Year: 1869

The Virginia Press on Recon


StructiOn.


We are glad to learn that the
recent action Of the President and
Congress in regard to Reconstruc-
ton in Virginia, Texas and Mis-
sissippi, is so favorably received by
the Press of those States. The
following extracts from Virginia
papers will be perused with pleasure
by our people. The Richmond Wing,
of Monday before last, says:


The passage of this bill, on the
recommendation of General Grant,
makes plain sailing for us in Vir-
ginia; and, if the people of the
State, have common sense, insures
their deliverance from the ruinous
reign of the carpet baggers. We
may not get such a constitution as
we, would prefer, but it would ena,
BILE us to live and prosper until such
| li"C do VIC LID al1Cl hhu AhpiOfO
it. With the election Of such a
State ticket as that of Walker,
Lewis, and Taylor-devoted to the
true interests of the State, and
sympathizing with the wants and
sufferings of our people, and with
a Legislature concurring and co op-
Grating with them-we foresee a
fair future for our old Common
wealth. To the success of that
ticket and such a Legislature, let all
who feel an interest in the material
welfare of the old State at once
address themselves.


In regard to the condition prece-
dent of the adoption Of the 10th
Article of amendment to the United
States Constitution, required by the
Senate's amendment to the act, the
Wing, while complaining of the
unhandsome process Of compulsion,
still observes that 1.-THE impolicy
of refusing compliance and of Oh
structing reconstruction, and that
on terms more liberal than were
hoped for few months ago, is too
manifest to require argument" 1t
adds:


"The decree has gone forth-and
there is no stopping its execution
that suffrage shall be universal.
President Grant is pledged to it,
Congress is pledged to it, the Chief
Justice of the United States is
pledged to it,. and it is inevitable.
We have negro suffrage without it
as effectually as we would have
with it, and the only effect will be
to fix it upon the Northern and
Western States. We gain nothing
by opposing it, and lose nothing by
adopting it. But when we refuse to
support President Grants liberal
policy of reconstruction because
Congress has seen fit to make the
ratification of this amendment a
condition precedent to admission
to representation, we simply pursue
a course that must finally result in
fixing up'n ourselves the proscriptive
Underwood Constitution naked and
pure, and the carpetbag ticket of
Wells d Co." -...


The Richmond Dispatch, of
Monday, takes the same ground j:
1t says: ---s~A


The grand point in this i'm
portant bill is the opportunity it
will afford our people of delivering
themselves from the shackles forged
for them by the Convention of
1868, with it's overwhelming ma
jority of negroes and strangers. 1t
will enable us to get rid of the test
oath, the county organizations, and
such monstrous clauses, as the Pres
Il ident, in his wisdom and fairness,
may permit US to vote on separate
ly. That the people can defeat
these propositions, if they act wisely
and harmoniously, is beyond ques-
ton. And it would be an act OF
blindness and madness for them to
fail to do so.' .gs..


The Richmond Examiner, how
ever, while accepting in good spirit
the action of the President, points
its objections still to the Virginia
Constitution.


"In our opinion the constitution
in question, after all the clauses to
be separately voted on shall have
been stricken out, is still fully OF
enormities. But we are free to say
that we are pleased to accept the
action Of the President as some ev
idence of good will on his part
. toward US, and as evincing DISPOSE
ton to mitigate in some degree al
least this proposed constitution"


The Petersburg Index warmly
supports the Presidents message
and recommends immediate action
in organizing for the campaign
announcing its purpose to support
the Conservative Republican nom.
inees for Governor, &c.


The Norfolk Journal, referring tc
: the Fifteenth Amendment, says:
"The incorporation of this
J amendment in the Constitution is 6
| matter Of very little moment to us
: Universal negro suffrage has beer
fixed upon us, and we can not shake
it off. 1t is but right that those
: who have subjected us to it should
/ have q taste Of it themselves
What is sauce for the goose is
} sauce for the gander. Indeed, sc
apparent is the injustice of irfictins
) negro suffrage upon part of the
: Union, and not on the whole, tha