect her. she VIII no longer
be treated as the cheap subject OF every political
experiment which It may please red republicans or


me TSe braaeS Wa Io Of s oSr NJ der Here
be worth more TO us in the way OF protection than all


t tne GOOD feeling toward Us winch exists in all
| 10 draw upon that capital. IL Is q work
OF difficulty, confess. for Tie present; but II we
can SO administer and manage our state govern.
ments as to produce harmony and good feeling be-
tween the races, 1t may lead to common pursuit of
venton of negro suffrage conceived as IL was sun
posed for the injury Of South, should he returned
as to plague the inventor, It must be remembered
did not originate the measure but against our ear
nest remonstrance it was forced upon us.


SO lar have endeav0red 10 enforce my views by
considerations special to Virginia herse but con.
Tess that there are others OF general nature
Of general interest that the influence Of Virginia
should be once more felt III the government OF
the Union. Her worst enemies VIII admit that II
was an honest nnuence and all must feel that such
an element was never more needed than now
III the conduct OF national affairs When l reject
upon all that she did 10 delay the establishment of
the desp0tic power OF mere majority Of numbers |
cannot Dut tnlnk that there may yet be some DO.
tency in her voice check abuses and restrain o.
preston. When / remember, toO how long she
maintained her gallant struggle with no other
weapons than reason, the constitution and the moral





that she held her line until overwhelmed by the cor
ruption OF the times and the vast odds against her
1t seems to me That she must have discovered the
true line Of defence against despOtsm in every
shape, even though 1t should appear Its last de-
velopment and nnal form OF Imperialism, whose
coming many secretly belleve and some openly de-
clare To be inevitable. Should that time ever
arrive those TO whom Its approaches are un-
welcome may rejoice in the assistance OF her
who nas been ever ready to resist unlimited power
all Its forms. Weapons that are now rustinu from
dlsuse IN her polticai armory may again come INTO
llnl
IN welding them. Ii is true that past she failed
to commend 10 the favorable consideration OF her
co-States democracy with limited power but ner
voice may be better needed when 1t becomes ques-
tion as TO the limitation upon the power OF a mon
archy, should that be ever established, an event
upon which 1t used to be thought almost sacregl-
Gus TO speculate but which now somehow seems 10
nave become q iamliar topic IN the mouths OF men.
II Zlscas dead skin, when stretched upon drum
could give forth SOUND as 1abled to awe even the
naughty Turk at the height OF his pride and power
the voice OF what YET lives OF Virginia, like ''the
shout OF king among them," may once more rally
the hOsts who are called upon repel the approach
OF despotlsm wth its mercIless and ali absorbing
grasp. could wish that the country might be saved
from such trials; but what nation, what governments
ana especially what republic has ever escaped
themS But | am approaching a subject which
would take me too far from the matter In hand +
have given the reasons which, In my opinion make
1t proper for Virginia TO accept even the Under
wood constitution II 1t should be so eXpurgaed as
to besow the political power Of the State upon the
white race, which constitutes the majority OF its
people. l would accept almost any constitution





anything to see state government composed Of
Nlrginlans VINO would respect her honor ana repre-
sent ner interests. There may be worse things, |
know, than even military government but NJ was
reserved for these extraordinary times to force
that conviction on the mind of one trained
up In the enjoyment and tradition OF social
and individual liberty. l confess however that
am weary or seeing the sword Of the conqueror IN
the scale OF Justice can live under arbitrary pow
err know, because have done ii, and still uo but
It is comparatively new thing to me. and can
never be rec0nced TO It, shall take the first fair
IN 4
think the opportunity Is now Afforded In the issues
presented by the conservative party OF the state.
Tney 10 not 0fer, II Is true, all that would like or
all that think we are entitled to- but It Is all that
they can give. am for taking every step towards
afforded me by the majority that rules us. Conces-
sions may be forced upon them by the necessities
turning sense OF Justice. + viii tsts oW Ibae, ae
as they come be they little or much without in
qury INTO the motive which prompts them, IL
they enable US to take another step towards The
restoration OF our State ~ tile rights Of selfgOyern
ment. VIII not only accept them, but accept them
promptly, for believe tins Congress to he capable
Of resumlng tomorrow what they may have granted
to-day. should we fal to ratiiy this constitution
after it has been expurgated feel by no means sure
that the party IN power viii not force n unon ma a
1t came from the hands OF It's makers. Let no hone
be entertained to the contrary because the consttu
ton or the United states forblds them to do so
When has that instrument stood In the way of ac.
complshlng any purpose which they cherished
dent or the supreme Court OF the United States,
Has IL been respected bv them IN their conduct to.
Wdius usf OH y, IL seems 10 he the
approved theory with them that we are beyond the
pale OF the constitution, and subject TO their arbl
trdry power and absolute control.


L VIII not fal 10 do anything which may help my
STATE Tor the present, because hope they will do
something better for here hereafter. do indeed
nope TO see returning sense Of justice at some
future day, but that time ~ probably distant and
dare not wait. The white people of Virginia have
now an opportunity to restore the State the right
of selfg0vernmen and TO obtain the control OF its
political power ut home and In the general govern
ment. II they fail to do VIII be their own fault
aud owing TO their apathy and ndecsion. Before
they lose such result let them consider In time
what loss that will be; let them remember, too
that their majority, though decided, IL small and
to secure such relief as Is possible every conserya-
tive voter should cast his vote and unite I'm the
common cause l know that our position Is dim.
cult, ana that even we obtain the victory we
shall require wisdom, foroearance and energy 10
reap It's fruits: but have faith my fellow citizens
and when see Virgnans ruling virginia snail
feel that the hrst great step, which more tnan
any other, has been taken towards the restoration